The Rest Of The Agaves

Since 2011 I have added more Agaves (surprise!).
A. havardiana looks sad.  It has been covered up by the Calandrinia clump several times, and didn't like that.
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2014.  A. horrida ssp. perotensis, which I got at the grocery store.  This subspecies appears rather meek compared to the regular horrida. No wonder they were selling them at the grocery store.
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The next is a selection of A. sebastiana, from Cedros Island off Baja.  It is said to be highly xeric, but here it needs water to get through summer.  Not a lot of water, but a soak once a month has brought it back to health. 
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Agave titanota 'Wanky Lanky' is an odd little variation.  I got it thinking it was a regular A. titanota.
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Here's a regular titanota.  It suffered when I planted it--too hot and dry for a small plant, but this year it seems to have established itself and is slowly becoming the beauty I expected.  
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A garden-buddy gave me another titanota, which I planted near the first.  It nearly died from heat and drought, so I moved it to some shade where it gets regular water.  It's fully recovered and I'll move it to a permanent location soon.  
A. victoriae-reginae.  I have two small ones.  They are very slow growing and it takes about 20-25 years for one to bloom.  I'm in no rush.  
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Agave 'Sun Glow' is a variegated version of 'Blue Glow'.  It is very small and slow, though it has done better in the ground than it did in a pot.  
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I'm not sure what this one is.  It was tagged 'Dragon Toes', but it doesn't look like the 'Dragon Toes' that I have. guadalarajana? 
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'Blue Ember', from Rancho Soledad.  I think it has nickelsiae in it.  Nickelsiae is the new name for ferdinandi-regis.
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A. potatorum 'Kissho Kan'.  Cute, variegated, and dwarfy.
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'Streaker':  it's a sport of 'Blue Flame'.  It was expensive and it is not vigorous.  
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A. attenuata 'Kara's Choice'.  It has vague stripes. It's not bad, not dazzling--somewhere in between. 
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'Blue Flame'.  Just got this recently.  "This hybrid between Agave shawii (seed parent) and Agave attenuata (pollen parent) was created by Dave Verity in the early 1960's", according to the San Marcos website.  This is gorgeous when it gets large, offsetting to form a splendid clump.  If ever I can get rid of the augustifolia mess, I'd replace it with this, and if it wants to form a huge clump, I'd be happy.
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Just read the tag.  I'm not going to type all that, even if it does contain "boris".  Acquired this year, and already an offset:
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This one also is recent, A. albopilosa. 
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'Shadow Dancer', another new one.
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A very unhappy Mr. Ripple.  It looked great last winter but declined rapidly since then.  What to do?  Into the spot where the toasted titanota recovered its health?
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A. parrasana.  I'll get this into the ground soon.  It was tiny when I bought it but it has grown to maybe 8" across (10 cm).  It's a another gorgeous species and I look forward to watching it develop. 
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Agave pygmae 'Dragon Toes'.  Slow and petite, lovely but tough. Like parryi, its hide of silvery blue seems immune to scars or spots.
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Our variegated attenuata is right up there with 'Joe Hoak' and 'Blue Glow' as a favorite--maybe above those two.  Constant eye candy for me.  The little oddity in front of it is A. pumila, and parrasana lurks behind it on the right.
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A. ovatifolia.  I need to get this into the ground before it becomes too heavy to carry.  I also don't want to stunt it by leaving it in the pot too long. 
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That's twenty one more Agaves, give or take a couple, along with seventeen in the original post, so about forty distinct species, hybrids, and selections.  None has died except intentionally, by blooming, though 'Mr. Ripple' looks close.  Agaves are easy here.  Still wondering, however...do I still have this?  What is it?  Where is it? 
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After a lot of thought, I think it might be the Vera Cruz marmorata, which gives me an excuse for posting the photo again.
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Gathering a collection of Aloes and Agaves has given me a bit of insight into the nature of collecting--you start with one or two real favorites and add more in the hopes of additional enjoyment.  You end up with a few real favorites, some of interest if not mad affection, and a number that are essentially "meh".  Most collections seem to be like that, don't they? 

