Agave tecta

Use this forum to discuss matters relating to Agave, Beschorneria, Furcraea, Hesperaloe, Hesperoyucca, Manfreda, Polianthes, Yucca and related species. This is where one posts unknown plant photos for ID help.
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Re: Agave tecta

#26

Post by Gee.S »

Of course it could have been, but sans Sherman & Peabody, we don't know, and in the larger scheme of things, does it really matter? Human manipulation of A. tecta may have started and stopped with the transportation of a few pups or more likely, a few stalks full of seed. In order to hypothesize about more robust human intervention, you must first identify an end. As far as A. tecta goes, I just don't see it. Pre-Columbians have been moving Agaves around sans genetic manipulation for a long time.
Agave
"American aloe plant," 1797, from Greek Agaue, proper name in mythology (mother of Pentheus), from agauos "noble," perhaps from agasthai "wonder at".

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Re: Agave tecta

#27

Post by Spination »

Sans genetic manipulation? I have 5 words in reply for that: yavapaiensis, phillipsiana, delamateri, murpheyi, verdensis. That's just 5 known, currently accepted "pre-Columbian" species associated with domestication. A couple of those are infertile, highly suggestive that they are indeed man-made hybridized creations (genetic manipulation!). Pre-Columbian is only defined as the period of time predating 1492... that's not much more than a mere 500 years ago.
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Re: Agave tecta

#28

Post by Gee.S »

Which has exactly what to do with A. tecta? I understand the end game with AZ domesticates, I've been studying them for four years now, along with the Indian cultures associated with them. And I know how to tell time. Splain me the end game with A. tecta. Just because ancient Indian cultures/individuals were apparently employing advanced hybridization techniques here and elsewhere, doesn't mean that all Agaves are genetically manipulated domesticates. Not sure how you landed there....
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 tecta

#29

Post by Spination »

Really?
I know you know, which is precisely why I went along that train of thought. I figured you'd find it appealing and that you'd grok it.
OK, generally - the connection is the history of mankind and Agave, and breeding (domestication, cultivation, and obviously therefor breeding) them. Not just as food and fiber, sewing needles...on and on.
Certainly you are not suggesting that peoples would breed a type of plant, so important to their cultures, for a variety of purposes, and not try to create better plants for those various and specific purposes?
As for myself, I have a lot more respect for those "primitive" cultures and their intelligence than that. I'm not even going to bother talking about their understandings of astronomy, mathematics, and such. One concept alone - Aztec calendar. Growing, selecting, breeding Agave would be child's play by comparison.
OK, specifically - the connection is.... Tecta ---------> pulque.
I guess I'm not 100% sure I know exactly what you mean by end game, but my assumption is you are asking why, for what purpose? Pulque is why. As were some of the other biggies : salmiana, mapisaga, etc. The thinking is the bigger the plant, presumably the more pulque.
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Re: Agave tecta

#30

Post by Gee.S »

Have to do better than that, IMHO. What does tecta bring to the table that salmiana doesn't? Remember, tecta is even more ungainly than salmiana, so there must be a terrific advantage to offset that cost. I haven't been there and don't know the lay of the land, but my cursory suggestion is to lean toward nurture over (un-)nature here. Or is raw size, in and of itself, a status symbol without need of further benefit? Stone Jaguar has seen the lay of the land, so I'll happily defer to his relative expertise.

Really though, this is chump change. If you want a real intellectual puzzle to ferret out, look toward the Caribbean. Are Caribbean Agaves natural or naturalized? Now that would be an education I could get on board with. Avast matey!
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 tecta

#31

Post by Spination »

I'll defer to Stoney too.

In his post #13: he quotes sources mentioning tecta as a source for pulque.

