Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

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Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#1

Post by tumcacti@gmail.com »

If anyone has this, please contact me. I am live in the U.K. Any suggestion to find one please advise.

Thank you very much in deed.
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Spination
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#2

Post by Spination »

It would depend on what you have in mind regarding the size. For shipping from U.S. to UK, I would imagine a small and inconspicuous package that wouldn't attract attention would be preferable. I've received packages from Europe, and received all without problems, and so far, all the packages I've sent in the reverse direction have been successfully received as well.

Also, I'm wondering if you specifically require the particular white variegate that originated as 'White Rhino'. I have about 20 of the white variegates, and acquired under 4 different names, including: White Rhino, Albo Marginata, White Variegate, and Snow Queen. At one time, and purely due to ignorance on my part, I thought they might be different. Not a problem, I like these very much, and I now have a fleet of mother plants that produce pups at different rates. In my opinion, they are all the same in terms of appearance.

However, if for some reason, you believe they are different, here is a current shot of my White Rhino. As you can see, there are several offsets currently in production. I don't usually like removing them this small, although I have successfully started them in own pots even smaller. They grow faster left with the mother plant for a time.
2017 05 28 A vic reg White Rhino a X800.jpg
2017 05 28 A vic reg White Rhino a X800.jpg (239.16 KiB) Viewed 7579 times
Here are rooted offsets that I've been growing for at least a year or more in their own pots. I usually list them on Ebay, but it's advantageous to grow them bigger before offering them, or so I believe. One or two of the largest there (right middle, right rear) are probably large enough, but I was planning on letting them grow longer. These particular ones are 'Albo Marginata', and 'White Variegated'.
2017 05 28 A vic reg white variegate offsets X800.jpg
2017 05 28 A vic reg white variegate offsets X800.jpg (301.33 KiB) Viewed 7579 times
If interested, you can send me a PM.
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#3

Post by tumcacti@gmail.com »

I will send PM. to you. Thank you very much. It is very beautiful.
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#4

Post by Neli »

Interested to buy also.
Lenacroll
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#5

Post by Lenacroll »

Hi guys 👋

I am also desperately wanting a 'White Rhino' to add to my collection! If anyone has a pup that they would be willing to sell, please contact me!! I don't mind if it's tiny, just wanting one that I can watch grow😊

Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give to point me in the right direction!

Lena
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#6

Post by Spination »

Lena, I have a waiting list with either 3 or 4 people in front of you (whether or not I count an inquiry out of the blue via Ebay from Taiwan). I've been putting everyone off as long as possible as I've been trying to get my offsets larger first, but those who have contacted me are fine with waiting a bit longer. Part of the problem is I sold several more than I intended last year, due to unexpected inquiries and requests. I just have a really hard time saying no. I love these plants, and how can I not well appreciate others who are like-minded?

Currently, I have 10 mother plants, and 17 offsets growing. However, only one of those mother plants was specifically acquired as "White Rhino" (I have 4 pups of that growing). I've said it before, and I'll say it again - ostensibly, I can not distinguish a 'White Rhino' (old Xeric Growers Tissue Culture) from a 'Snow Queen' (Greg Starr TC) from an 'Albo Marginata' (a trio acquired from well known variegate expert Tony Krock). Curiously, it seems that in spite of the fact that to me - a white variegated victoriae-reginae, by any of it's names, is still a white variegated vic-reg! - all equally beautiful... for whatever reason (because the name is awesome???), people invariable ask specifically for 'White Rhino'! However, when folks insist on having an actual 'White Rhino', I comply with that request regardless. Thankfully, and luckily for me, that particular plant also just happens to be my most prolific (but in all likelihood because I've had it the longest).

Based on all that I sold last year, and the demand (inquiries and waiting list) I'm seeing already this year, I can only surmise that this specific cultivar has become extremely desirable and highly sought after. Late last year, I even had them going international, in spite of the fact I make it very clear I'd rather have them stay in the U.S. (much easier for me!) : Australia, France, Germany!

One good thing is that I've in the last month or so noted that they (offsets) are definitely in grow mode right now - so getting bigger now rather than an expectation of growing at some point soon...

PM me with your information (country, how urgent is your need for one, etc), and I'll see what I can do for you.

Best Regards,
Tom

Fresh photos (just now - today) of some of my plants
2018 03 11 A vic reg White Rhino a.jpg
2018 03 11 A vic reg White Rhino a.jpg (104.97 KiB) Viewed 6964 times
2018 03 11 A vic reg Albo Marginata a.jpg
2018 03 11 A vic reg Albo Marginata a.jpg (101.73 KiB) Viewed 6964 times
2018 03 11 A vic reg White _ more.jpg
2018 03 11 A vic reg White _ more.jpg (318.15 KiB) Viewed 6964 times
2018 03 11 A vic reg Snow Queen times 3.jpg
2018 03 11 A vic reg Snow Queen times 3.jpg (72.22 KiB) Viewed 6964 times
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#7

Post by Spination »

So, just a quick update... To my amazement, as unprecedented and completely unanticipated demand for these plants has become ever more clear.

