Agaves

[Palmzilla]

Lets see some cool agaves you guys are growing. Here is one of my favorites, it is a variegated agave applanata, also known as "cream spike."

[SW_FL_Palms]

Yes, we grow several in SW Florida. We're really fond of variegates, albomarginated & blue ones.

See some more photos under March Plant sale in Cape Coral

[SW_FL_Palms]

bahamiansus

Quadricolor

ovatifolia

[Palmzilla]

Nice plants! Is the agave in the first pic on the left that is flowering A ceilsii multicolor???

[SW_FL_Palms]

Nice plants! Is the agave in the first pic on the left that is flowering A ceilsii multicolor???

Yes it is. No pups. I'm hoping for bulbis as I don't do well with seeds.

[ariscott]

I don't have many.... I have to go out there and take pics. The wet season is far too wet for them, and it is too much work for me to do raised bed, adding sands, etc, etc. I have a little section next to the house where the builder used to dump the sand for the house... so they do well there..

Regards, Ari

[Gbarce]

Here a couple of variegated smaples of ( as I have been told) Agave Desmettiana (?)

This first one is a more common cultivar. The middle of the leaves are a ghostly white but there is a bit of green leaft on the edges of the leaves

[Gbarce]

THis second one is a bit more rare. I don't really see this one around.

It's basically the same as the first varietiy but instead of the normal green portion on the edges, you get another form of variegation which is golden. 2 types of variegationon the same plant. The effect is a "silver and gold" color scheme that really stands out in a garden thats already filled with greens, and even blue plants

[Kris]

Very beautiful visuals...

[SW_FL_Palms]

Here a couple of variegated smaples of ( as I have been told) Agave Desmettiana (?)

This first one is a more common cultivar. The middle of the leaves are a ghostly white but there is a bit of green leaft on the edges of the leaves

That's Joe Hoak Here's a cut&paste of the story that was forwarded to me years ago.

AGAVE desmetiana ‘Joe Hoak’

Very striking rosette forming succulent to 2 feet tall by 3 feet wide. The graceful 2 foot long leaves, which curve upward and then out, are striated with pale gray-green and cream and have a strong green margin on the lower half of the leaf. The small well spaced marginal spines and the 1/2 inch terminal spine are reddish brown.

Seen from a distance it might be confused with Furcraea foetida 'Mediopicta'. Plant in full sun to part shade and water regularly to occasionally (the more water and fertilizer this plant gets the faster it will grow). Outdoor hardiness is unknown although we had it outdoors during winters where the low temperature reached 28 ° F. We have been told that it survived to at least the mid 20's ° F but feel it's too beautiful to risk not covering it on cold nights. ‘Joe Hoak’ does great in containers or in the ground. Remove suckers to show of the beauty and form of the individual rosette.

The origins of this plant is confusing. We received our first stock plant from Dutch Vandervort, a California rare plant enthusiast who got his start from Jim Georgusis of Harahan, Louisiana. Jim told us it came from Joe Hoak of Hoak's Nursery in Miami, Florida. It is sometimes listed as Agave meridensis variegata 'Joe Hoak' or A. mendensis (perhaps referring to the city of Merida on the Yucatan Peninsula). The graceful curve to the leaf has led some to believe that this plant is a hybrid or sport of Agave desmetiana. As per Jim Georgusis, Joe Hoak himself thought this to be the case. Supporting this is the similarity to meridensis of one of A. desmetiana's synonyms, Agave miradorensis. Whatever its origins, it is one of the prettiest Agave we grow!

[SW_FL_Palms]

This second one is a bit more rare. I don't really see this one around.

It's basically the same as the first varietiy but instead of the normal green portion on the edges, you get another form of variegation which is golden. 2 types of variegationon the same plant. The effect is a "silver and gold" color scheme that really stands out in a garden thats already filled with greens, and even blue plants

Wow ! Now I'd really like to have this one.