Quoting more specific passages pertaining to the subject considered:
In Gentry - page 614, is also quoted from Standley & Steyermark:
"It is recorded by Fuentes Y Guzman that two centuries ago excellent pulque was produced at Almolonga or Ciudad Vieja in Sacatepequez and at San Gaspar..."
"Trealease is of he opinion that Agave tecta must have been the species used for the purpose."
Surely you did not think I was just making this stuff up? I'm a little baffled at all the resistance to what Gentry himself viewed credible enough to quote in his book, right there for the reading. ???

Almolonga is a municipality in the Quetzaltenango. This entire area was a center of important Maya kingdoms in their day.

Your comment of "status symbol" had previously occurred to me. Of course it makes all too much sense. If it not only make an "excellent pulque" and was also one of the largest, most imposing Agave to the people of the day considering the obvious importance of the plant (Mayahuel)....why wouldn't they make sure to center such a plant right there? I would. ::wink::

Anyway, I'm happy to move on, as this subject has been beat to death with little to show for it. As I said much earlier, there's precious little truly relevant early history out there to read on the subject, so what we know for sure is that we don't know for sure.

I'll take you up on that too, and start checking out Caribbean Agaves, just for fun. Hopefully by the time that subject comes up, I'll have some chump change for that too. D))
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Re: Agave tecta

#32

Post by Gee.S »

Pulque from a 30' 3-ton Agave is fine is you find 'em planted out, but intentionally developing and farming such a beast rather than dealing with more manageable salmiana makes little sense to me. Big, big price tag with very little gain. There are substantial gains from each and every AZ domesticate when compared with native Agaves. One of those gains is smaller, shorter lived plants that are more conducive to being grown and harvested.
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 tecta

#33

Post by Spination »

OK, I totally agree with you that within the context of Arizona precolumbian cultures and their specific requirements and usages, your comment is absolutely logical.

However, consider the climate of Arizona, and Guatemala. Desert vs semi-tropical? That's a game changer.

Also, I'll for a record and mention Gentry pg 614 for the 4th time in the same thread with another quote, just a little food for thought to your statement concluding "grown and harvested".
"In 1975, it was still common about the roads and fields of Quexaltenango, but was not observed being tapped for juice or pulque." Why did he choose to say it like that?
The image in my head when I read those words is something akin to a Maple tree, with a "tap" to collect sap for syrup. I'm not sure what Gentry knew about what was going on there, or had gone on in the past, but it seems he knew something different than than what would be presumed a one time and done harvesting of the plant's liquid. It suggests to me a period of time involved in which the liquid was extracted, which might also be a game changer as far as why a huge plant might be more advantageous than a small one.

Anyway, I'll leave any last comments to you or others. It's all good, but I'm now pretty tired of this subject.
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Re: Agave tecta

#34

Post by Spination »

I have been privately continuing perusal of pertinent information, and just want to share this one link.

An interesting abstract from 2008 regarding Maya and Agave, with obvious relevance to Guatemala.

http://www.academia.edu/3811531/Blood_W ... tec_Belief" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"A closer look at the iconography associated with pulque, however, indicates that it played a pivotal role in central Mexican religion. It was also far more widespread than generally believed and played an integral role in Maya ritual long before the Aztecs came to power."

In other words, Mayan use of Agave (especially pulque) predates all northern mesoamerican cultures (Mexico and SW US). That's something I had not been specifically aware of until investigating the topic discussed. Possibly, that may even flip-flop assumptions of what came from where the other way around.
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Re: Agave tecta

#35

Post by Stone Jaguar »

Spiney:

I couldn't open this link, but assume the author also discusses the use of agave spines and marginal teeth to facilitate blood sacrifice. Linda Schele & Mary Ellen Miller's seminal work "The Blood of Kings" (1986) has an image on the cover of a detail of Lintel 24 from Yaxchilan, Chiapas that shows Lady Xoc self mutilating by dragging a thorn-studded rope through her tongue. I believe that more recent research suggests that at least some of these images from throughout the Mayan world are of agave spines/thorns which were utilized for blood-letting. Besides these "thorns" there is also well-documented use of stingray spines and obsidian knives, particularly by male rulers, to stab their privates to draw blood for ceremonial offerings (*ouch*)

So perhaps tecta had uses and attributes besides pulque production that made its great size and long terminal spines an asset to have nearby?

