Cream SpikeThe Most Colorful Compact Agave for Phoenix Containers & Rock Gardens Cream Spike Agave (Agave patonii) is a miniature showstopper that packs dramatic color into a compact package. Its thick, short leaves feature bold cream to golden edges and rich bluish green centers, forming a perfectly symmetrical rosette rarely bigger than 12 feet across. This variegated gem is one of the best small agaves for containers, tabletop displays, and tight garden

Backfill with native soil — add 20–30% pumice or perlite for extra drainage

Color Accent for Desert Landscapes

Gopher Plant Season-by-Season in Phoenix

making it ideal for containers

Consistent summer watering during the first two years dramatically accelerates establishment

Desert Border Accent

4–5 feet for individual specimens

and like all agaves it rots if overwatered or left sitting wet

Yes — Ironwood produces clusters of fragrant lavender-purple pea-like flowers in April and May

It is not a fit for an unprotected

Foliage Deciduous — drops leaves in winter Bloom Color Deep burgundy to magenta trumpet-shaped flowers Bloom Season Spring through fall (April–October) Native Status Native to Arizona

The white form (Alba Plena) has pure white double flowers with a subtle fragrance