Comments

  1. My, my, my!! What a great collection and I've been educated. I had no idea there were than many different agaves. That variegated attenuata is superb! I need to find that one. (I will not start collecting agave, I will not start collecting agave, I will not start collecting agave) LOL

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    1. I have only a few, there are over 100 species I think and of course many selections and hybrids. Your garden is beautiful enough, an Agave collection would take it over the top.

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  2. You have a great collection, much like your aloe collection! I've been pondering on getting a Blue Flame recently but seeing your I am now swayed. And that Shadow Dancer still got my instant the second time around I've seen it on your blog. And 'Wanky Lanky'...what a name! :)

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    1. The 'Blue Flame' is reported to have increased cold hardiness from the weberi side, is that an extra incentive? :^)

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  3. I need to bookmark these last 2 posts for reference as I expand my own (much, much smaller) collection, begun in Jan 2013 when I removed all the grass. I especially loved seeing the variety of groupings you are creating in different planting areas and how they are developing over time. Thanks much for sharing.
    I have several blue flames, all producing copious offsets from the base of the parent. I removed last years batch and placed them elsewhere in the garden but haven't decided how to handle the current crop of babies: to clump, to expand or both. My 3 parryi truncatas together produced 7 offsets to expand their family grouping - all located a civilized 2-3 ft from the moms and each other - can't wait to see them grow up!

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    1. That is a good term for parryi truncata--civilized! If you miss your lawn like I miss my lawn then you do not miss it at all.

      I hope my BFs do as yours. That is one I could have many of and be happy. Like attenuata, only better.

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  4. 'Wanky Lanky'...who does that to a poor plant? I had not (that I remember at least) seen A. 'Sun Glow', it's lovely. And your variegated A. attenuata, oh my! How big is it? (looks huge in the photo). I have a small one, also with lop-sided variegation, and have found it difficult to give it the right conditions for growth. Too much sun and it burns, not enough and it just sort of sits there doing nothing. Any advice for me? (and no, moving isn't an option at this point - stuck in Portland).

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    1. Wanky Lanky sounds like Tony Avent's sense of humor, doesn't it? The vA.a is 28" diameter. For the variegated attenuata, a stylish shade cloth cover would work. (Style is your department, not mine.) Maybe something like Lotusland's jellyfish hat for Sedum morganianum, remember that pic from Denise?

      There's also a 'Snow Glow' with white edges, even better!

      From what I could tell, Portland is the place to be, garden-wise.

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  5. What a fabulous collection! I have A. attenuata 'Kara's Stripe' too, and it is very subtle. It's my only attenuata, so I don't mind. That strongly variegated one, though, is just beautiful.

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    1. Thanks. I think if I had Kara in a slightly better place I'd get slightly better results. I am still learning to appreciate subtle.

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  6. That variegated A. attenuata is absolutely splendid! You hit the nail on the head in your description of collecting, and you prompted me to count up my agaves: 25 in pots and three NOIDs in the ground. Like you, I'm loving my recently-acquired (and sizable) A. 'Blue Flame'. But how am I going to pot him up for life indoors this winter?! I've enjoyed this agave survey, and hope you won't mind if I take a leaf out of your book for one of my own soon.

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    1. Twenty five! Great! Looking forward to your Agave survey!

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  7. Please stop pointing out beautiful agaves we can not get in the Uk. You have such a great collection.

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    1. Okay, no more Agave pictures ever, though if the drought here continues there will be more and more of them, and less of everything else (except Aloes).

      Just keep in mind any time you complain about excessive rain, there are painfully envious people in California annoyed with you.