Worth emphasizing again that the two agave specialists who have seen it around Quezaltenango and speculate openly about its identity and origins in contemporary published works were not sure enough of it being a Mexican taxon to sink it.

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Re: Agave tecta

#36

Post by KLC »

Fwiw, this is what I have been told firsthand but don't quote me on it, Gary Lyons of the HBG sent the LA Zoo their specimens back in the 80's and 90's. The colonies of them at the HBG, which are in an area of the desert garden not accessable to the public, were collected by Howard Gentry much earlier. Gary gave me an offset and a bulbil when we met up with him at the DBG in 2011 if my memory serves me right, I dug the offset myself. I was also gifted 2 decent sized offsets from the LA Zoo by a friend in the park's horticultural staff.

A. tecta in my nursery has not been a super fast grower, just average. My largest which is still containerized may be equivelant to something in a 24" box and is in filtered shade here in an area about 20 miles west of Phoenix.
I have not really propagated them to any great numbers, I sent 2 5g specimens to a nursery in Valley Center, Ca., another 5g specimen went to Texas, Winston took a little guy home to the UK with him, Kent got a 1g offset and DesertDweller got a 5g.

I have not investigated it but Gary Lyons told me that a long time ago, ISI distributed a bunch of bulbils, so they are out there.

If you start seeing them on eBay, they probably originated from the few I brought back to Az. in 2011, just sayin'.
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Re: Agave tecta

#37

Post by Stone Jaguar »

Greetings:

A partial inflorescence from the plant shown earlier. Since images of flowers of this sp. seem to be scarce, thought these might be of interest. To my eye, they do share a strong superficial resemblance to those of salmiana, but assume other taxa do too.

Leaf color and marginal teeth form are typical for the plants growing in the western Guatemalan highlands.
A tecta flowers.jpg
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Re: Agave tecta

#38

Post by AGAVE_KILLER »

Spination wrote:integral role in Maya ritual long before the Aztecs came to power."

In other words, Mayan use of Agave (especially pulque) predates all northern mesoamerican cultures (Mexico and SW US). That's something I had not been specifically aware of until investigating the topic discussed. Possibly, that may even flip-flop assumptions of what came from where the other way around.
That is not technically correct. A lot of cultures existed and used Agave prior to the Aztec. Before the Aztec were the Olmec (who are known to have used Agave for blood-letting ceremonies) and Zapotec and many other cultures that persist today as Mixtecs or Otomi or any number of smaller tribes, and all throughout the area there were native people who subsisted and utilized these plants. So, use by one large nation-state/culture does not mean that others had not been using it all along the way. These plants were likely used by the first humans who entered and endeavored to eke out a living in these austere lands. These people arrived there travelling south, so they would have encountered the plants in the north, and the Maya are in the extreme south. Consequently use has to predate the Maya and likely was initiated in the northern range of these plants and carried south -- there's just no record of this, because these were nomadic migrants and not established nation-states (until the Olmec).

Cool article, though.

Stone Jaguar: Great info and insights and photos! Curious if you have been down to Huehuetenango to see the ghiesbreghtii there? Thinking of adding this location to our itinerary for the 2017 Marginatae data collection. Any thoughts on crossing the Chiapas/Guatemala border?
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Re: Agave tecta

#39

Post by Stone Jaguar »

Agave Killer:

