Dragon-claw leaves
Short broad blades with a powerful tip create the distinctive heavy silhouette.
Agave 'Dragon Toes' 17cm
Normal price
€39,90
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Agave 'Dragon Toes'
Low, tough and more than a little dramatic 🐉
- Asparagaceae
- Thick glaucous leaves
- Red terminal spines
- Strong bud imprints
- Collector tissue-culture selection
Agave 'Dragon Toes' looks carved from short heavy dragon claws: thick glaucous leaves open into a low rosette, end in red to brown tips and carry deep impressions left by neighbouring teeth. Every blade has distinctive three-dimensional texture, giving the silhouette a muscular, ancient and exceptionally photogenic character.
Compact form and dramatic detail have made it a sought-after collector agave, especially where strong presence is wanted without the spread of a giant species. At this generous size it already appears established and full, ready to become a statement on a terrace, at an entrance or within a disciplined mineral display.
What makes it stand out
Three defining details that turn its botanical identity into real presence for a collection and interior.
Deep bud imprints
Teeth press against neighbouring young leaves, leaving relief patterns as the rosette opens.
Selected for red tips
This line was selected for chunky leaves, warm tips and clean compact architecture.
Why you’ll love it: it combines documented trade history, dramatic imprints and one of the most recognisable compact collector-agave forms.
In your spacePlacement & plant pairingsWhere it looks best and which plants complement it
Where it looks its best
Display it alone in a weighty matt pot made from charcoal, terracotta or pale stone, with an open view from above and generous clearance from traffic. Fine mineral top dressing makes the red tips and imprints even clearer.
Plants that complement it
Pair it with plants that genuinely share its light, substrate and seasonal rhythm. Separate pots keep care precise for each one.
- Agave victoriae-reginae — white lines and finer disciplined geometry.
- Ferocactus glaucescens — a glaucous sphere with golden spine contrast.
- Curio repens — a low blue layer allowing the rosette to dominate.
Care at a glance
Light
Very intense brightness and several hours of sun after gradual acclimation.
Watering
Water deeply only in a fully dry mix, keeping the rosette centre clear.
Compact agave
Open airflow, warm growth and protection from frost and prolonged cold rain.
Pets & children
Sharp tips, teeth and irritating sap; wear gloves and keep away from traffic.
For this plant
Substrate & nutrition
Detailed careComplete care guideLight, drying cycle, climate, substrate and feeding in detail
Light and position
Provide very intense brightness and several hours of sun, increasing exposure gradually after greenhouse conditions or winter. This keeps the rosette compact and its colouring clean.
Correct watering
Wait until the entire mix is dry and the pot feels distinctly lighter. Water deeply at the base, let excess drain freely and do not repeat while cool moisture remains lower down.
Airflow and humidity
Open airflow limits stagnant dampness between the leaves and around the crown. Avoid misting and positions where rain or irrigation sits in the centre for many hours.
Temperature and seasonal rhythm
Active growth strengthens with warmth and long days. Growth slows in cool weather, so reduce moisture sharply and protect the rosette from frost and prolonged cold rain.
Substrate
Use a highly free-draining cactus and succulent mix with plenty of pumice, lava or another mineral component. Keep the crown above the surface and ensure the pot has clear drainage holes.
Feeding, repotting and handling
After repotting, wait for active growth to resume. In the warm season use diluted Cactus & Succulent Focus as directed, never during dry or cool dormancy; wear gloves around sharp margins.
Botanical identityIdentity & natural originAccepted name, taxonomic history and natural or cultivated provenance
Introduced by Rancho Tissue Technologies
‘Dragon Toes’ was introduced commercially in 2010 by Rancho Tissue Technologies as Agave pygmaea ‘Dragon Toes’ and is produced through tissue culture.
Selected from seed
The original announcement states that it was selected from seed for red tips, chunky leaves and strong imprints. It does not safely identify an originator, so none should be assigned without evidence.
The accepted base is A. seemanniana
Kew places Agave pygmaea and A. seemanniana subsp. pygmaea within accepted A. seemanniana, native from southern Mexico into Central America.
From natural habitat to care: The A. seemanniana foundation comes from seasonally dry tropical landscapes, where thick leaves develop under strong exposure with rapid drainage. In a pot it similarly needs sun, air and complete drying, with gradual acclimation of the glaucous epidermis.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific facts nobody asked forBotanical detail for anyone who wants to know what lies behind the plant’s appearance
Imprints form before leaves open
Inside the closed bud, margins and teeth press against the tender epidermis of neighbouring leaves.
Tissue culture preserves the clone
In vitro propagation allows larger production with stable traits rather than relying on variable seed.
Pygmaea is now a synonym
The historic dwarf identity remains in trade history but is not currently accepted as a separate species by Kew.
The rosette is monocarpic
The main agave flowers once at great age and completes its cycle, as is typical for the genus.
Frequently asked questions
Useful answers about light, watering, seasonal rhythm and the plant’s correct identity.
01Is it Agave pygmaea or A. seemanniana?
It was introduced as A. pygmaea ‘Dragon Toes’, but Kew now includes pygmaea within accepted Agave seemanniana.
02Are the deep marks damage?
No. They are natural imprints left by neighbouring teeth while the leaves were folded in the bud.
03When does it need watering?
Water only after the mix is dry to the bottom and the pot feels distinctly light.
04What light does it need?
It needs very intense brightness and several hours of direct sun, always introduced gradually.
05What changes with the seasons?
It grows in warmth, slows in cool weather and stays much drier then. Protect it from frost and cold rain.
06Can it stand on a low table?
Only if it is out of reach. Terminal spines and teeth injure, and ingesting agave may be harmful.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.