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  8. I did plant my biggest Joe Hoak in the ground, and two nights ago some creature either fell or sat on it and broke two big leaves in the center, so Joe's days of perfection are over. Pot culture is so much safer but has its drawbacks too, inhibiting size for one. That varieg foxtail agave is superb. I love Ray of Light but it's subtle compared to that. Faves for me too are Dragon Toes and Blue Flame, just perfect agaves in every way. I would think Dragon Toes would be a huge hit where it's not hardy, since it's not too tiny, not too big, always gorgeous, and offsets nicely. I didn't know there was a Sun Glow! I have a draft agave report going too but can't seem to finish it. When that albopilosa grows up, it's going to be amazing. Thanks for the full report and agave chit-chat.

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    1. Some creature?!? Drat! May it be eaten by a coyote. But Joe is perfect, even when he isn't perfect.

      I think the albopilosa has grown an entire half inch. Makes the victoriae-reginae seem speedy by comparison.

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  9. Fantastic post! I could look at photos of your agaves all day long.

    A. horrida ssp. perotensis: You bought it at the grocery store? Your grocery stores definitely are in a different league than ours. I also think "horrida" is a misnomer.

    Agave titanota 'Wanky Lanky': It doesn't look that different from the regular titanota (the 'Felipe Otero' aka 'FO-076' variety), but I think the name is genius. Everyone will want one now. How cold hardy is titanota in your experience? I planted one out in the spring and will be interested to see how it fares this winter. We're in zone 9b.

    'Dragon Toes' that doesn't look like Dragon Toes': I also thought guadalarajana. I have a small guadalajarana that looks just like it.

    A. attenuata 'Kara's Choice': This selection looks sickly to me, like it's suffering from chlorosis. I wish the stripe were more pronounced...

    'Blue Flame': Has yours offset yet? I have a fairly mature one and it's produced exactly one pup. I wonder if there's different clones in production, some that offset heavily and others that don't?

    A. utahensis eboripina: So beautiful. I've killed three now, either from over or underwatering. How do you keep yours alive and looking so nice?

    A. albopilosa: One of my recent favorites. I can't wait for the tufts of hair at the leaf tips. I also got a A. petrophila from Greg Starr a few months ago. If you see one for sale, snap it up. You'll like it!

    A. attenuata 'Variegata': Yours is about the most beautiful specimen I've ever seen. No blemish at all. I managed to kill mine just recently by overwatering. I was surprised because attenuata tends to like a fair amount of water.

    A. ovatifolia: Put it in the ground, water it and stand back. It's a fast grower and only gets better with age (and size). I have three now and would get even more if I had the room.

    Vera Cruz marmorata: OK, I'll come out and admit it. My new agave crush :-)

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    1. The grocery store mostly has petunias 99% of the time. The agave was an outlier.

      'Wanky Lanky' is supposed to be dwarf and columnnar(!) in habit. We'll see. I have no idea on cold hardiness. Titanota is a Oaxaca species, isn't it? So probably not too hardy.

      I hope it does turn out to be guadalajarana.

      'Kara' sunburns more easily than the species, I have found.

      I got two small offsets off Blue Flame and put them in my Agave nursery bed. I definitely want more of that one. I think it just takes time.

      I did not realize utahensis was difficult!?! Yikes. I'd better put it in the ground.

      Petrophila, I will look for it, thanks.

      Don't scream but I am thinking of coring that glorious aav. It has no offsets and I want more before it blooms, dies, and leaves me nothing but memories.

      The spot for ovatifolia is waiting (and waiting), just need to get the drip irrigation in place, which we are waiting, waiting on because it has been just too hot to get up on that slope since about May 2012. And it's too hot today again...

      I'd better go check the marmorata for offsets.

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    2. Well you are in luck, found a little offset. Do you want it now, or to wait until it has a root system?

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    3. What a nice surprise. I hadn't expected that at all. If it's still really small, it's probably better to leave it until it's a big bigger. What do you think?

      What can I trade you for? Any particularly agave you're on the lookout for?

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    4. I put it in the Agave nursery as it is pretty small. Ummm...something, whatever you have extra at trade time. I'll let you know when it looks robust enough to travel.

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