Agave xleopoldii finally flowers

[Colin Walker]

Now 1.27 m tall and probably not far off its maximum height.

Buds are developing fast.

[Colin Walker]

We've been away for 5 days and look what's also now in flower.

This is one of David Kirkbright's Agave victoriae-reginae that I've had for 8 years.

Didn't realise it was in flower.

When I got the plant from David it was repotted, but first around 300 dead leaves were removed.

And here's the end result.

I've flowered this species once before when my largest plant was around 30 years old. I'd guess that David's plant is of a similar age.

[Tony R]

Very good, Colin. The spike found a way of escaping from under the shelf.
Of course, I also like the two plants at the top right and bottom right of the first photo.

[Tina]

Some surprise, good that its had 8 good years.
Maybe you could make an interesting hybrid, it would be fun to try

[Colin Walker]

Very good, Colin. The spike found a way of escaping from under the shelf.
Of course, I also like the two plants at the top right and bottom right of the first photo.

Well Tony, that was a mistake letting cacti into the shot.

[Colin Walker]

Some surprise, good that its had 8 good years.
Maybe you could make an interesting hybrid, it would be fun to try

Nah Tina, all these flowering agaves are destined for the compost heap to make way for some smaller stuff.

I've flowered A. victoriae-reginae once so I've already got that badge.

I also need a giant A. oteroi (aka A. titanota) to flower too since that's also taking up way too much space and after 20 years+ is looking somewhat tatty.

[Tina]

Make the cross & send the seed to the seed pool.
Yes you need more variegated agaves, normally smaller & prettier

[Colin Walker]

Make the cross & send the seed to the seed pool.
Yes you need more variegated agaves, normally smaller & prettier

IMHO there are already way too many agave hybrids.

On that front, my hardback copy of Agaves species, cultivars & hybrids has finally arrived along with a pile of other books from my mate across the pond. This book is a stunning feast of agave images - amongst the best ever published in my view.

What I did learn is that there's a nothogenus (cross between different genera) I'd never heard of before: xHansara, which is Agave x Manfreda x Polianthes. Now whether this is a validly published name I've yet to check. For me, these crosses are simply Agave hybrids since the genera Manfreda & Polianthes are now subsumed into Agave.

On the down side there are several factual errors in the book, especially relating to the infrageneric classification (Sections should have been used not groups on pp. 109-110). I'll pass over these but it's a pity that a taxonomist didn't look at the draft of the book since these errors could have been quickly eliminated.

[Colin Walker]

FYI, having had brekkas I've checked xHansara (Agave x Manfreda x Polianthes) in IPNI and POWO (Kew) and neither recognise this nothogeneric name, so for now I'm taking this as not being validly published. However, IPNI has missed other names in the past which I've corrected and updated, so this isn't my final word on the issue.

This name may have been "published" online or in a nursery catalogue and as such could easily be overlooked by the compilers of IPNI.

[Colin Walker]

Plant Delights Nursery online catalogue has this to say:

"Here's a new one for even the most seasoned plant nerds. xHansara, named after our friend and mangave breeder Hans Hansen, is the first ever released tri-generic hybrid between Agave, Manfreda, and Polianthes (tuberose). xHansara 'Jumping Jacks' combines the genes of Agave gypsophila ssp. pablocarrilloi, Agave macroacantha, Manfreda maculosa, Polianthes tuberosa, and Polianthes howardii...whew, just thinking about all that sex makes me tired."

Now, I'm not sure if this constitutes valid publication - this needs to be checked. But as I've said already for me personally I'm not too fussed about this since 'Jumping Jacks' is merely an Agave hybrid hence I'd label this Agave 'Jumping Jacks' and leave it at that.