Agave obscura

[MikeyDude]

This agave obscura has been growing very well in a 2 gallon pot for a number of years. This one came from YuccaDo and grown from seedlings there. In researching this species I find it is quite variable, some having practically no marginal teeth. It seems to enjoy pot culture and can easily be cultivated in a greenhouse in a container and stay on the smallish size.
I wonder who else might be growing this one and what their clones might look like?

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[Gee.S]

Nice plant, but not A. obscura. That taxon has a rather complex history I encourage you to research.

From agavaceae.com: In Genty this taxon appears as Agave polyacantha var. xalapensis

[mcvansoest]

My 'Emerald Envy' came labeled as Agave obscura...

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Not saying it actually is, but true to its name the real Agave obscura may be pretty obscure....

Once it warms up a bit I will have many bulbils to share with interested people...

[Paul S]

This is Agave obscura near the type locaility at Las Vigas, Veracruz.

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[MikeyDude]

Wade with YuccaDo contacted me after reading my post and said that when they collected these seeds they were at the time named agave obscura, according to Gentry's book, however found out later that this name had been misapplied. After researching it further he was not able to identify the plant absolutely.
I did check another plant I have, purchased several years later, which is identical, and found the tag on it from Arid Lands nursery and it is also named obscura and it's attached.
If others here actually grow the plant, not just academic photos, please share so we can see the diversity of this species. I am certainly not saying the one I have is indeed obscura, but would like to see some plants that others might have tagged in there possession which they are currently growing.

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[Minime8484]

The plants near Perote have been named Agave horrida ssp perotensis.
NOTE : this was while it was raining - the margins thus appear darker than when dry)

[MikeyDude]

Yes I believe agave obscura was then renamed horrida x perotensis, from that locale.

[Paul S]

Wade with YuccaDo contacted me after reading my post and said that when they collected these seeds they were at the time named agave obscura, according to Gentry's book, however found out later that this name had been misapplied. After researching it further he was not able to identify the plant absolutely.
I did check another plant I have, purchased several years later, which is identical, and found the tag on it from Arid Lands nursery and it is also named obscura and it's attached.
If others here actually grow the plant, not just academic photos, please share so we can see the diversity of this species. I am certainly not saying the one I have is indeed obscura, but would like to see some plants that others might have tagged in there possession which they are currently growing.

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Well, my 'academic photos' were taken by me when visiting the type location for Agave obscura. Its always been my belief that if you want to know what a plant looks like, visit the type location because they are the plants that would have been described. My pictures clearly show that Agave obscura is different to the plant you have in a pot with a label that says obscura. Ergo, the label is wrong. And that is the problem with asking for pictures of plants from people 'actually growing the plant' - they are most likely going to be as wrong as yours if they are the same source. 5 minutes Googling would show why, the name change was no secret.

[agavegreg]

Ha ha, never trust a grower with an ID. Remember Agave marmorata 'Turtle's Teeth'? That was actually Agave sobria from Baja California, hundreds of miles away from A. marmorata which occurs in Oaxaca and Puebla.

[Gee.S]

Ha ha, never trust a grower with an ID. Remember Agave marmorata 'Turtle's Teeth'? That was actually Agave sobria from Baja California, hundreds of miles away from A. marmorata which occurs in Oaxaca and Puebla.

Well, that can't be. I thought you-know-who collected that himself. As an aside, I still have a few thousand Turtle Teeth seed. I've grown plenty of 'em, and 95% come up with lots of compound teeth.

[Meangreen94z]

I thought I would add to this debate. PDN is offering Agave obscura again. A zone 8a rating is hardier than what Agave horrida v. perotensis can take by 10-15°F.

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https://www.plantdelights.com/products/agave-obscura

[Paul S]

There is no debate, Daniel. The name was changed and that is the end of the discussion. People either know or don't know. Clearly whoever writes the Plant Delights website doesn't because the plant in the picture isn't Agave obscura.

[jnewmark]

Has anyone seen one flower ? They are supposed to be a dark red color ( Obscura ).

[Meangreen94z]

There is no debate, Daniel. The name was changed and that is the end of the discussion. People either know or don't know. Clearly whoever writes the Plant Delights website doesn't because the plant in the picture isn't Agave obscura.

Oddly they have sold it in the past as Agave horrida var. perotensis but from a different locality. I think they go off what the seed collector calls it. Both of my Agave horrida var. perotensis burned heavily from mid 20’s and snow in a clay pot. If their version is hardier I’ll let them call it obscura.

[agavegreg]

Paul is correct. The plants Gentry called A. obscura, are now known as A. horrida subsp. perotensis, and the name A. obscura is now applied to the plants Gentry called A. polyacantha var. xalapensis. Those are two very different entities and the names should be used correctly so we can all communicate effectively.

[Meangreen94z]

I contacted them and they were adamant their identification was accurate. I received the Agave and it does seem more in line with polyacantha or the current identification of obscura. Leaves are soft and fleshy. The picture on their ad was an old picture from Carl Schoenfeld at the former Yuccado Nursery.

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