I now have a growing waiting list for these plants. I already had 6 plants as they become ready spoken for as of a couple of weeks ago, but after 2 more inquiries in the last couple of days - it finally dawned on me that I should perhaps update this thread informing of the situation. With 17 pups growing, less than 1/2 are currently reserved, but I just need to make clear that most of those are still quite small, too small yet even for removal from the mother plants. I'm at the point already where it will be several months before I could hope to fill any further requests, so I just want to update with that information that any further inquiries should be made knowing that it will be several months from now before I have something ready if not already on the waiting list.

Sorry! :red:

If I had been smarter and braver, I would have acquired 20 mother plants when I started that 6 years ago, and then I might not be feeling quite so unprepared now. As it was, it was completely speculative to buy all those plants to begin with, and I couldn't even imagine that they wouldn't be enough! And, had I been smarter yet, I would have kept my earliest offsets and they'd be making their own offsets by now too. Oh well... 20-20 hindsight is always just that - second guessing and a fruitless exercise of "what if" or "coulda/woulda/shoulda". D))
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#8

Post by Spination »

What the ??? Wow, I've never seen bidding like that on a plant that size! That's a listing in progress, and the description says 6" plant in a 3" pot - $432 with a day to go. Holy guacamoly!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-White-Var ... 1438.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Agave323
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#9

Post by Agave323 »

afraid to ask... what are you prices? I am interested in buying some. Thank You!
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Spination
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#10

Post by Spination »

I generally answer in private, but I have nothing to hide, so I'm happy to answer here. Here is a sample of what I sold on Ebay last year...
Believe it or not, this one I believe is the one I sent to France. It got bid up to $130.
2017 07 18 Agave victoriae reginae White Variegate b.jpg
2017 07 18 Agave victoriae reginae White Variegate b.jpg (83.05 KiB) Viewed 6708 times
Another I sold on Ebay right after that went for almost exactly the same price. Finally, I listed another @ Buy It Now for $149.99, and a couple of hours later, it got snapped up and shipped to Australia. Several more went to members here, and in that case, I usually sell for a flat $100 plus the shipping cost. Obviously, it's more profitable for me to sell them on Ebay, but I don't mind helping out folks here and giving a better deal.

By the way, that plant I gave a link for sold this weekend on Ebay for $495!!! That is the most to date I have ever seen one sell for for something of that relatively small size. Yes, nicely grown, but it still was only a 6 incher (in a 3" pot)! That, and the unprecedented # of requests I am getting is telling me that there are a lot of people looking for these than ever before, and the demand far exceeds the availability of them. What I don't know is if that is part of a trend, or a temporary condition of none out there available and a lot of people wanting one. I've got to say though, I've been following the prices on these for the last 6 years, and that price fetched for the one this last weekend completely blows me away. Wow. Wow. Wow.
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#11

Post by Melt in the Sun »

That's insane. I need to de-pup mine, I think...
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#12

Post by mcvansoest »

Yeah those prices are indeed quite insane.

Makes me feel that I got a huge steal just over a year ago when I picked up this one for 15.95 -20% at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum plant sale...

It has two pups now...
IMG_0853.jpg
IMG_0853.jpg (101.79 KiB) Viewed 6687 times
It is what it is!
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#13

Post by Spination »

Thijs - yes you did! Awesome. When you see a deal like that, you can't think about it - the deal will be gone later. D))

MITS - If they're big enough, it's a good move to remove them from the mother plant and get them growing in their own pot. I usually remove the largest pup (if it's big enough), and then I find the smaller ones then seem to grow faster left alone longer. Also, it seems that as I remove one, it's not long after that I notice another new one making an appearance. I can't prove it, but I think there's a connection there and somehow the removal of one makes space or perhaps even stimulates the plant to go ahead and make another.

