No, this isn’t a full-fledged agave report, just a few random agave highlights...
This photo was taken on November 30th, 2013. I walked around the garden that day enjoying my plants, because severe cold was on the way and I wasn't sure which ones would survive.
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This particular Agave americana (dug from my in-laws place in Truth or Consequences, NM) was looking so good. It had been a highlight of the garden for years, but I had doubts about its ability to survive what was predicted for the next week.
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Thankfully it stood strong through that storm, but as winter wore on began to take a turn, the center cone turning to mush and feeling soft. It had been a good run (planted out in the spring of 2011) and by mid April I'd come to terms with the fact it (and it's siblings, 3 plants total) had to come out. Of course I took a few photos before I dug.
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And thank god I did! Since I had the camera in hand I decided to pull back the rotting leaves and show you all just how bad it was, boy did I get a surprise. It wasn't all rotten after all! Just the first leaf was...
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Under that was a perfectly solid (although quite discolored) leaf. So I carefully removed the rotten bits and left the plant. That was a couple of weeks ago and it's done quite well since, last weeks heat wave (89F) did it good.
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Here's another, I thought this rot was terminal.
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There were also several mushy outer leaves on this plant. See the ones which are purple rather than blue? They were squishy to the touch.
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But a little careful surgery and we have a deformed, but solid, plant. Survivors! By mid-summer they should be fully recovered and looking good again (I hope).
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Speaking of looking good check out these Agave ovatifolia...
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I've shared them before, years ago, and they've grown so much! Winter got the better of the phormium (to the left) and did a number on the manzanita but wow, the agaves look untouched (wish they were in my garden, along with those planters!)...
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Nice huh?
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Nice, nice is someone sending you a plant you've been lusting after for years. You've already met Joe (my prized Agave ‘Joe Hoak’) and then you saw his big brother across town. Well it's time you met Little Joey, another A. 'Joe Hoak'...how lucky am I?
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Little Joey and his friend White Stripes (Agave americana var. medio-picta 'Alba') were sent to me by Hoov of Piece of Eden. What did I do to deserve such kindness? (thank you Hoov!)
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In the shot above, behind White Stripes, you can barely make out a pair of Agave 'Mateo'. Just tiny things they're pups separated from a larger plant I bought last August. Mom went in a container but I stuck these in the ground, and whadda ya know?! They made it through our very cold winter. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since their known parent is Agave bracteosa...
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Finally I thought I'd share a crazy agave pairing I recently put together. First take a beefy Agave ovatifolia...
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Then add a bright green Agave lophantha 'Splendida'...
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And you get...
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Originally I was going to only plant the A. ovatifolia in this container (inspired by the ones shown above) but then the folks at Cistus Nursery had to go and tempt me with that beautiful bight green A. lophantha 'Splendida'. Since it had several plants growing together in the pot I separated them but then replanted them all together, spaced to accommodate a little growth. It's an agave mash-up center stage in the old privet-lands...
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All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
This photo was taken on November 30th, 2013. I walked around the garden that day enjoying my plants, because severe cold was on the way and I wasn't sure which ones would survive.
This particular Agave americana (dug from my in-laws place in Truth or Consequences, NM) was looking so good. It had been a highlight of the garden for years, but I had doubts about its ability to survive what was predicted for the next week.
Thankfully it stood strong through that storm, but as winter wore on began to take a turn, the center cone turning to mush and feeling soft. It had been a good run (planted out in the spring of 2011) and by mid April I'd come to terms with the fact it (and it's siblings, 3 plants total) had to come out. Of course I took a few photos before I dug.
And thank god I did! Since I had the camera in hand I decided to pull back the rotting leaves and show you all just how bad it was, boy did I get a surprise. It wasn't all rotten after all! Just the first leaf was...
Under that was a perfectly solid (although quite discolored) leaf. So I carefully removed the rotten bits and left the plant. That was a couple of weeks ago and it's done quite well since, last weeks heat wave (89F) did it good.
Here's another, I thought this rot was terminal.
There were also several mushy outer leaves on this plant. See the ones which are purple rather than blue? They were squishy to the touch.
But a little careful surgery and we have a deformed, but solid, plant. Survivors! By mid-summer they should be fully recovered and looking good again (I hope).
Speaking of looking good check out these Agave ovatifolia...
I've shared them before, years ago, and they've grown so much! Winter got the better of the phormium (to the left) and did a number on the manzanita but wow, the agaves look untouched (wish they were in my garden, along with those planters!)...
Nice huh?
Nice, nice is someone sending you a plant you've been lusting after for years. You've already met Joe (my prized Agave ‘Joe Hoak’) and then you saw his big brother across town. Well it's time you met Little Joey, another A. 'Joe Hoak'...how lucky am I?
Little Joey and his friend White Stripes (Agave americana var. medio-picta 'Alba') were sent to me by Hoov of Piece of Eden. What did I do to deserve such kindness? (thank you Hoov!)
In the shot above, behind White Stripes, you can barely make out a pair of Agave 'Mateo'. Just tiny things they're pups separated from a larger plant I bought last August. Mom went in a container but I stuck these in the ground, and whadda ya know?! They made it through our very cold winter. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since their known parent is Agave bracteosa...
Finally I thought I'd share a crazy agave pairing I recently put together. First take a beefy Agave ovatifolia...
Then add a bright green Agave lophantha 'Splendida'...
And you get...
Originally I was going to only plant the A. ovatifolia in this container (inspired by the ones shown above) but then the folks at Cistus Nursery had to go and tempt me with that beautiful bight green A. lophantha 'Splendida'. Since it had several plants growing together in the pot I separated them but then replanted them all together, spaced to accommodate a little growth. It's an agave mash-up center stage in the old privet-lands...
All material © 2009-2014 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.