This is a variegated (marginated?) form of Agave 'Blue Glow':
This is a variegated form of Agave 'Blue Flame':
These are very new plants, and quite rare as far as I can tell. There may be millions in tissue culture not yet ready for sale, but today these are not common, run-of-the-mill varieties. They are the first ones on the block.
In the technology world, there are people known as "early adopters". They are the people who buy the newest gizmos as soon as they are available, or beta-test new software or products. They live on the bleeding edge--the product may be a failure, and they are stuck with an expensive dud--or it may have a lot of glitches or problems that have not yet been worked out, or it may be a big hit and for a while they are the coolest of the cool.
There is something like that in the gardening world too. Gardeners love new plants, and love having a new plant no one else has. New plants, like new technologies, are not always perfect. The plant may be a complete dud, or not that much different from the old version, or it may be novel, but also butt-ugly.
I'm not an early adopter of technology, being completely content to let the bleeding-edgers work out the glitches and pay the premium price while I wait for the reliable version half the price early adopters paid. It's a thing I had to learn about where plants are concerned. When I first started growing roses, I eagerly bought new introductions (and believed the marketing hype, Lord help me!). Now I wait a year or two for feedback before I buy a rose, to find out how badly it Rusts, and how much it blooms, in my climate. If it is a good cultivar it will be available for at least a few years.
Though when presented with variegated versions of two really gorgeous hybrid Agaves, I could not resist early adoption. I'm a bleeding edger with these two, though choosing Agaves for the bleeding-edge experience, a genus that thrives here with little effort, was at least hedging my bet.
This is a variegated form of Agave 'Blue Flame':
These are very new plants, and quite rare as far as I can tell. There may be millions in tissue culture not yet ready for sale, but today these are not common, run-of-the-mill varieties. They are the first ones on the block.
In the technology world, there are people known as "early adopters". They are the people who buy the newest gizmos as soon as they are available, or beta-test new software or products. They live on the bleeding edge--the product may be a failure, and they are stuck with an expensive dud--or it may have a lot of glitches or problems that have not yet been worked out, or it may be a big hit and for a while they are the coolest of the cool.
There is something like that in the gardening world too. Gardeners love new plants, and love having a new plant no one else has. New plants, like new technologies, are not always perfect. The plant may be a complete dud, or not that much different from the old version, or it may be novel, but also butt-ugly.
I'm not an early adopter of technology, being completely content to let the bleeding-edgers work out the glitches and pay the premium price while I wait for the reliable version half the price early adopters paid. It's a thing I had to learn about where plants are concerned. When I first started growing roses, I eagerly bought new introductions (and believed the marketing hype, Lord help me!). Now I wait a year or two for feedback before I buy a rose, to find out how badly it Rusts, and how much it blooms, in my climate. If it is a good cultivar it will be available for at least a few years.
Though when presented with variegated versions of two really gorgeous hybrid Agaves, I could not resist early adoption. I'm a bleeding edger with these two, though choosing Agaves for the bleeding-edge experience, a genus that thrives here with little effort, was at least hedging my bet.
Of course you know I'm variegated with envy.
ReplyDeleteWell done for tracking down your little prizes. They are beautiful. Sadly it will be a long time before they make it over to the UK, so I will have to admire from a-far.
ReplyDeleteAhem, just how and where were you presented with these first-on-the-block acquisitions? A variegated Blue Glow is an earth-shattering event. What amazing potential in these two agaves! You did good.
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