Plant in full sun in a moderately well-draining soil. Little irrigation required. Has proven hardy to the low 20s°F.

The first Shark Skin Agave we grew came from the Huntington Botanical Gardens and we list that one as Agave 'Sharkskin' but this one came from the Ruth Bancroft Garden and it is a bit more upright. They are both originally from a population of a naturally occurring hybrids of the ferdinandi-regis form of Agave victoriae-reginae (these two plants, once considered separate species were synonymized before the plant called ferdinandi-regis for was formally described as Agave nickelsiae) crossed with a subspecies of Agave scabra, a plant that is now considered to be a subspecies of Agave asperrima. The common name Shark Skin was applied due to this plant's texture and color - some use this common name as a cultivar name (which is less of a mouthful than Agave nickelsiae x Agave scabra). More about this plant's origins can be found on our Agave Sharkskin Page. Another name that is sometimes applied to this plant is Agave 'Ruth Bancroft'. Although some of the plants in cultivation may have been distributed by this very fine botanic garden in Walnut Creek, CA, this name is confusing and not supported by Ruth Bancroft Garden Plant Curator Brian Kemble. Plants from the Ruth Bancroft Garden were supplied to a tissue culture lab by Yucca Do nursery and to keep them separate from the plants from the Huntington Botanic Garden, which were tissue cultured originally by Rancho Tissue Technologies, they are now being called 'Sharkskin Shoes'. We have grown plants originating from both of these gardens side by side and though quite similar we have noticed that 'Sharkskin Shoes' is more upright and seems to be less affected by the mealybug that plagues 'Sharkskin'. 

Information displayed on this page about Agave 'Sharkskin Shoes' is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.