Agaves From Italy

[Fairview]

Hope it's not a scam but I have PayPal protection. Quite a different appearance than typical agave. I'll probably have to cover them to keep winter rains off them. No info on hardiness but from the crosses they should be good to go for zone 8.

[Gafoto]

Let me know how the process goes for you. I’ve wanted to try that eborispina x parryi and other similar hybrids they offer but it’s been cold here and I worry about confiscation.

[Fairview]

Let me know how the process goes for you. I’ve wanted to try that eborispina x parryi and other similar hybrids they offer but it’s been cold here and I worry about confiscation.

Purchase the phyto certificate and it won't be a problem. Use 20DISCOUNT for 20% off for 1st order by new customers. They have a single specimen link where the pic is the actual plant being purchased.

[Gafoto]

I’m a little skeptical of their genetics. They have a listing on ebay of “Agave cerulata X eborispina X bovicornuta”. What the heck is that?

[Fairview]

I’m a little skeptical of their genetics. They have a listing on ebay of “Agave cerulata X eborispina X bovicornuta”. What the heck is that?

https://www.smgrowers.com/products/plan ... cornuta%20(Cow%20Horn%20Agave,5%20%C2%BD%20to%206%20%C2%BD

I use San Marcos as a reference for agaves. I wouldn't mind having one but probably wouldn't be hardy for my zone.

[Gafoto]

I’m a little skeptical of their genetics. They have a listing on ebay of “Agave cerulata X eborispina X bovicornuta”. What the heck is that?

https://www.smgrowers.com/products/plan ... cornuta%20(Cow%20Horn%20Agave,5%20%C2%BD%20to%206%20%C2%BD

I use San Marcos as a reference for agaves. I wouldn't mind having one but probably wouldn't be hardy for my zone.

I’m saying that formatting of the nomenclature makes no sense. They’re also substituting a variety in as a species. Kind of a shorthand, so I know what they mean there at least.

That plant could be Agave (cerulata x utahensis v. eborispina) x bovicornuta or maybe Agave cerulata x (utahensis v. eborispina x bovicornuta) but who knows. Or maybe they just got pollen everywhere and are making guesses?

[Meangreen94z]

Yeah be weary of the Italian nursery designations, including Botanical Archive. I’ve had no problem receiving the plants but their designations have been proven false more than once. They find nothing wrong with making up an appealing designation instead of using Agave sp. on an unknown.

[Greener]

I bought a couple from them with some strange crosses recently. (I’m in EU)
If someone is interested I can make some pictures.

[Papahuel]

I bought a couple from them with some strange crosses recently. (I’m in EU)
If someone is interested I can make some pictures.

Yeah definitely interested how you went if you have pictures.

[Spination]

that wouldn't be Botanical Archive, would it?

[Fairview]

that wouldn't be Botanical Archive, would it?

Yes. Are they solid to do business with?

[Gafoto]

IMG_4528.jpeg (222.3 KiB) Viewed 820 times

This is listed as bovicornuta x ovatifolia. It sure looks like any of the other plants they’ve listed recently. What are the chances that they had a bovicornuta, ovatifolia, parryi, parryi v. truncata, utahensis, cerulata, americana and several others all in bloom simultaneously to make these crosses?

I want utahensis and parryi to get hybridized with everything for my own selfish sake so I hope they are accurate (and hardy).

[Greener]

IMG_0537.jpeg (394.32 KiB) Viewed 625 times

IMG_0537.jpeg (394.32 KiB) Viewed 625 times

IMG_0538.jpeg (585.91 KiB) Viewed 625 times

I bought these three from BA.
All the crosses BA sells are from a guy in Europe called Mr. Cosi.

[bmwblu]

Hello,
I am from Italy and I know the seller "Botanical Archives". Unfortunately I cannot give positive feedback, to use a euphemism he is locally known for a great inventiveness in new cultivar names. He sells what he gets from local nurseries and/or collectors giving very exotic names and absurd prices, and I am very skeptical about the fact that those agaves are sons of the parents in the ebay offers. My suggestion: buy if you like it, buy if you think the price is ok for you, but do not rely on their information. Be aware that many times they state that the plant in the pic is only for reference but you'll get a "similar item".
Happy shopping to everybody

[Fairview]

Hello,
I am from Italy and I know the seller "Botanical Archives". Unfortunately I cannot give positive feedback, to use a euphemism he is locally known for a great inventiveness in new cultivar names. He sells what he gets from local nurseries and/or collectors giving very exotic names and absurd prices, and I am very skeptical about the fact that those agaves are sons of the parents in the ebay offers. My suggestion: buy if you like it, buy if you think the price is ok for you, but do not rely on their information. Be aware that many times they state that the plant in the pic is only for reference but you'll get a "similar item".
Happy shopping to everybody

Well crap!!!

[Blue Agave]

I can second that, definitely creative with Agave names.

I ordered Agave parryi 1684 from them because a friend had a beautiful specimen, once received it was nothing like it.
Fortunately I now have the real McCoy now .

Wayne

[Spination]

that wouldn't be Botanical Archive, would it?

Yes. Are they solid to do business with?

Due to my last experience with them several years ago, I can say emphatically I would never ever buy from them again, nor would I ever recommend them.
At best, they are morons (do they even understand English? They're doing business in English speaking markets, so I would say that is a minimum expectation!)
At worst, they are shysters. The totality of my experience leans to the latter, although some of the former is probably true as well.

