What kind of Agave is this????

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by sweet_pandora, Oct 3, 2006.

  1. sweet_pandora

    sweet_pandora Member

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    Location:
    austin, texas usa
    I got this Agave as a gift 7 years ago. It's has new plants growing all around. I 've searched many hours trying to figure out what kind it is with no luck, The teeth look reddish pink and the bottom has a light blue powder coating. It has no problem when we have a freeze. Any help would be great!!!!

    Thanks so much!!!!!
     

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    Last edited: Oct 3, 2006
  2. PenderPalms

    PenderPalms Member

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    Victoria BC
    Hi Pandora
    Well it will be hard to give you a exact name without more info but this should narrow it down for you.
    - A.Bovicornuta with numerous offsets(baby plants at the base) although only hardy to 25*f without protection. leaves widest in the middle at 5.5-6.5 inches.

    -A.Chrysantha few offsets leaves 3-4 in wide 16-30 in long. hardy to approx 15*f

    -A.Havardiana few offsets teeth bigger towards the tip or terminal spine. leaves wider in the middle 6-8 in wide 12-24 in long. hardy to 0*f

    -A.Salmiana eventually huge leaves 10-14 in wide 3.25-6.25 ft long. very swollen at leaf base. Teeth spaced 1-2 in apart 2-4 in long terminal spine (-4*f)

    All of these have different forms and varieties from hybridizing so pin pointing the name may take the lifetime of plant. Flowering is the real key to identifying uncommon Agave but unfortunately they die afterwards.

    Hope this gives you good direction to name your beautiful specimen
    If you want more detail let me know
    Brian
     
  3. Carol Ja

    Carol Ja Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Pender palms,
    you beat me to the answer, I was also going to say A. bovicornuta, quite common in Arizona. or
    A. chryantha sometimes called A. palmeri. it rarely has offsets though also found all over Arizona.
     
  4. sweet_pandora

    sweet_pandora Member

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    here are a few more pictures. The first pic is one of the many babies. It looks most like A. salmiana but the points at the end of the leaves turn upwards/inwards and the dark green color is stumping me. I forgot to mention that I live in Northwest Travis county Texas right outside of Austin where the hill country begins.

    Thanks for all of your help! I can't wait to see it bloom!
     

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  5. saltcedar

    saltcedar Rising Contributor 10 Years

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  6. Maximo Dalmau

    Maximo Dalmau Member

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    I know it has been quite a while since this thread started, but it might give us also the chance to see how those Agave spp. look now and if these previous indentification calls where accurate.

    If it was A. salmiana var. ferox by now they should look like in the first link:

    1. Me standing next to Agave salmiana var. ferox. =)
    https://twitter.com/MaximoDalmau/status/265138742245875712

    And yes, do not worry, Agave spp. will stand cold temperatures, snow (as shown in the link below) and below 0ºC temperatures:

    2. Agave americana after snow storm. =)
    https://twitter.com/MaximoDalmau/status/263418143152697344
     

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