[Gbarce]

I just picked up this variegated agave but I am unsure of the species.

It was a neglacted plant so I think the leaves have grown lanky and stretch out so much so that it probably doesn't have the shape and form that woud be typical for its species.

But there are probably some expetrts out there who can still identify it.

[Gbarce]

The leaves are glossy and leathery and not stiff.

There are no thorns or terminal spine on it either.

[Gbarce]

Cool thing is that it seems to have a "tri-color" form of variegation

The sort of bad thing about it is that the variegation pattern doen't seem to be 100% stable

Notice that the variegation oin more pronounced on ne side compared to the other

Still a prety cool looking plant though.

[Palmzilla]

Gbrace, looks like your new agave is another variegated Agave Desmettiana. With more sun it will harden up and change shape. Nice Plant!

Here is a pic of my Husky/gopher killer with a few Agave shawii

[Gbarce]

Thanks for the ID.

Here's another one that I dont have an ID of.

I am guessing some cultivar of Agave Paryii

[Gbarce]

Another shot of the recent pair of Agaves I got.

Group shot of my latest agave acquisitions

[ariscott]

Nice Agave... especially that silver & gold one!!!

[markpeters77]

Yes, we grow several in SW Florida. We're really fond of variegates, albomarginated & blue ones.

See some more photos under March Plant sale in Cape Coral

Is that Copernicia fallaense in that second pic, just to bring it back to palms lol. Fab Agaves as well!!

Edit - thought the thumbnails would be here too, I mean the 5th pic posted!

Edited March 22, 2010 by markpeters77

[Palmzilla]

Gbrace,

Those other agaves are A. potatorum dwarfs. Very nice, they stay small too. You got some nice plants

[Palmzilla]

I took this Pic today of Agave Shawii in my backyard

[freakypalmguy]

That's killer Braden

Here's a couple of my favs

Agave blue glow

Agave parryi

Agave americana variegata

[Gbarce]

Love the A. Paryii. I've been searching but haven't seen any over here.

Question: At what stage/size is it safe to remove a pup from the mother plant??

Some of my agaves have tiny 4 or 5 leaf babies and I am tempted to pull them off.

[freakypalmguy]

Hi Gene,

I've removed many pups shortly after they emerge from the soil and they do just fine. What I've found though, is if you can wait a bit longer, they grow at a pretty rapid pace when still attached to the mother, so you get bigger plant, quicker.

Matt

[Gbarce]

This is from the "Silver and Gold" agave. Here's a shot of the pups. They've been there for months and are still tiny.

I detached one of the bigger ones and hope it takes.( Vitamin bottle for scale)

I plan to put it under shade cloth for a couple of weeks or until it shows definite signs of growth.

Any other tips to root this pup?

[SW_FL_Palms]

Is that Copernicia fallaense in that second pic, just to bring it back to palms lol. Fab Agaves as well!!

No, it's Copernicia vespertilionum

[Sabal Steve]

Lets see some cool agaves you guys are growing. Here is one of my favorites, it is a variegated agave applanata, also known as "cream spike."

These are nice agaves, but are outpaced by everything in my yard.

[Funkthulhu]

Loving this thread.

Question: I just received some Agave montana seeds in the mail. Does anybody have any tips for germination? I have zero experience with Agave unless you count time spent with an Aloe I inherited....

[MattyB]

I've never germinated any seed, but I've always found that Agave prefer a rocky or sandy substrate as opposed to a lot of organic matter. So I'll use about 50% cactus mix, and 50% DG (decomposed granite, basically coarse sand)

[The Silent Seed]

Agave seeds are easy, and fast to germinate, if fresh. Just barely cover them, and keep them moist. Give them a lot of sun, but don't let them dry out.

[palmaddict]

Agave shawii is the only native Agave to San Diego County. It can be found by the thousands on the hillsides about ten miles in from the coast. For example, Mount San Miguel in southern San Diego County.

patrick