Foxtail
Agave attenuata, commonly called the foxtail or lion's tail agave or the swan's neck agave, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae (the asparaguses, agaves and yuccas). Sometimes called the soft-leaf or soft-leaved agave, the aforementioned animal-related names are a nod to the appearance of the plant's inflorescence, which—after years, generally—rises slightly before gravity brings it back down, giving the bloom a curved, "swan"-like or "foxtail" look.
Classification
Agave attenuata belongs to the Agave genus within the Asparagaceae family. It performs reliably across temperate, subtropical zones in our experience.
Cultivation
Care sheet.
Virtually pest-free. Avoid heavy clay soils and overwatering — root rot is the main risk.
Offsets (pups) removed from base of parent plant.
Companions
Species we plant alongside Foxtail.
Further reading
- 01Agave attenuata taxon photograph — Atlas of Living Australia image service
