Agave americana Medio Picta Alba on strike

[Spination]

This has become a rather interesting plant, in an upside down, reverse sort of way.
I need to find the refill plug for white pigment on this plant, as it seems to have run out of white. For some odd reason, over the years, this plant without exception has produced plenty of Medio Picta progeny. Even it's progeny has pupped plenty more of the same. Now that it's a pretty big plant, and it seems that it's on strike. Enough is enough, I guess - back to blue! It appears that more than not of a recent pupping rage are coming out blue, and no picta.

2016 08 29 A americana Medio Picta Alba a X750.jpg (264.06 KiB) Viewed 1310 times

2016 08 29 A americana Medio Picta Alba b.JPG (80.12 KiB) Viewed 1310 times

2 little ones side by side - one picta, one not

2016 08 29 A americana Medio Picta Alba c.JPG (82.67 KiB) Viewed 1310 times

2016 08 29 A americana Medio Picta Alba d X750.jpg (135.34 KiB) Viewed 1310 times

2016 08 29 A americana Medio Picta Alba e X750.jpg (126.61 KiB) Viewed 1310 times

Quick count, a half dozen non variegated on the way.

[Gee.S]

The non-variegate pups are normal. You should pull 'em up and toss 'em, as they will grow into full-sized A. americana if not checked, rather than manageable little variegates.

[Spination]

Yes, I'd like to keep this plant relatively clean, which means a pup-pulling party is on tap. Since I gave it some room to grow in an enclosure which is not restricted straight below, it's been on hiatus as far as pups are concerned, but now seemingly making up for lost time.
I was aware that they do throw off non variegates, but I hadn't seen even one in years to date, until now. But, I wasn't aware that there's a size difference as well, so that's good to know.
What piques my curiosity though, is the timing. Why now? And why a sudden notable quantity of the non-variegates, rather than an isolated event? Is it a sign of something, like a bloom event at some point in the not too distant future?
Inquiring minds need to know!

[Gee.S]

I've never heard of one blooming. I have two here, one as large as any I've seen, and the other not far behind. Their tendency toward mold and rot has put me off, I'll be honest. Can you imagine mold forming along leaf bases here in the desert? Only time I've ever seen it, and both my plants have done so from time to time.

[Spination]

Yes, I hear that. I figured that out a couple of years back. As a preventative, when the weather gets wet in winter time, I use fungal spray whereby I mainly concentrate at the leaf bases just as you said. It actually does work, and a couple of times during the wet season does the trick. I've noticed too that the weak link appears to be right at the joints where white and color separate on the leaf. You can actually see and feel a bit of a groove at those points, and I'm guessing moisture too easily penetrates, gets trapped, and does the rot thing started. My treatment of choice is the copper fungicide, and if I keep the spray focused at the leaf base lines, so I can also minimize blue staining as well from the copper.

[KLC]

I've never heard of one blooming. I have two here, one as large as any I've seen, and the other not far behind. Their tendency toward mold and rot has put me off, I'll be honest. Can you imagine mold forming along leaf bases here in the desert? Only time I've ever seen it, and both my plants have done so from time to time.

Yep mine always began to rot, so I hacked it out. I don't miss any of the prolific puppers I have removed lately.

[Spination]

An updated photo of my big A. americana Medio Picta Alba - it's a lot bigger now, and a lot of offsets, both MP and straight blue. I've started trimming lower leaves off to create space below, but only a couple at a time, as the operation typically results in mauled hands and blood. Healing time required before the next go-round.

2018 03 02 A americana Medio Picta Alba a.jpg (195.52 KiB) Viewed 1134 times

Here's a 3rd generation descendant of the above plant, and a sport. Not only is the center stripe much more narrow than typical, it's not very "Alba" either - more creamy bordering on yellowish than white.

2018 04 27 A am MPA _ 3rd Gen sport _ narrow stripe and cream.jpg (181.34 KiB) Viewed 1134 times

[Bananaguy]

The mother plant and that pup are awesome!

[DesertDweller]

I saw this one recently, tempted to buy it but have no room. Also didn't look stable. I have not seen many like this though:

IMG_7974.JPG (162.1 KiB) Viewed 1129 times

IMG_7975.JPG (128.7 KiB) Viewed 1129 times

[Spination]

Thanks BG.

DD, I'd have been tempted too, but I don't know if I would have thought it was quite special enough to warrant bringing it home. I think the most interesting aspect of having a plant like that is what sort of offsets it
would throw out. Could be that plant might produce a couple of really interesting ones...

[DesertDweller]

Thanks BG.

DD, I'd have been tempted too, but I don't know if I would have thought it was quite special enough to warrant bringing it home. I think the most interesting aspect of having a plant like that is what sort of offsets it
would throw out. Could be that plant might produce a couple of really interesting ones...

Yep. I couldn't see any in there, and it seemed too unstable. There are also mites about in that place sometimes.

[Spination]

In my experience, it is those weird ones that give great prospects of very interesting offsets, in time. The reason is that agave variegates are chimeras. Where the offsets originate - or where the rhizome emanates from the genetic composition of tissue that is there, determines what that particular offset is going to do.
Here's a great example.
This was a "nothing too special" plant at the local garden center

2013 08 25 A americana Striata #4 Friedman's _ LP a.jpg (166.21 KiB) Viewed 1126 times

both the first two offsets I pulled were "better" than the mother plant, thanks to where they originated on the mother plant

2014 08 26 A americana Striata #4 P1 P2.jpg (210.1 KiB) Viewed 1126 times

And a later shot of the 2nd offset - really nice variegation

2015 01 09 A americana Striata #4 P2 a.jpg (404.31 KiB) Viewed 1126 times

EDIT - but nurseries with mites make me stay away - so I understand that completely!

[abborean]

The non-variegate pups are normal. You should pull 'em up and toss 'em, as they will grow into full-sized A. americana if not checked, rather than manageable little variegates.

I wasn't aware that the unvariegated pups made full sized americana plants. Perhaps being in the carolinas they never fulfill their potential. Regular americana (whatever that is) get huge here though. Am guessing that the americana variegates are from more tropical stock.

[Spination]

It will be years before I can confirm that for myself. I will grow at least one of the blues to see. One thing I do know... there are a lot of what are called "americana" around. And many different looks to them too. The blue on these non-variegated sports (?) is not like the blue I see on others growing. Most definitely though the urn shape (in particular - that arch of the leaves) of these plants is very unlike others I see growing as well. That shape is very unique. While it will be interesting to see what size difference there might be between the variegate and the blue, I really doubt that the shape will be different.