Octopus Agave
Synonym: Agave mayoensis, Agave eduardii, Agave houghii
Family: Agavaceae
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Recommended Temperature Zone: sunset: 12-24 USDA: 9-11 Frost Tolerance: Hardy to 20°F (-6°C), leaves are damaged at 25°F (-4°C) Minimum Avg. Temperature: 50°F (10°C) Heat Tolerance: Loves heat Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade, avoid reflected sunlight in Phoenix Origin: Cliffs from southern Sonora to Sinaloa states, Mexico, at 2000 to 5000 feet elevation (600-1500 m) Growth Habits: Succulents, fast growing to 3 feet tall, 5 feet in diameter (0.9 by 1.5 m). Watering Needs: Infrequent water Propagation: Suckers (called pups), seeds, buds on the flower spike |
Cultural Practices:
Tolerates poor soil and drought, but requires excellent drainage.
Blooming Habits:
Blooms only when the plant is 7 to 15 years old or more. The flower stalk is huge (15 to 25 feet), starting like an asparagus, with yellow flowers. The plant then dies leaving suckers that grow into replacement plants. The spike generally produces large quantities of vegetative buds that can be planted. (the 2nd picture shows a segment of the floral stem with the crowded young plants)
References:
The Succulent Garden : A Practical Gardening Guide
Botanica : The Illustrated A-Z of over 10,000 Garden Plants
Gardening in Arizona Home Page |
List of All the Plants |
More in the Agavaceae family © 2004 Philippe Faucon, All Rights Reserved. |