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"
I should publish a list like this, though first get all my old aloes back and try growing them up here where temps are a true test of hardiness (unlike in the valley when the only true tests are freak cold snaps every 10-20 years). I have several disagreements with this list, but really nothing concrete to base most of them on.
In the UK some (not me) grow polyphyllas outside all year round. I have seen pictures of them in Cambridge (East of England) under 6" of snow and not harmed.
I have grown polyphylla outdoors for years, in well insulated dryish spots they have survived into the low teens. Don't do it anymore; invariably after enough years a sh*t winter will come along and claim them. Low of 9F yesterday killed my grandidentata that had recovered from last winter. Grandidentata can take into the low teens in my experience, but single digit Fahrenheit is too extreme. Going to put in aristata this spring and end my aloe experimentation.
That is a great read - there has been a version of it circulating for some years now. A lot of the figures aren't transferable to other growing conditions, sadly, but the 'trends' are. Here in England - and perhaps I should say in my garden, because every garden is different - Aloe striatula is takes the gold medal for being the toughest. Every other species - most on that list - I have lost at one point or another. But a mature and established A. striatula was documented as returning from underground after a -18C in southern England back in the very cold 1980s.
Thanks for posting this, Ron. I have a paper copy from 1999 which I use to consult. Sadly, every Aloe but A. vera has given up the ghost, but I've probably been planting them at non-auspicious times.
Although he did say some A.cameronii are tender,I can vouch for that. I had one really nice clump- it would turn fire red in summer,just melt in 2013's freeze. I thought it was a goner for sure. As of right now its made a..decent comeback. Nothing like it used to be. That's going to take another 4 years at this rate.
Still,it did live. A.dorothea did not.
A few observations from Z8 Las Cruces. I have a few aloes in the ground here and just want to report on their first year behavior (no long term trend here). All are placed underneath a large Chitalpa tree backed by a south facing (free standing) wall.
Aloe aristata: no surprise, handles the winters easily nestled on the southeastern side of a large rock.
Aloe "Crosby's Prolific" (I think this is brevifolia x humilis): only slight tip burn. Situated right against a rock and the southfacing wall. Will bloom in the next week or so.
Aloe vera: Um, survives against the wall, but hasn't flowered in two years as it spends all its energy recovering -- need to remove.
Aloe "Delta Lights": This one is on the north east side of the wall with only a bit of morning sun. Died back completely but has pushed out three pups from the roots which are growing rapidly.
Two more experiments for next winter: Aloe saponaria and Aloe "Blue Elf". I'm also considering Aloe variegata, but would hate to lose it.
Len Geiger's "married to plants blog" has his trip to highlands of Madagascar and some cool Aloes at 11,000 feet+. Most as he say's are hard to find in the trade Still,worth seeking out for marginal climates and for other areas just some great looking new plants for the collection.
I grow Aloe saponaria in ground . They have seen temps twice at 5F and once at 11 and once at 16 in different winters. They got some heavy damage at 5, but only tip burn at 11F..They are against a southfacing wall of my foundation and on southwest side in the open. They are not show quality, but look nice. Here are a couple of pics. First pic is the ones in the open . Second pic is against the house foundation and the Opuntia 'Old Mexico" You can see damage at leaf tips, but looks OK for my climate.
since my last post The two weeks of temps not getting much above 32 has killed any saponaria out in open exposed. Those against the house mostly ar OK, but some ar mush as well. This winter is the worst winter he for marginal plants I ever hd. I lost a lot of soft semi-hardy succulents and a few cacti. and one Agave damaged.
Question about Brian Kemble's list--he has a column for "Winter Grower" on the right. Does anyone know if that refers to in habitat or at the Ruth Bancroft Garden? Given that I live near the RBG, it's a big distinction.
Winter is winter no matter where in the world it is. So a plant that grows more when it's winter in South Africa will do likewise in northern California.
Some more 'hardy' aloes to add to the list... these have been planted out in my garden and it got down to about 26F and has been 27-28 every night for nearly a week... no damage yet.
Aloe dewinteri, Aloe kouebokkevedens, Aloe jibisana, Aloe perryi and Aloe rigens. Note: damage seen on rigens and perryi happened during summer, not this winter
Still don't know their ultimate lows and frankly hope to never find them out.
Aloe dewinteri in garden 7-18.jpg (222.35 KiB) Viewed 18357 times
Aloe kouebokkeveldens doing OK 2-19 despite 20s F.jpg (136.59 KiB) Viewed 18357 times
Aloe jibisiana update 12-18.jpg (232.32 KiB) Viewed 18357 times
Aloe perryi update 12-18.jpg (140.67 KiB) Viewed 18357 times
Aloe rigens 12-18 moved to shelf near house.jpg (141.51 KiB) Viewed 18357 times
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"
Not sure if this thread is still being viewed, but I have recently been getting into aloes and I have had Aloe maculata take down to 18 degrees. It does well outside in the ground. It will get burned tips, but will grow out quickly in spring.