Not so hardy Agave

[Mike P]

So this is one of my Agave macroacantha (the nicest one obviously) which didn’t like -6 0c in one of the unheated greenhouses.

F57E3D58-B169-426B-AE85-8E519578314F.jpeg (140.89 KiB) Viewed 758 times

[juster]

A great shame Mike, looks like it was a lovely plant.

[Paul in Essex]

I also lost a beautiful plant of this species back in 1996 in my polytunnel. I learnt two things that winter.
A/ Agave macroacantha isn't hardy to -6C even of bone dry.
B/ Butane is not an appropriate gas to use for heating in sub-zero temperatures, which is why the polytunnel went down to -6C

If provenance was the whole answer then of course it wouldn't be hardy. But I have Agave stricta growing happily outside and that comes from the same area. One to be filed under 'Stuff Happens'. Got a lot of those, this year.

[Smel]

Hi Paul,
That looks like it was a super plant, I don't have the room for Agaves in my tiny greenhouse. but I have A. parryi on the rockery and that is marked but I hope it will survive!! The heart looks OK?
I have lost many plants that were in the Greenhouse, due to me removing the old bubble wrap, and not getting around to replacing it. This Winter really caught some of us out, not had one this bad for years, what happened to global warming?? I also didn't know I had a couple of leaks in the roof, which the old insulation covered up, so a few pots were quite wet!! or damp.

Regards

Mel.

Agave parryi on rockery.

Second batch of lost plants...

[Mike P]

Hi Mel
Can you post a higher resolution image of the labels? I’m interested in what you have lost for a talk I’m putting together.

[Tony R]

Hi Mel
Can you post a higher resolution image of the labels? I’m interested in what you have lost for a talk I’m putting together.

Mike, right click on the footer of the photo when highlighted white i.e. the ./download... etc and Open link in new tab and then you will get an image which you can + magnify and can read the labels.

[Smel]

Hi Mike,
Well I've now finished sorting my plants and have lost a good 30% of my plants, as soon as it turns a bit warmer the first job is going to be some Double/Triple insulated bubble wrap, the proper stuff. That picture was just today's plants, same again yesterday.

I'll PM you with the pictures their not of much interest to others..... I can only add one file to PM??

Mel.

[Mike P]

Hi Mel
Thanks for that. I’m surprised that the Bolivian ones succumbed to the cold as I find they are very resilient.

[Aiko]

Are all those labels from plants you lost this winter only?
Looking at the names, I would think many of them should be hardy enough to deal with non-severe of -5C to maybe even medium severe frost up to -10C for a few nights. Especially those Lobivias and Gymnocalyciums. Not the Notocactus.

How cold did it get where you are?
And how long have the plants been dry, have they had the chance to dehydrate well enough to cope with the cold?

[Herts Mike]

This is Agave parryi v neomexicana. Been outside for many years and seems to shrug off all weathers, hot, cold or wet.