Q: Should I be worried that my landscaper severely trimmed the bottoms of these two old agaves? He said the reason was to keep snakes from hiding there and make it easier for them to clean around. He removed one without notifying me, saying it was too close to the other and was “dying.” I see some evidence of west-side gray leaves; does this mean my agaves are dying or is it sun damage?
A: It is troubling that your landscaper pruned these plants and so severely. Typically, agaves don’t need pruning unless they have diseased or damaged leaves. Some people prune off the pointy leaf ends if they extend into walkways but even this is damaging to the plant. If snakes are a regular problem in your area, maybe there is a good reason for protecting the landscapers.
It’s not clear what sort of cleanup is required from the photos or what you asked him to do in that regard. Removing one because it was too close makes sense although it probably should have been discussed before removing it.
Finally, agaves don’t do great in direct western sun so you might be seeing sunburn on the leaves facing that direction.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to
