The blue agave is well known as the source of the sugary sap that is used to produce tequila. The sap is extracted from the core of the plant when it is 7 to 8 years old, just before a flower stalk can be produced. If allowed to bloom, the plant will die, but it will produce "pups" at the base that can be replanted. With large rosettes of smooth blue leaves edged with sharp prickles, this is a beautiful conservatory plant, but due to its size, it is not suited to indoor gardening. It cannot withstand freezing temperatures. In its native Jalisco area, it grows in deserts at an elevation of 4,000 to 5,000 feet.