Yes, there are good populations of very handsome A. ghiesbreghtii alongside the highway between La Mesilla and La Libertad after the border crossing on Guatemalan side of Pan-American highway. Some ways prior to getting to La Mesilla on Chiapan side there are A (seemanniana) pygmea on rock outcroppings alongside the road as well. Once you get past the turnoff to the city of Huehuetenango you can also see quite a few A thomasiae and A hurteri on and near roadcuts beside the highway prior to reaching the crossroad to Quezaltenango. Basically, if you cross the border in the early morning, you can see quite a few endemic Guatemalan Agave spp even if you turn back around just south of Zunil in the early afternoon and are back at the border by nightfall. Only reliably tricky area from security standpoint is the road to and the vicinity of Nenton, Huehuetenango which is quite sad since the finest Tropical Dry Forest in western Guatemala is located in and around this town in the Rio Lagartero basin. There are some very neat succulents and xeric-adapted plants in this area, incl. several Hechtia spp, lithophytic semi-desert anthuriums, some fantastic old Beaucarnea, Furcraea spp, agaves, etc. This is also the locality where black beaded lizards (Heloderma alvarezii) and giant horned toads (Phrynosoma asio) range into extreme western Guatemala, so if you are familiar with their core habitats in central Chiapas and eastern Oaxaca you will have a feel for what the flora of the region is like. If you really trust your Angel de la Guarda and aren't easily rattled you should definitely spend an entire day exploring the area.

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Re: Agave tecta

#40

Post by AGAVE_KILLER »

I am not easily rattled, but it depends on the source. What is the security issue? Is this an area of conflict between government and native people, human trafficking, narcos, central american gangs? I don't care about bribes and extortion or checkpoints, etc. because I can talk my way into and out of just about anything.

Thanks for all the info!
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Re: Agave tecta

#41

Post by Spination »

Dan, the previous prevailing theory that Maya society was derived from the Olmec has been called into question, according to this 2013 article.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news ... y-science/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"But Inomata's work has revealed that the Olmec is not an older civilization."
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Re: Agave tecta

#42

Post by Stone Jaguar »

Because of its location, Nenton and environs can be very hot at times due to narco and human trafficking activity. The home grown cartel running the area, "Los Huistas" is rumored (surprise!) to be have close ties to the local military command post and are reportedly short on bonhomie. No doubt rubbernecking there is more iffy for locals than gringos, but just as in many parts of Mexico, always make an effort to act like you're NOT photographing plants to mask doing scout work for the DEA ;^)

Realistically, the biggest risk on the Pan-American highway in Guatemala is having an overloaded chicken bus run over you. Be aware that the highland Maya in parts of eastern Chiapas, the Guatemalan departments of Quiche, Totonicapan and Quezaltenango can have odd views about scenic property rights. Taking a picture - even from afar and while located on a public thoroughfare - of a maguey growing on their land may prompt a request for payment that should not be summarily blown off if you don't want a rock through your truck's window (pers. exp.) or machetes being waggled one's way in a decidely "inappropriate" manner.

Spiney: in terms of chronology, you may want to do some online research into the very well-documented southwestern Guatemalan archeological site, Takalik Abak. Under continuous human occupation from ~1,000 BC until today, it gives you a very clear sense of where the "Olmec" influence arrived and when the highland Maya (broad sense) influence prevailed. I think it's still generally accepted that the "Olmec" and other Gulf cultures predate even the proto Mayan ethnic groups. One archeologist's theory is obviously not settled science. In any event, broader point being made here is that agave use by Pre-Columbian cultures surely began in the northwest and spread southeast with human migration, hence the southern Mesoamerican cultures were latecomers to the party.

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Re: Agave tecta

#43

Post by Gee.S »

Here it is less than two months after the photo in the OP was taken. Time to move it up to a 1-gal, based upon brown leaf tips. The big question is, what to do with it? How tender is this plant? We can tickle 20°F and even lower once in a great while, and it's obviously close to impossible to cover/protect a plant of this size.
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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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Re: Agave tecta

#44

Post by KLC »

Well if you got it from DesertDweller, he got it from me. The parent of the plant I sold him is still in a 15g squat pot out in the yard under a tree. It takes a good amount of strong sun, but far from out in the open sun, and takes all of the cold Goodyear has thrown at it. I think you get closer to the meaning of cold in FH though. Try it out, if you kill it I have more.

