Agaves are rosette-forming perennials growing in the desert and mountainous regions of North, Central, and South America and in the Caribbean. They bloom once at maturity, which can be anywhere from 5 to 40 years. Most plants die after flowering and are not frost hardy. Commonly grown as an outdoor ornamental in southern California, dragon agave has thin, wide, pale gray-green leaves that are soft, flexible, and nearly toothless. It grows 4 to 5 feet tall, producing white flowers in March and April. Grow in dry, rocky soil, where it can tolerate a few degrees of frost and does better than most agaves in a slightly shaded area.