New Agave Hybrids released

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agavegreg
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Re: New Agave Hybrids released

#51

Post by agavegreg »

It makes no sense to attach a species name to a hybrid or if the species is not confirmed for cultivar. Simply Agave 'Beltville' or Agave 'insert cultivar name here' is fine.
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MJP
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Re: New Agave Hybrids released

#52

Post by MJP »

Stone Jaguar wrote:MJP:

Good luck with the hybrids. I hope they turn out to be successful in horticulture.

From my cursory read of this thread, it seems that you propose that a hybrid swarm or previously unidentified taxon deserves a new name. All good. However, the use of a lower case latinized epithet implies it is, or once was, a validly published species. When I read “pseudosalmiana” here, my first thought was that you meant “pseudotequilana” (syn.) and my subsequent thought was that I had missed the recent description of a new agave species.

As Luc points out, the descriptors “aff.” or “cf.” are fine when used to refer to or compare with a valid sp., so this might be properly refered to as “Agave aff. asperrima”, etc.

Without going too deep into this, as a suggestion for purposes of clarity and conformity with generally accepted norms, your plants might better be refered to on succulent plant fora as Agave sp. “pseudosalmiana” - with quotation marks, no italics.

J
Thanks, Stone Jaguar.
Your suggestion is excellent - and your thoughtful guidance greatly appreciated.


More observations:
During my visit to PDN yesterday I saw that all of the Agave sp. "pseudosalmiana" survived this winter (though all were damaged by the cold) whereas all but one 'Blue Bell Giant' = "pseudosalmiana" 'Bellville' x americana ssp. protamerica 'Blue Steel', were killed outright - the same as Agave americana ssp. protamericana 'Blue Steel'. This appears to confirm that the "pseudosalmiana" are hardier than Agave americana ssp. protamericana. Were hardiness genes derived from a hardy, green-leaved, occasionally red-bracted taxon such as Agave gentryi? Confusingly, however, the "pseudosalmiana" apear hardier than Agave gentryi: (My Agave gentryi 'Baccarat' was killed to the ground (as were all of my Agave gentryi plants from Jame, Mexico) whereas Agave sp. "pseduosalmiana" 'Saltillo' was damaged but survived greatly intact (central spear and adjacent leaves intact).

Also, at PDN the various Agave lophantha x ("pseudosalmiana" 'Logan Calhoun') survived the cold in the same fashion as all the "pseudosalmiana".

I should like to know how Agave asperrima ssp. maderensis performed this winter (or any similar report). Might it be part of the "pseudosalmiana" puzzle? Lamentably, I have none in my collection nor know of any in collections hereabouts for observation.
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DesertDweller
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Re: New Agave Hybrids released

#53

Post by DesertDweller »

MJP wrote:
Thanks, Stone Jaguar.
Your suggestion is excellent - and your thoughtful guidance greatly appreciated.


More observations:
During my visit to PDN yesterday I saw that all of the Agave sp. "pseudosalmiana" survived this winter (though all were damaged by the cold) whereas all but one 'Blue Bell Giant' = "pseudosalmiana" 'Bellville' x americana ssp. protamerica 'Blue Steel', were killed outright - the same as Agave americana ssp. protamericana 'Blue Steel'. This appears to confirm that the "pseudosalmiana" are hardier than Agave americana ssp. protamericana. Were hardiness genes derived from a hardy, green-leaved, occasionally red-bracted taxon such as Agave gentryi? Confusingly, however, the "pseudosalmiana" apear hardier than Agave gentryi: (My Agave gentryi 'Baccarat' was killed to the ground (as were all of my Agave gentryi plants from Jame, Mexico) whereas Agave sp. "pseduosalmiana" 'Saltillo' was damaged but survived greatly intact (central spear and adjacent leaves intact).

Also, at PDN the various Agave lophantha x ("pseudosalmiana" 'Logan Calhoun') survived the cold in the same fashion as all the "pseudosalmiana".

I should like to know how Agave asperrima ssp. maderensis performed this winter (or any similar report). Might it be part of the "pseudosalmiana" puzzle? Lamentably, I have none in my collection nor know of any in collections hereabouts for observation.
I can't offer much to this discussion, but I will say that my two A. "Hacksaw" (I believe a seed selection from the lophantha x 'Logan Calhoun' cross) is ridiculously vigorous even during the cold. Even though we've tickled the mid 30s here, it has never stopped growing. Even this week, still in the 30s for lows, I noticed another leaf opened. If they have an off switch, Phoenix weather has not managed to flip it thus far. :shock:

Those things are something else. You may be on to something with the "pseudosalmiana" genes giving them cold tolerance, for whatever reason, certainly some vigor. :U

Here's a couple shots of my two A. 'Hacksaw' from today, happily sporting new growth:
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IMG_7505.JPG (122.27 KiB) Viewed 478 times
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IMG_7506.JPG (112.35 KiB) Viewed 478 times
MJP
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Re: New Agave Hybrids released

#54

Post by MJP »

You are of course right, Desert Dweller.
'Hacksaw' and its siblings are vigorous growers and quite hardy to cold and wet.
An unusually golden form (sister seedling to 'Hacksaw') survived the winter at PDN as well, and is set to bloom. So are two of PDN's Agave ovatifolia. 2018 looks to be another banner year for Agave hybridization at PDN.
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