I could have probably grown a few of them out bigger than what they are now, but I don't water them as often as I used to. I lost a BIG mesquite to the wind last Friday that was sheltering a section of my garden, I have just finished removing it and now there is a big void in the middle of the garden. That might be a good spot to plant tecta. I think it would handle the sun if acclimated long enough.
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Re: Agave tecta

#45

Post by Gee.S »

It might. I have no doubt it can take a good amount of sun, but full sun in Phoenix is usually an "I'll believe it when I see it kinda thing" if you know what I mean. This young thing of mine turns quickly from green to blue in reaction to strong sun, and while I know adults will probably not do that, I still think it's a good sign for sun tolerance. If I wind up planting mine out, I'll probably place it on a slope to keep its size manageable. I've has a Sawtooth planted out on a slope for at least four years now, and it's only about 30" across (w/lots of offsets).

Sorry to hear about the tree, that sucks. Dunno about you, but I consider garden shade a particularly precious commodity.
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 tecta

#46

Post by DesertDweller »

KLC wrote:Well if you got it from DesertDweller, he got it from me. The parent of the plant I sold him is still in a 15g squat pot out in the yard under a tree. It takes a good amount of strong sun, but far from out in the open sun, and takes all of the cold Goodyear has thrown at it. I think you get closer to the meaning of cold in FH though. Try it out, if you kill it I have more.

I could have probably grown a few of them out bigger than what they are now, but I don't water them as often as I used to. I lost a BIG mesquite to the wind last Friday that was sheltering a section of my garden, I have just finished removing it and now there is a big void in the middle of the garden. That might be a good spot to plant tecta. I think it would handle the sun if acclimated long enough.
Yup, this is the pup that was dangling out the drainage hole in the original pot, and the largest as well. The other four I left attached to the mother plant when I re-potted the whole thing. Hard to find something that Ron doesn't already have, especially in my modest assortment of agave, so this was all I could come up with. ;)

Really nice to see how well it has grown out already! :U
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Re: Agave tecta

#47

Post by Gee.S »

Lots of Agaves this size are put off to some degree by our extreme heat, but not this guy -- it's been a holy terror on the growth front! :)) It's always gratifying to see our plants do well, isn't it?
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 tecta

#48

Post by KLC »

I've had this one for a while now, maybe 5 years. It was 5g size when I acquired it. It would probably grow by leaps and bounds if I put it in the ground. tecta likes to grow out the drain holes. I don't baby them anymore, they sometimes go for a few weeks at a time without water, it doesn't seem to make any difference.
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Re: Agave tecta

#49

Post by Gee.S »

We're gonna see what this bad boy can do. I've just up-potted A. tecta to a 3-gal, and an A. oroensis to a 2-gal, while I was at it. So far, it seems the tecta can take about the same sun as the likes of A. gentryi or A. montana, and can manage mid to upper twenties, at the very least. But unlike montana and gentryi, tecta actually likes the heat. I'm guessing it will have its new digs full by autumn.
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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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Re: Agave tecta

#50

Post by Spination »

I've got 2 now. One from Europe via a 2nd party connection to the former North South Succ. of the UK, who moved to Portugal for better climes. The second I was really stoked to get, courtesy of Keith, because it's an actual for sure real deal through HBG. So far, they look quite similar enough to be the same, but time will tell more. The first one I've been growing from a small pup for 2 years, and I'd say it's a fast grower. Also, due to Jay's commentary of how they are more cold tolerant than folks think, mine was outside unprotected this last winter, taking lows down to 26, and one of the few Agave absolutely unaffected by either the cold or the wet. Not a mark. That one has also been growing a pup, and even the pup was unmarked. I thought it was growing leggy, so a couple of months ago moved it a few feet where the sun hits it early and stays on it until early afternoon. Not quite as blue as it was, but still looks OK to me. I plan on moving it now to a bit sunnier location yet, and see how it does. Anyway, the newest leaf looks more compact and more green.
2017 05 19 A tecta a X800.jpg
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