I had a substantial order of several hundred dollars worth. I very specifically asked them before I bid if they would split the order in two equal shipments. I explained that small boxes fly under the radar regarding Customs - large boxes may as well have a bullseye on them. They agreed. I bought. I again reminded them before paying that I needed the plants split up into two small boxes, and paid for that according to their invoice. Guess what they did? Yup, they shipped in one large box. Guess what happened? The first time ever, after many shipments from all over Europe (dozens of packages!), the package was inspected, and everything confiscated. Guess what Botanical Archive did after that? They 100% ghosted me - would not reply to many inquiries. I have some words to describe those people, and none of them are fit to be printed here.

[Meangreen94z]

that wouldn't be Botanical Archive, would it?

Yes. Are they solid to do business with?

Due to my last experience with them several years ago, I can say emphatically I would never ever buy from them again, nor would I ever recommend them.
At best, they are morons (do they even understand English? They're doing business in English speaking markets, so I would say that is a minimum expectation!)
At worst, they are shysters. The totality of my experience leans to the latter, although some of the former is probably true as well.

I had a substantial order of several hundred dollars worth. I very specifically asked them before I bid if they would split the order in two equal shipments. I explained that small boxes fly under the radar regarding Customs - large boxes may as well have a bullseye on them. They agreed. I bought. I again reminded them before paying that I needed the plants split up into two small boxes, and paid for that according to their invoice. Guess what they did? Yup, they shipped in one large box. Guess what happened? The first time ever, after many shipments from all over Europe (dozens of packages!), the package was inspected, and everything confiscated. Guess what Botanical Archive did after that? They 100% ghosted me - would not reply to many inquiries. I have some words to describe those people, and none of them are fit to be printed here.

Depending on the story it sounds like a combination. I bought and later sold an Agave subsimplex from them that didn’t care for Houston at the time. In between I sent an offset to Ron (Gee.S). Years later he told me the offset developed into Agave sobria, not the much rarer subsimplex.

I also bought a large Ferocactus from them. They sent it around the world in a paper sack. It of course tore open at a receiving facility for U.S.customs in New York. No phyto. Whoever saw it felt generous, threw it back in the sack, taped it up, and slapped a “we care about damaged packages” sticker with the facility name. That was pre Covid, during and after they have seemed to really crack down on illicit packages.

[Gee.S]

Depending on the story it sounds like a combination. I bought and later sold an Agave subsimplex from them that didn’t care for Houston at the time. In between I sent an offset to Ron (Gee.S). Years later he told me the offset developed into Agave sobria, not the much rarer subsimplex.

I also bought a large Ferocactus from them. They sent it around the world in a paper sack. It of course tore open at a receiving facility for U.S.customs in New York. No phyto. Whoever saw it felt generous, threw it back in the sack, taped it up, and slapped a “we care about damaged packages” sticker with the facility name. That was pre Covid, during and after they have seemed to really crack down on illicit packages.

A. sobria subsp. frailensis, an absolute weed of an agave. These offset so much, I toss handfuls of them each year. This is how these guys operate, They take a common invasive offsetter and offer it for sale as something not entirely dissimilar but relatively uncommon. Order subsimplex, receive frailensis. Order variegated parryi, receive applanata. They get away with it because their remote location makes it too much hassle to hold them to account.

[meridannight]

Yeah be weary of the Italian nursery designations, including Botanical Archive. I’ve had no problem receiving the plants but their designations have been proven false more than once. They find nothing wrong with making up an appealing designation instead of using Agave sp. on an unknown.

I second this. I have no experience with Botanical Archive, but Italian growers can be completely unapologetic about knowingly using wrong or made-up names for plants, and even making it their business model selling common plants that have rare ID tags slapped on them.

There are great growers in Italy who label everything correctly and always sell good quality plants, but it's a 50-50 between them and the scumbags.

[Paul S]

I've told this story before but it is worth retelling...

A guy I knew* ran a nursery over here - mainly palms - and he made his annual winter trip to one of the Italian nurseries to tag stock for a spring import, going round the nursery with the owner who had a clipboard a pen. They reached a line of nice looking Sabal so he asked the price and also which one was it? The owner licked the end of his pen and said, with a sly grin, 'Wheech one you a-wan it to be? I write-a the label now'. (apologies for the comic Italian-English, that is how it was told to me)

*past tense. He ended up being a crook. He ordered plants in winter, invited customers to pay a reduced amount 'up front' to finance the year's stock. Except he gradually used to money from his customers for other things. Eventually he went bankrupt, owing £thousands to customers and suppliers. Including me, and I considered him to be a friend until that point.

[Fairview]

It's been 2 weeks since I ordered. For an impatient man my patience has run its course. I have asked to cancel the order and a refund. Probably see how well PayPal stands behind their customer.

[clintonsparsons]

that wouldn't be Botanical Archive, would it?

Yes. Are they solid to do business with?

Due to my last experience with them several years ago, I can say emphatically I would never ever buy from them again, nor would I ever recommend them.
At best, they are morons (do they even understand English? They're doing business in English speaking markets, so I would say that is a minimum expectation!)
At worst, they are shysters. The totality of my experience leans to the latter, although some of the former is probably true as well.

I had a substantial order of several hundred dollars worth. I very specifically asked them before I bid if they would split the order in two equal shipments. I explained that small boxes fly under the radar regarding Customs - large boxes may as well have a bullseye on them. They agreed. I bought. I again reminded them before paying that I needed the plants split up into two small boxes, and paid for that according to their invoice. Guess what they did? Yup, they shipped in one large box. Guess what happened? The first time ever, after many shipments from all over Europe (dozens of packages!), the package was inspected, and everything confiscated. Guess what Botanical Archive did after that? They 100% ghosted me - would not reply to many inquiries. I have some words to describe those people, and none of them are fit to be printed here.

Do they not offer phyto certificates and if so why didn't you buy one and this could have been prevented?