Coastal agave
Agave shawii
Last reviewed: August 2026
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
18"–36" H × 24"–48" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May
Native to
CA
Pollinators
bats, hummingbirds, native bees
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 431 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaA slow-growing succulent forming a rosette of stiff, spine-tipped gray-green leaves. After many years it sends up a tall flowering stalk with yellow blooms, then the rosette dies, though offsets often persist nearby.
Wildlife value
The tall flower stalks provide nectar for hummingbirds and native bees, and in parts of its range for nectar-feeding bats.
Common questions
- How much sun does Coastal agave need?
- Coastal agave grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Coastal agave bloom?
- Coastal agave blooms in March, April, and May.
- Where is Coastal agave native?
- Coastal agave (Agave shawii) is native to CA, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What pollinators does Coastal agave attract?
- Coastal agave draws bats, hummingbirds, and native bees.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
Ready to grow Coastal agave? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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