For example - here's one I pulled off my White Rhino on 3/24
(keeping this one for myself... it's going to be a sectional variegated, with a lot of white on one side. Note how that one leaf on the right under the newest one is completely white and the other two on that side feature more white than green favoring the right side.)
2018 03 24 A vic reg White Rhino Sectional Variegate b.jpg
2018 03 24 A vic reg White Rhino Sectional Variegate b.jpg (77.39 KiB) Viewed 6686 times
It's barely 2 weeks later, and as anticipated, a new one has already made it's presence known, almost precisely where I just removed the other. Meanwhile, with the removal of the biggest one, the one on the left in particular is really taking off in growth. I can already tell the difference. I expect in another month or two, I'll be removing that one too.
2018 04 10 A vic reg White Rhino a a.jpg
2018 04 10 A vic reg White Rhino a a.jpg (71.39 KiB) Viewed 6686 times
Blown up view - there was nothing there 2 weeks ago.
2018 04 10 A vic reg White Rhino a b.jpg
2018 04 10 A vic reg White Rhino a b.jpg (44.63 KiB) Viewed 6686 times
Conversely, removing all the pups seems to shut down the process. 5 years ago, I pulled all the offsets of this plant, large and small. Not only did they grow very slowly after being removed from the mother plant, the mother plant went on vacation, and it was about two years before the pupping started up again. With this plant, I'm in a groove now and I think 3 is the magic number. Once the largest is removed leaving 2 behind, a third comes along in short order.
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#14

Post by Spination »

Regarding the waiting list, and you know who you all are... 3 plants sent out this last week, so everybody moved up the list 3 spots. Funny too, 3 more added to the bottom of the list. Even funnier... 17 offsets I counted a few weeks ago. Yesterday, after 3 gone, I inspected all the plants and took new photos. 17 minus three equals 16, apparently! :lol: Now that's math I like! :U All my plants have been previously relocated so that they all enjoy premium locations in the space I have available. All in consideration of optimal light, and optimal and consistent warmth. Watering is monitored daily, and some fertilizing with fish emulsion has taken place. (how come there's no emoticon with a clothespin on it's nose? ::wink:: ). Bottom line, I'm seeing some amazing growth.
Compare this with 3 photos directly above... a week short of a month apart.
2018 04 18 A vic reg White Rhino offset.jpg
2018 04 18 A vic reg White Rhino offset.jpg (198.31 KiB) Viewed 6577 times
That's significant growth, in my opinion. Also to take into consideration, that offset on 3/24 was snapped off the base of the White Rhino, and had zero for roots. Also, a lot less green than the typical white variegate (so less chlorophyll, less photosynthesis, and presumably less growth). Anyway, you can see the progress from one photo to another. Obviously, new roots came in really fast, and it's growing nicely!

Other offsets in the works are also growing accordingly. D))
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#15

Post by Spination »

I was perusing various variegated Agave on Ebay, and noticed persisting high prices.

Here's a small 'White Rhino' bid up over $150 already, with 1/2 day to go
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Agave-victoria ... 0009.m1982" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or this - $600! Wow
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Agave-Victoria ... 0005.m1851" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And here's a really beautiful specimen... but... $2K Buy It Now, or $1499 starting bid? Wow!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Variegate ... 0009.m1982" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not saying it's (that big one) not worth it. I'm only noting to myself that I'm seeing super high prices on these plants this year, and it seems the trend is continuing. That is one of the finest specimens I've ever seen for sale though...
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#16

Post by tumcacti@gmail.com »

Thank you very much.
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#17

Post by Sheshe53 »

Wow. I am amazed at how fast they pup. Please add me to your current list of request, if you are still taking them. I do not have a preference on which mother plant of the the 4 names you have. You seen to have the magic tough when it comes to the variegata reggie.
Thanks!
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#18

Post by Spination »

As far as speed of pupping, it's an individual (probably genetics) thing. My first plant started pupping like mad a year after I got it. Another group of plants by and large didn't start until 3 years after I got them. My first plant a steady "pupper" since I got it; most not so prolific, and the particular plants mentioned that I acquired as a group - most of those have just one pup each growing.

Even if fast to pup, they most certainly are not fast to grow. With heavily variegated plants (a lot of variegation - in this case the white sections), you can also expect slow growing due to the fact that only the green sections are actually contributing to the creation of energy for growing. An all green plant has all that leaf surface area working to take sunlight and convert it into energy...where as a plant that is say...only 1/2 green (with 1/2 white sections) is only 50% as efficient, and thus twice as slow growing as the all green counterpart.

:))
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#19

Post by Neli »

I am still dreaming about this one and badly want it but $100 for it plus another $100 for transport is a bit too much for me he he he. But I shall get one one of this days as soon as I finish the flats I am building that drain me of money.
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Re: Wanted Agave Victoria Reginae White Rhino

#20

Post by sccg18 »

Ciao, sono anche io un appassionato e collezionista di questa pianta bellissima, volevo sapere se fosse possibile mettermi in lista per una piantina di agave reginae victoria White Rhino.
In attesa di una tua risposta ti mando un saluto. Grazie
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