Agave parryi red select Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Parry's Agave (Artichoke Agave)

Agave parryi red select

£19.99
Hardy in the UKSun-lovingEvergreen
Pot size
13cm / 1L £19.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Agave parryi, Parry's agave, is the artichoke of the agave world: a dense, perfectly symmetrical rosette of broad blue-grey leaves, each edged and tipped in dark spines. Our red select strain turns that outline up a notch, with unusually strong burgundy-red teeth that draw every leaf in dark ink against the glaucous blue. Few hardy plants offer this much geometry in so little space.

It comes from high, cold, arid country in Arizona and New Mexico, which is why it ranks among the very hardiest agaves on Earth: established plants take -10C and lower as long as their roots stay dry. Slow-growing to around 50 to 75 cm across, it suits British gardens far better than the giant species, and offsets in time into a tight colony.

How and where to grow

  • Position: full sun; a south-facing raised bed, slope or gravel garden.
  • Soil: very free-draining, gritty or stony; never heavy wet ground.
  • Size: slowly to 50-75 cm across, 40-60 cm tall.
  • Hardiness: H4 when dry at the root; protect from winter rain rather than cold.

Plant it as the jewel of a dry or gravel garden, in a rockery pocket, or in terracotta with our other plants for pots. It sits perfectly beside Agave 'Shaka Zulu' and the soft-leaved Beschorneria albiflora in a spiky, sculptural corner of your hardy exotics collection.

Nursery-grown plants with strong colour. Our seasonal expectations guide explains winter care honestly.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Parry's Agave (Artichoke Agave)

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Parry's Agave (Artichoke Agave)

Agave parryi red select needs full sun and well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −10°C, standing an average UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Architectural Dry & Gravel Gardens Pots & Containers

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Hardy Exotic (H4): down to around −10°C. Hardy through an average UK winter.

One of the hardiest agaves in the world: established plants take -10C and lower when bone dry at the root. We rate it H4. The rule is simple: cold plus wet kills, cold plus dry does not. Read moreShow less

One of the hardiest agaves in the world: established plants take -10C and lower when bone dry at the root. We rate it H4. The rule is simple: cold plus wet kills, cold plus dry does not.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingShelteredExposed
Full sun, the hotter and brighter the better. A south-facing raised bed, gravel garden or terracotta pot is ideal. Read moreShow less

Full sun, the hotter and brighter the better. A south-facing raised bed, gravel garden or terracotta pot is ideal.

Soil

SandLoamChalkWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Very free-draining: gritty, sandy or stony soil, or a 50/50 mix of compost and grit in pots. Never heavy, wet ground. Read moreShow less

Very free-draining: gritty, sandy or stony soil, or a 50/50 mix of compost and grit in pots. Never heavy, wet ground.

Watering

Water occasionally in the first summer, then rely on rainfall. In pots, keep dry from autumn to spring; a pane of glass or open cloche over garden plants keeps winter rain off. Read moreShow less

Water occasionally in the first summer, then rely on rainfall. In pots, keep dry from autumn to spring; a pane of glass or open cloche over garden plants keeps winter rain off.

Mature size

Height0.4-0.6 m
Spread0.5-0.75 m

Reaches full size in 10-20 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

No pruning. Remove dead lower leaves with gloves; cut spent flowering rosettes at the base and leave offsets to grow on.

Toxicity

Leaf tips carry sharp spines and the sap can irritate skin; site away from paths and play areas and handle with gloves.

Native range

SW USA, N. Mexico

Family

Asparagaceae

Also known as

Agave parryi red select

Genus

Agave →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Agave parryi hardy in the UK?

Yes, provided it stays dry. Parry's agave grows at altitude in Arizona and New Mexico, where winters are cold but arid, so established plants shrug off -10C and beyond with sharp drainage and rain protection. Winter wet, not frost, is what kills agaves here. Our seasonal expectations guide has the honest detail.

How big does Agave parryi grow?

Slowly to a tight, artichoke-like rosette around 50 to 75 cm across. It stays in proportion for years, which makes it far more garden-friendly than the giant agaves, and it offsets to form a small colony in time.

What makes this red select form special?

Our plants are a selected seed strain with unusually strong burgundy-red teeth and terminal spines against the blue-grey leaves, so every leaf edge is drawn in dark red ink. The contrast is what collectors hunt for in parryi.

How do I care for Parry's agave?

Full sun, very sharp drainage, and neglect. Plant it high in gritty soil, keep winter rain off where possible, and never overwater. It thrives in dry and gravel gardens and in terracotta among our plants for pots.

Does Agave parryi flower?

Once, spectacularly, after a decade or more: a towering stalk to 4 m or higher, branched like a candelabra and packed with yellow flowers. The flowering rosette then dies, but by that point it will have surrounded itself with offsets that carry on.

Is agave safe around children and pets?

Treat it with respect: the leaf tips carry genuinely sharp spines and the sap can irritate skin. Site rosettes back from path edges and play areas, exactly as you would a rose or berberis. For a completely soft agave look, see Beschorneria albiflora.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Meet the family

Everything about Agave

Agave indoors comes down to one rule: maximum light, minimum water. This guide covers everything you need to grow it well in a UK home.

More about Agave care
Agave Care Guide
Why Grow Tropicals

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Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Agave parryi red select
£19.99