The small axillary 'Blue Glow' bloom, being short, is easier to photograph:
This blooming 'Joe Hoak' Agave in the area gave me some hope--it had what appeared to be not only seed pods, but also a few bulbils.
Look closely:
Our own 'Joe Hoak' is getting close to blooming. The central leaves have become small and slim. Any day now, the bloom may appear. At least now, I have hope for a few bulbils, and perhaps even seeds--though who knows what sort of plant they would produce.
'Blue Glow' is not showing any signs of forming seed pods. I've done some more pollinating with Manfreda pollen, but no pods as yet.
With no help from me, the Dyckia stems are filled with seed pods, each seed pod filled with seeds:
You win some, you lose some. 'Joe' may make up for 'Blue Glow'.
Speaking of win, I won a Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender' in a drawing over the weekend.
With Sedum 'Coppertone':
'Mona Lavender' is a great plant that blooms like crazy. It is a hybrid that was developed at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. It is vulnerable to snails, slugs, drought, and frost. I grew it for several years until it finally got woody and weary, and I always meant to get another eventually. A drawing, and there it was. Cool!
This blooming 'Joe Hoak' Agave in the area gave me some hope--it had what appeared to be not only seed pods, but also a few bulbils.
Look closely:
Our own 'Joe Hoak' is getting close to blooming. The central leaves have become small and slim. Any day now, the bloom may appear. At least now, I have hope for a few bulbils, and perhaps even seeds--though who knows what sort of plant they would produce.
'Blue Glow' is not showing any signs of forming seed pods. I've done some more pollinating with Manfreda pollen, but no pods as yet.
With no help from me, the Dyckia stems are filled with seed pods, each seed pod filled with seeds:
You win some, you lose some. 'Joe' may make up for 'Blue Glow'.
Speaking of win, I won a Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender' in a drawing over the weekend.
With Sedum 'Coppertone':
'Mona Lavender' is a great plant that blooms like crazy. It is a hybrid that was developed at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. It is vulnerable to snails, slugs, drought, and frost. I grew it for several years until it finally got woody and weary, and I always meant to get another eventually. A drawing, and there it was. Cool!
Great close up of the flowers.
ReplyDeleteA shame the pollination is not taking.
Doesn't hurt to try. If I was really serious I would find some Agave pollen to try as well, but only so much time and energy available.
DeleteDo you really need more agave babies? :)
ReplyDeleteDo the hummingbirds go fo 'Mona Lavender'? Looks nice, and winning it makes it even better.
"Need" is hardly the point. ;)
DeleteI know the bees like Plectranthus, can't remember about the hummers. It's out there, we'll see if they go for it.
This weekend I bought a Joe Hoak with pups..........news to me as I thought it was solitary. Maybe the owner of the one in bloom will let you have some of the bulbils; and what's growing on the ground next to the one in bloom. More ?
ReplyDeleteOooh! Lucky buy! JH is supposedly a genetic sport of A. desmetiana, which is not solitary. What is growing on the ground near the bloomer? Echeveria agavoides and Dymondia.
DeleteYour photographs are really cool........So beautiful, especially the first one and the other one of Blue Glow with the oranje glow on the picture.
ReplyDeleteWell, your pictures are " cool ", but these tough plants like a lot of warmth.