If you live in an arid area, you can plant some agave since it will not ask you to give water daily. This plant can tolerate severe drought and can survive in harsh weather. Besides, it has some nutritional benefits you can use to make juice.
When you make a cup of supplementary juice for extra nutrients, you should add some agave to get all the nutrients in one juice. From this sense, agave is genuine health benefitted tree.
Agave root system explained
Agave has a shallow root system that can be slightly invasive. You will find different types of roots in various agave plants. Since most of them have shallow roots, you can use a shallow container to grow in a controlled way. Otherwise, it will take over the nearby areas and will become invasive.
Some agave plants will grow their roots from several inches to several feet. Among them, the shallow root system agave will become invasive in a few weeks by spreading the root and producing small & new baby plants. You might find that the agave is multiplying the roots.
I will explain four different agave plants below and describe their root system. If you look for non-invasive root agave, you must go through them and find out which one is the perfect. You may find some container-controlled agave root systems. Let’s see what’s your best agave plant.
Blue glow agave:
If you look for the most beautiful agave plant, you should consider the blue glow agave since it has a unique structure.
It can tolerate drought and arid sessions, but it needs regular watering. If you water it every week, it will keep growing and become an ornament for your garden.
The blue glow agave also has a shallow root system that could be invasive. But it will not take up too much space nearby the container or your garden.
Since it could take over some areas, you should use a shallow container to grow your blue glow agave adequately. It will both grow in height & diameter to give you a beautiful plant.
Foxtail agave:
The foxtail agave is a drought-resistant plant that requires little or no extra water to grow.
It can take the water from the first layer of the soil and thrive soon. If you plant this foxtail agave in a closed container, it might need some water once a month to survive in your closed container.
It’s also a regular agave-type plant that can be invasive if you plant it in an open space. However, this agave plant will become invasive since it has a shallow root system near the soil and grows.
So, you must have a plan to grow this agave in a controlled way to stop the overgrowth of its root.
Agave attenuata:
Like the foxtail agave, the agave attenuata is also a flowering plant that can increase your garden’s beauty.
It is also a drought-resistant plant that doesn’t need any extra or added water regularly. Planting it in a closed container will need some water once a month or routinely.
The agave attenuata also has a shallow root system that will be invasive by some growing roots.
The root will live near the soil level and go several inches deep through the first layer of soil. Sometimes it will increase dramatically; otherwise, it will produce new babies.
Agave americana:
Here comes the tallest agave plant in the world. The agave Americana could be your ornamental tree that can grow quickly and become a 6 feet height giant tree in a short time.
If you are concerned about growing a giant average, you may avoid this plant.
Finally, you get an agave root that is not genuinely invasive; instead, the agave Americana has a shallow root system, but its root will not take any extra space.
It will be in its growing space and available in nearby areas. So, if you look for a non-invasive big agave plant, the century plant is there for you.
Does agave have deep roots?
Agave doesn’t have deep roots; instead, it has a shallow root system that will only go several inches.
If you have any concerns regarding the agave root depth, you must check the container and try to plant this tree in a closed container. Although the root is shallow, it will spread to nearby ground.
When you plant this agave in an open space, it will grow roots in any direction. You won’t find it nearby, and it might take over the empty spaces through its shallow root. Once the root goes invasive, you cannot control it by cutting off the extended roots.
A shallow root system has some benefits that you can control easily and use a shallow container for that.
Moreover, the shallow root system always plays a good role in plant growth and helps the plant to become small and increase the leaves better than other plants. So, plant an agave tree and take care of it.
You must take the agave plant one step ahead among the hundreds of different options. There will be four different types of agave plants for you that you must consider before choosing the right one.
If you love growing large agave plants, you should consider an American agave plant; otherwise, the blue glow agave will be an excellent choice for you.
How Deep Are Agave Roots?
Agave tree roots can go as deep as 5 feet, although some agave plants only grow its root by several inches to a single foot.
Because the roots are fibrous and remain in the top 25 to 35 inches of soil while spreading out as the plant matures, it is expected that a matured agave will have roots within a 30 to 40-foot circle and perhaps 3 or 5 feet deep.
Like many other succulent plants, Agaves have shallow root systems and can thrive in containers of any size because they do not require a significant amount of soil.
When planting agave, it is important to select the proper location because these plants have a huge tap roots and do not transplant well. If the tree is planted when it is young, you do not need to dig a bottomless hole because most of the roots are on the surface.
Can Agave roots damage foundation or pipes?
Agave tree roots cannot damage foundations or pipes. To damage foundation or pipes, a tree must have a deep root system and be invasive. Agave trees have none of them. Still, you must be careful about its growth and root system since the root can grow and become invasive.
Agave shape surface roots and engender by sending out root suckers that shape useless trees related to the mother plant. As it does not have a deep taproot or an invasive root structure, it will damage to your house foundations or pipes systems.
If an agave tree is planted close to the house, position the tree at slightest 15 to 25 feet from the partition.
So, you can expect your foundation or sewer system to survive from Agave tree roots. Otherwise, root growth will quickly overcome the foundation and damage the concrete wall.
Do Agave spread or multiply?
Agave trees can both spread as well as multiply. Even while the plant also produces seed pods that may be planted, the easiest method for propagating Agave attenuata is to divide off its offshoots and replant them.
Agave plants can propagate without producing flowers because they produce offshoots known as pups. Once they are severed, these young plants, known as pups, will mature into new plants.
If you want to stop the growth of these pups, you must cut them off and control the growth; otherwise, these little agave plants will take over the empty spaces.
They can be removed without much effort by locating the connecting root and making a cut through it. But you should careful while doing it since careless cutting might damage the root system and stop the growth of your agave plant.
If you wish to plant from the seeds of this plant, you need to remove the pods during the spring or summer and allow them to dry out.
When placed in wet potting soil, they will begin to sprout because your agave plant’s spreading or multiplying experience will depend on these things. You must take it seriously and will look forward to growing it accordingly.
Final Thoughts
Agave plants have a shallow root system. This root will live near the soil and spread slowly. If you don’t control this agave root, it will become invasive and take over the ground with its growing roots. So, it’s better to plant it in a closed container and get the best growth of its roots.