South of the U.S. border Shaw's Agave is often found on volcanic soils in a distinctive and quite diverse succulent scrub with Bergerocactus emoryi and Ferocactus viridescens .
Shrubs here are low-growing and habitat is quite open.
Intense fire at this site could pose a threat. It has been introduced at Cabrillo National Monument, Torrey Pines, and other locales such as the national wildlife refuge headquarters in Imperial Beach. A few plants occur naturally just south of Point Loma College. Data Base reports a vigorous population south of the Point Loma College site near the Fleet Combat Training Center west of Woodward Road. Shaw's Agave is an abundant sometimes dominant shrub of the northern Baja coast, growing by the many thousands.