Foxtail agave
Agave attenuata
Also called Lion's tail agave, Swan's neck agave and Soft agave
Houseplant · Succulents & cactiThe one agave with no spines and no teeth, which is why it is the one in the conservatory, and it grows a trunk. After ten years it throws a three-metre flower spike that arches over like a fox's brush, and that rosette dies.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 20 daysSoak, then bone-dry — wait until the soil is dry right through — lift the pot, it tells you.
- Light
- Full sun to bright shade
- Feed
- Every 90 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Tender — no frost at all RHS H2, to 1°C
- Size
- 1 m tall · 1.2 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Central Mexico
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsNothing recorded against it
No animal-poison authority lists this plant either way.
PeopleIrritates skin
The sap.
HandlingTake care handling it
The sap irritates skin; wash after cutting a leaf.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-21.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.