PUSHING THE BORDERS

I guess it is no surprise that more and more agave hybrids are coming on the market, some are "stable" named forms, others one off crosses produced by growers around the world as their plants come into flower. Recently I have noticed that a almost 50% of the agaves I buy are hybrids (the other 50% being variegates). I know there are not a huge number of agave fans here, but who knows someone maybe enjoy some pictures


selection-of-agave-hybrids-aug13

My first, as with many people was x nigra (or 'Sharkskin' as they call it in the states).


agave-nigra-02-aug13

Next up was A. 'Blue Glow'. (thought to be A. ocahui x attenuata)


agave-blue-glow-05-aug13

A. 'Red Margin' (A. attenuata x shawii) is a sort of poor cousin to the 'Blue Glow'


agave-red-margin-03-aug13

Another common on is A. 'Royal Spine' (A. macroacantha x victoriae-reginae)


agave-royal-spine-02-aug13

Then last of the official ones so to speak was the A. Mateo (suspected to be A. bracteosa x lophantha)


agave-mateo-02-aug13

Then the fun started with new plants randomly found around the place or from seeds a friend had been sent.

A. macroacantha x applanata has amazing colour to it


agave-macroacantha-x-applanata-03-aug13

A. isthemensis x colimana


agave-isthemensis-x-colimana-02-aug13

One of my favourites is A. filifera x isthmensis


agave-filifera-x-isthmensis-06-aug13

One that has really come into its own this summer and is going to be a great in a couple of years A. victoria reginae x polyacantha var xalapensis


agave-victoria-reginae-x-agave-polyacantha-var-xalapensis-05-aug13

Then you get in the hybrids with manfredas giving mangaves, These can bee good as they tend to select the spotted manfredas.

The most common being what is usually called 'Bloodspot' (suspected to be an A. macroacantha hybrid x M. maculosa)


mangave-bloodspot-03-aug13

Of course with manfredas flowering every year there are more and more of these, one of my favourites at the moment is M. maculosa x A. polyacantha var xalapensis


manfreda-maculosa-x-agave-polyacantha-var-xalapensis-05-aug13

I am guessing more and more of these will make appearances in the future. So anyone else growing any?

Chrisg wrote:

Then last of the official ones so to speak was the A. Mateo (suspected to be A. bracteosa x lophantha)



agave-mateo-02-aug13

That looks really interesting!

Chrisg wrote: Then the fun started with new plants randomly found around the place or from seeds a friend had been sent.

A. macroacantha x applanata has amazing colour to it


agave-macroacantha-x-applanata-03-aug13

Another nice one, and suitably "spikey" too!

Chrisg wrote: Then you get in the hybrids with manfredas giving mangaves, These can bee good as they tend to select the spotted manfredas.

The most common being what is usually called 'Bloodspot' (suspected to be an A. macroacantha hybrid x M. maculosa)


mangave-bloodspot-03-aug13

That is now on my list - really nice!

Chrisg wrote: Of course with manfredas flowering every year

Do they! Mine has just grown and made lots of new crowns/fans (what is the correct term?)!

My only Agave is A.americana (maybe - they're just small ones at the moment). But the list of other succulents is growing and I find myself getting sucked in to this strange world more and more.

Some lovely plants Chris. I am going to have to keep an eye out for some of those hybrid Agave. I grow a couple of Manfreda but I haven't got as far as x Mangave yet.
You may be spiky, but you are not alone! (My Agave house is now officially full, nothing new allowed in, nothing allowed to grow any more - not going to happen is it).

LongK: Good taste, the bloodspot is fairly easy to find, so that one should be possible, mateo is available from a few mail order places in the Uk as well. The macroacantha hybrid is a little more tricky, I had never seen this before or since. It does offset though so if it produces any more I'll let you know. In terms of hybrids and as I always try to encourage people to grow agaves, nigra or sharkskin as you may find it will be hardy for you (but needs to be over 15cm really). Mine doesn't get any protection at all now.

John. you should be able to find some good ones around you, some of the best tend to come from seeds and with all the agave gardens around you. Do you still have your aquatic agaves :lol: (when we visited a few years back all your agaves were in tubs full of water)

I like them a lot, I would like you grow dozens Chris if it were not for the inconvenience of having to use my greenhouse and tunnels to grow climbers! I did try a climbing aloe, but although it has survived 3 years outside its a miserable looking thing, not at all the vision I had when I bought it :) , for me, to work they have to be perfect like yours or the effect is spoilt

charlie wrote:I like them a lot, I would like you grow dozens Chris if it were not for the inconvenience of having to use my greenhouse and tunnels to grow climbers! I did try a climbing aloe, but although it has survived 3 years outside its a miserable looking thing, not at all the vision I had when I bought it :) , for me, to work they have to be perfect like yours or the effect is spoilt

Just chuck out all the climbers charlie, start on a new national collection, just think how much you can save on watering :lol: I do agree, though, especially being so slow, if something spoils one of my plants, a snail or a bit of frost damage I am gutted and it can takes years to grow out. Paul was gutted one year to have moved a lot of his pristine plants outside for summer only for a massive hail storm to put holes all over the leaves.