Agave parryi (Parry’s Agave) — Blue-gray rosettes with a frosted crown.

A compact, cold-hardy agave, Parry’s Agave forms tight rosettes of steel-blue leaves tipped with sharp spines. Tough, beautiful, and long-lived, it’s one of the best agaves for cold desert gardens.

Plant Details:

• Water Needs: Very low; drought-tolerant once established

• Sun Needs: Full sun

• Soil Requirements: Sandy, rocky soils with sharp drainage

• Growing Zone: USDA Zones 5–9

• Cold Hardiness: Down to ~–20°F (–29°C)

• Mature Size: 2–3 ft tall x 2–3 ft wide

• Native Origin: Southwestern USA and northern Mexico

• Best Substitutes For: Whale’s Tongue Agave, Hardy Yucca

• Landscape Uses: Rock gardens, xeric borders, specimen plantings