A smaller mostly solitary agave with a spherical rosette to around 18 inches tall by 2 feet wide with numerous upwardly inclined narrow dark green leaves lacking any teeth along the leaf reddish brown margins, but has sharp terminal spines. Like all agaves, this species is monocarpic (blooms at the end of its life) with an unbranched 10’ flower stalk with densely packed golden yellow flowers which turn maroon as they are fertilized. Bulbils (propagative pups) come after the flowers.

Plant in full to part sun, with low water, hardy to about 15°F. A. ocahui is one of the best for tolerating extra moisture in the landscape, but is also quite drought tolerant.

The flowers service many pollinators (insects, hummingbirds).

The genus Agave is derived from Greek mythology being the daughter of Cadmus, who supposedly founded the city of Thebes; it generally translates to mean “noble’. The specific epithet "ocahui" was the name was used by the indigenous Sonoran Desert population for "fiber" and "cordage" and called this plant by this name as the leaf fibers were used to make rope.

Agave ocahui is native to Northeastern Sonora State, Mexico, at an elevation of 1500 to 4500 ft.

Agave ocahui on iNaturalist

Photo by Mountain States Wholesale Nursery