Agaves too big for you?

[TomInTucson]

These are in the Crassulaceae family, from Asia, somewhat related to Sempervivums.

Are they self fertile like many members of the Crassulaceae? If so have you had better results than purchased seed (assuming you have tried)?

[ralphrmartin]

Are they self fertile like many members of the Crassulaceae? If so have you had better results than purchased seed (assuming you have tried)?

Not sure, but unlike Wolfgang, I find that in my conditions (*), the smaller heads generally do not flower, so I generally take a few off and pot them up in late summer to ensure I keep the plant for the following year. The overwintering buds can look pretty iffy, but dont give up hope and throw them out too soon...

(*) Well watered and fertilised, 5C in winter.

[Ali Baba]

I’ve grown spinosa in the past. Better in an alpine house!

[Christian]

Orostachys spinosa seems quite tough to me, it certainly gets frost here in Birmingham. For protection from too much rain in winter I usually move the three plants I have under a shelter, but it does get some winter wet. Orostachys minima I believe is a form of spinosa so receives similar treatment. It seems quite prolific in producing new heads, but it does seem to take a while before heads start flowering, in my hands anyway.

By contrast, the plant below I grow as Orostachys japonica ("fimbriatum") and every year I fret over this, fearing all heads flower. So far, touch wood, there have always been a few left to keep the plant going. It seems to be readying up to flower now, but it won't be until quite late in autumn that it is in full flower. Here it is today:

Last October, it looked like this, and it was still in full bloom in late November:

[Ali Baba]

Orostachys spinosa seems quite tough to me, it certainly gets frost here in Birmingham. For protection from too much rain in winter I usually move the three plants I have under a shelter

It’s quite cold tolerant as long as it’s relatively dry in winter, doesn’t need much heat in the summer. I grew mine for several years in a cold frame and it survived happily through a few hard winters