Agave talk & pictures

[Diane]

Then I selected a few of my favourites to show individually. Starting with Agave schidigera 'Shiro ito no Ohi' which has become widely available in the last few years, thanks to tissue culture. This is in full sun, which could be why it tends to look a bit bleached out, maybe a little shade would suit it better:

Agave schidigera 'Shiro ito no Ohi'

And this is the wonderful Agave schidigera 'Shiro ito no Ohi nakafu' with a cream mid-stripe, very rarely available. This plant was beheaded about 4 years ago, to force offsets from the stump, (which was very successful!) and the rooted top cut is what you see here:

Agave schidigera 'Shiro ito no Ohi nakafu'

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Next is Agave isthmensis 'Shoji raijin' clumping up quite nicely, these are quite slow.

Agave isthmensis 'Shoji raijin'

And another Agave isthmensis 'Shoji raijin' with central white variegation.

Agave isthmensis 'Shoji raijin'

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This is Agave potatorum 'Kissho Kan' with powder blue leaves and a chartreuse central stripe.

Agave potatorum 'Kissho Kan'

[Diane]

Next is another Agave potatorum 'Kissho Kan' with cream edged leaves - this is a large plant, about 10"/25cm across:

Agave potatorum 'Kissho Kan

This is Agave victoriae-reginae 'Kizan' a cultivar with wide chunky leaves, but the variegation is very dependent on high light and heat levels. Due to the gloomy weather we've had for the last month or so, it has turned quite green.

Agave victoriae-reginae 'Kizan'

This is a pair of Agave victoriae-reginae mediopicta, which have a tendency to split down the centre of the leaves.

Agave victoriae-reginae mediopicta

A very dwarf form of Agave victoriae-reginae variegata with nice leaf markings:

Agave victoriae-reginae variegata

The wonderful Agave victoriae-reginae albomarginata - the first of two that I have, bought about 6 years ago as tiny pups. This one seems a darker green than the next one, so I think they are different clones.

Agave victoriae-reginae albomarginata

[Diane]

This is my other Agave victoriae-reginae albomarginata - slightly lighter green, and this one does produce pups, it currently has one albino pup and a normal pup developing:

Agave victoriae-reginae albomarginata

Agave 'Cream Spike' - getting quite large:

Agave 'Cream Spike'

and a half-moon pup it produced a few years ago:

Agave 'Cream Spike'

Agave patonii variegate - smaller than the previous cultivar, and offsets prolifically:

Agave patonii variegata

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Agave potatorum 'Trade Winds' still small:

Agave potatorum 'Trade Winds'

[Diane]

This is one of my favourites and very difficult to obtain, Agave parviflora mediopicta - the smaller one in front was sold to me as the yellow form, which it obviously isn't, so I'm still on the look-out for one.

Agave parviflora mediopicta

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Agave guiengola 'Crème Brulee' in the garden:

Agave guiengola 'Crème brulee'

And finally, but by no means least,two views of Mangave 'Bloodspot' :

Mangave 'Bloodspot'

Mangave 'Bloodspot'

I hope you enjoyed them!

[IainS]

Diane: Now that's what I'm meaning when I use the words "excellence" and "wow effect". I should be stunned, but my response is slightly less than that because it's what I've quickly learned to expect from you. Thank you. I was, of course, hooked by the "old" greenhouse tour photo of your Agaves, but now.....

So, Mangave 'Bloodspot' is now back on my very short list (having been on and then pruned off as I do my best not to get carried away). And Agave schidigera 'Shiro ito no Ohi nakafu' - or something very similar - is clearly different enough to be added.

[IainS]

Perhaps it's just my imagination, but I can see Diane, Tina, and Tom doing a cover of this classic in honour of Agaves - perhaps at the National next year?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQdOqdc8YJs

[Tina]

Hi Richaud,
I like the agave titanota's , is the colour stable or fades during the winter ?.

[Tina]

WOW Diane,
I'm surprised & jealous, they look STUNNING, I didn't realise you had soo many variegates.
Was you on a ladder to take the photo's ...
How deep is that staging ?, mines a metre & to shallow when I repot a few.

Agave's are so dangerous to themselves & us, I try not to move mine as they do like to stab their neighbours .

[Paul in Essex]

What absolutely fabulous collections. Totally stunning plants, in top condition. I thought the Dutch were masters at growing variegated agaves, apparently not!

[Patrick]

Wonderful plants, I've got a few but nothing like that. Amazing. Some of them damage/mark quite easily.