Hardy Agaves

Post by **Jay-Admin** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 9:50 am

What type of Agaves are hardy in a zone 6 or lower? I know Agave parryi does well. What other types are worth a try?

Retgards,
Jay

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 8:53 pm

Give Agave Utahensis a try!

Post by **Jay-Admin** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 10:56 am

Thanks, Looks like a nice Agave.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 12:32 pm

Here is a pic of one of my Agave toumeyanas-2005.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 12:38 pm

Here is a pic of my Agave Macroculmis, I hope this pic is smaller

Post by **Jay-Admin** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:50 pm

Nice agaves. How old is the Macroculmis?

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:40 am

I planted it in the spring of 2003, it has gone through 2 winters now. It did much better this last winter then it did the first winter

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 8:03 pm

Here's a Whales tounge Agave from Twin-Falls ID

Barrie · Post by **Barrie** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:00 pm

Very impressive Aaron ... Agave neomexicana is a tough customer.

Post by **Jay-Admin** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:39 pm

Very nice Aaron!

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:50 pm

Barrie wrote:Very impressive Aaron ... Agave neomexicana is a tough customer.

Hi Barrie
It is Agave ovatifolia and so far seems to be hardy in zone 6 if kept dry.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:53 pm

Jay-Admin wrote:Very nice Aaron!

Hi Jay.
I would love to buy a few and try them out one day.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 5:36 pm

A.neomexicana,A.havardiana

Josef · Post by **Josef** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:38 am

Hi Aaron ?
You have experience with ovatifolia ??It is very nice agave or I think not very hardy /as montana ?/
Here is rain and first snow

Jay here my neomexicana and havardiana.Also parryi,parryi cousei and all utahensis sp. is very hardy.
I lost parryi huachucensis,montana,parrasana last winter/-17C/
Regards
Josef

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:59 pm

Josef wrote:Hi Aaron ?
You have experience with ovatifolia ??It is very nice agave or I think not very hardy /as montana ?/

Regards
Josef

I have not, but my freind just south of me has had good luck with the ones in the pic. They must be kept dry in winter, I think he covers them with plastic in winter.

Josef · Post by **Josef** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 1:18 am

Hi Aaron
Thanks for reply.What is his low temp ?
Regards
Josef

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 12:43 pm

Josef wrote:Hi Aaron
Thanks for reply.What is his low temp ?
Regards
Josef

Last year Twin-Falls Idaho had a low of about -18C. He has had them for a few years now and keeps a sheet of plastic over them. They have done better than havardiana in his garden.

Josef · Post by **Josef** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 11:38 pm

Hello Aaron
Interesting observation,thank youvery much.
Regards
Josef

Post by **Jay-Admin** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 9:15 pm

DesertZone wrote:
Jay-Admin wrote:Very nice Aaron!
Hi Jay.
I would love to buy a few and try them out one day.

That would be cool.

I want to try some agaves this summer.

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 7:14 am

Jay-Admin wrote: That would be cool. I want to try some agaves this summer.

I think I still have some seed from the hardiest Agave, A. utahensis ssp. kaibabensis, c. 8000' North Rim of the Grand Canyon (you know, the one that is closed from November to April due to snow), if you want a few seeds. I have a bunch of first year seedlings planted out this winter. Going to try them with/without rain cover to see if they are tough enough for the wet East!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:20 am

Paul,will they be big enough?

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:06 am

That's a good question. I know that they wouldn't be happy spending the year inside... They are between .5" and 2" across right now. Hopefully some (hardier) will survive and give dependable zone 4/5 plants!

From my limited experience I don't think that the size of the Agave is that important. If it's going to be hardy long term, it's going to be hardy when small. I hope.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:20 pm

Yea,that would be good.
I planted my cold hardy cactus order in December(that's when the order came) as I did not want them to be in a warm house when they should be outside/cold,I watered them once when I planted them,that was it until spring.One of them A.neomexicana was probably 4" across,come to think of it.

B.T.W.They were in the cactus enclosure-

Post by **Jay-Admin** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 3:56 pm

Paul Ont wrote:
Jay-Admin wrote: That would be cool. I want to try some agaves this summer.
I think I still have some seed from the hardiest Agave, A. utahensis ssp. kaibabensis, c. 8000' North Rim of the Grand Canyon (you know, the one that is closed from November to April due to snow), if you want a few seeds. I have a bunch of first year seedlings planted out this winter. Going to try them with/without rain cover to see if they are tough enough for the wet East!

Yeah for sure. Sounds good Paul.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:34 pm

Agave roaming free
http://unkowndestination.blogspot.com/2 ... -just.html

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Feb 24, 2013 8:46 pm

Wonderful that it's uncovered.
Looks unscathed!

I'd be out there sucking the snow out of the leaves with a shop vac.

Well done, Aaron.

marceli · Post by **marceli** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:34 am

Love them! One day I'm gonna plant my own agaves. Cold might not be a problem, but winter moisture for sure

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:50 am

Which one is that Jay, your Paryii?

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:08 am

I'm sorry I should have made it more clear, the agave were covered over the winter with plastic and no heat. I uncovered them a week or two ago.

Still very hardy, and they have made it through winters in the past uncovered.

cuja1 · Post by **cuja1** » Tue Feb 26, 2013 10:25 pm

Looks great! What kind of plastic did you use Aaron? Did you have to do anything to keep the agave from poking through the plastic?

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:33 am

cuja1 wrote:Looks great! What kind of plastic did you use Aaron? Did you have to do anything to keep the agave from poking through the plastic?

I just use window plastic (the cheap stuff). I put 3-4 wood stakes around the plant like a typee and staple the plastic on to the wood.

Something like this.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:35 am

If the leaves poke through a bit it should be ok, they need vents in the plastic.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 11:53 am

Well...I knew this would not live through a winter here, but lasted longer than before. Don't worry it always send up pups.

Corved, no heat.
A. americana protoamericana.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:54 pm

Good that you'll get the pups.