Agave trimming is a common practice that has spread rapidly as a disease primarily due to lack of knowledge.  Forms of  agave trimming can be seen in larger species such as Agave Americana, Agave Salmiana, Agave Weberi to name a few.

The origin of agave trimming came from the harvesting of agaves for the production of tequila and mescal in throughout various parts of Mexico. This practice is performed when the plants are ready to be processed at the distillery a time when all the leaves must be removed for transportation purposes.  To put this in perspective, a harvested agave look like our beautiful  Hawaiian pineapple.

In desert communities across the southwest, the agave  is primarily used  for landscape enhancement.  And while agaves are common to this region only a  few dozen out of more than 200 hundred different species are being used in the average desert landscape.

Trimming agave leaves causes an enormous amount of stress on the plants specially during the hot season. Agaves spend all their life  storing water and food in their leaves for one beautiful display. This is something that may happen once in a lifetime.

During the dry season, agaves make use of their leaf storage of  water and food to support themselves. Not having the bottom leaves  weaken agaves and they becomes susceptible to diseases and snout weevil attack. Other lower leaf functions include protecting the plant trunk and the roots from the inclement sun.

For those new to phoenix (homeowners and gardeners alike) the agave and its majestic shape can be an attractive asset to any landscape  but not knowing the approrpiate care techniques can significantly affect their overall lifespan.

Advice From an Expert

Cesar says to make sure that you choose the right location for your agave so it can express its unique beauty and grow to its fullest potential. If you know that your agave is going to be very large, make sure you relocate it to a better place. For a consultation with Cesar please call 602-265-0920.