Agave americana mediopicta alba

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Gee.S
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Agave americana mediopicta alba

#1

Post by Gee.S »

Agave americana mediopicta alba
A. americana mediopicta alba
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A. americana mediopicta alba
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Agave
"American aloe plant," 1797, from Greek Agaue, proper name in mythology (mother of Pentheus), from agauos "noble," perhaps from agasthai "wonder at".

"Some talk the talk, others walk the walk, but I stalk the stalk"
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Gee.S
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#2

Post by Gee.S »

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Agave
"American aloe plant," 1797, from Greek Agaue, proper name in mythology (mother of Pentheus), from agauos "noble," perhaps from agasthai "wonder at".

"Some talk the talk, others walk the walk, but I stalk the stalk"
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GreekDesert
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#3

Post by GreekDesert »

Have you ever seen a mature plant?
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Gee.S
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#4

Post by Gee.S »

The plants in the OP are both mine. Pic #1 is about 1.5m across, which is about as large as they come.
Agave
"American aloe plant," 1797, from Greek Agaue, proper name in mythology (mother of Pentheus), from agauos "noble," perhaps from agasthai "wonder at".

"Some talk the talk, others walk the walk, but I stalk the stalk"
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Arizona Agave
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#5

Post by Arizona Agave »

A. americana mediopicta alba
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Jankol
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#6

Post by Jankol »

From Cactus Oase, Holland.
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#7

Post by Jankol »

From Kew Gardens, London.
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#8

Post by Geoff »

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Spination
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#9

Post by Spination »

Since last year, in the smoking hot sun, no shade at any time of the day. It's now 4' wide, and 30" tall.
2015 07 29 A americana Medio Picta Alba X750.jpg
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#10

Post by mickthecactus »

Not sure about that blue top dressing Geoff.....
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#11

Post by Geoff »

wha…..??!!
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Spination
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#12

Post by Spination »

Almost 3 years later - bigger. Also pumping out both Medio Picta Alba pups, and just plain blue ones. (I guess it's hard to tell from a photo - but it now measures 4' high, and 5' across) :))
2018 03 02 A americana Medio Picta Alba a.jpg
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#13

Post by NathanK »

It's huge! How big can they get btw, Spination?
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#14

Post by Spination »

This is my first of this type, so I can only answer based on how large this plant eventually gets for me in time. Currently, as of today, it is 45" tall and 70" wide.

Of particular note is my recollection of conversation somewhere on this site some years ago, regarding this cultivar's propensity to rot at the leaf bases, in particular where the blue and white separate on the leaf. Keeping this in mind, I spray my plants prior to the onset of rains with a fungicide (LiquiCop - copper based fungicide), focusing on the leaf bases. Two out of the last three winters have had heavy rains now, and still I haven't had to experience the problem which was described. My conclusion is that knowing of this potential issue and being proactive can eliminate having to deal with it.
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#15

Post by KLC »

And these are weevil magnets.
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#16

Post by bigdaddyscondition »

Spination wrote: Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:29 am This is my first of this type, so I can only answer based on how large this plant eventually gets for me in time. Currently, as of today, it is 45" tall and 70" wide.

Of particular note is my recollection of conversation somewhere on this site some years ago, regarding this cultivar's propensity to rot at the leaf bases, in particular where the blue and white separate on the leaf. Keeping this in mind, I spray my plants prior to the onset of rains with a fungicide (LiquiCop - copper based fungicide), focusing on the leaf bases. Two out of the last three winters have had heavy rains now, and still I haven't had to experience the problem which was described. My conclusion is that knowing of this potential issue and being proactive can eliminate having to deal with it.
I was cruising this thread and saw this pearl from Spination. When I first started xeric gardening years ago these beautiful agaves were plentiful in the big box stores. I planted three. I finally gave up on growing them because of this very problem, i.e. the tendency of the leaves to separate at the margins of the color stripes. I never thought about fungal infection as the possible etiology, but it makes sense.

Now I just may plant another one and see if I have any better luck treating with a copper soap fungicide as Spine describes. Thanks!
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#17

Post by Gee.S »

^ These are prone to rot here in AZ. And rot is very rare here in the desert. It seems to me this agave goes dormant from summer heat at temps other agaves have no issue with. Once dormant, they are susceptible to rot from irrigation they don't need.
Agave
"American aloe plant," 1797, from Greek Agaue, proper name in mythology (mother of Pentheus), from agauos "noble," perhaps from agasthai "wonder at".

"Some talk the talk, others walk the walk, but I stalk the stalk"
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#18

Post by bigdaddyscondition »

Gee.S wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 9:43 pm ^ These are prone to rot here in AZ. And rot is very rare here in the desert. It seems to me this agave goes dormant from summer heat at temps other agaves have no issue with. Once dormant, they are susceptible to rot from irrigation they don't need while dormant.
So Gee, you think the leaf-splitting problem seen in this species is more a function of overwatering than fungal infection? Here in the Inland Empire we obviously don't experience the summer temperatures you get in the Valley of the Sun. So presumably our mediopictas would not have this tendency to go dormant in the summer heat.
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#19

Post by mickthecactus »

This is a real favourite and many years ago I was in Spain and saw one with the colours reversed. The white was on the outside edges and the blue in the centre. I pinched a small cutting to bring home but managed to break it on the journey. Divine retribution I guess.
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#20

Post by Jkwinston »

From London Greenhouse
From London Greenhouse
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From London Greenhouse
From London Greenhouse
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#21

Post by Gee.S »

bigdaddyscondition wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:54 pm
Gee.S wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 9:43 pm ^ These are prone to rot here in AZ. And rot is very rare here in the desert. It seems to me this agave goes dormant from summer heat at temps other agaves have no issue with. Once dormant, they are susceptible to rot from irrigation they don't need while dormant.
So Gee, you think the leaf-splitting problem seen in this species is more a function of overwatering than fungal infection? Here in the Inland Empire we obviously don't experience the summer temperatures you get in the Valley of the Sun. So presumably our mediopictas would not have this tendency to go dormant in the summer heat.
Just pointing out that this agave is a REAL oddball in certain ways pertaining to cultivation. I will say that I see little distinction between over-watering and rot. It isn't really over-watering until the rot shows, right?
Agave
"American aloe plant," 1797, from Greek Agaue, proper name in mythology (mother of Pentheus), from agauos "noble," perhaps from agasthai "wonder at".

"Some talk the talk, others walk the walk, but I stalk the stalk"
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#22

Post by Axel »

This one has been growing in a coastal town in the UK. After many years it now perished after a severe frost period in December. Before it never had any problems with winter wetness.
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#23

Post by Axel »

a nice design pattern of striata and alba
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#24

Post by mickthecactus »

So many plants died after last winter.
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Re: Agave americana mediopicta alba

#25

Post by Axel »

Very valuable info regarding summer rot in this thread. This is a lower leaf in may
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