Re: Octopus Agave

Surely Pam knows that all Agaves are new world species
and are not native to South Africa.  I am not sure how
tolerant this particular species, A. vilmoriniana, is
to winter wet and cold, as it is not often seen
planted in northern California; more typically in
southern California or Arizona.  It is, in any case, a
very sculptural Agave without teeth, making it more
friendly to use in the garden.  I also suspect that it
is more tender to cold in our wetter winters, and may
actually start to show damage at 27~29F in the SF Bay
Area.  I base this opinion on similar succulent plants
that survive more cold in Tucson or Phoenix than here
in Berkeley, such as Bulbine frutescens.  This plant
seems to sail through 25F frosts in Tucson, but was
killed to the ground at this temperature in my own
Berkeley garden in the December 1990 and 1998 freezes.



--- p.k.peirce@att.net wrote:
> Dear Jim,
> 
> Octopus agave is a common name for Agave
> vilmoriniana. It grows up to 3 ft. 
> tall and 5 ft. wide, with twisted leaves. It is
> damaged below 22-25 degrees F., 
> so in colder climates, needs to be a container plant
> that can be protected from 
> winter cold. It is said to do well in a container,
> in which it will grow slowly 
> to full size. If blooms form, which can happen in as
> few as 10 years or as many 
> as 16 (though I don't know if this is likely in a
> container plant), bulbils 
> form on the flowering stem, and it is from these
> that the plant is usually 
> propagated. The plant is native to South Africa,
> where it is said to form 
> extensive vertical colonies in large, deep canyons,
> looking like giant spiders 
> on the cliff walls. 
> 
> For more on agaves, see if you can find the book
> Agaves, Yuccas, and Related 
> Plants, by Mary and Gary Irish. Also see the Yuccado
> Nursery website. 
> 
> Pam Peirce
> San Francisco, CA
> 


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