Is this really an Agave americana?

[dk]

Just a follow up on my inital post, I still haven't figured out what species these seedlings are...

They've definitely grown more stocky in the meantime, but the leaves don't have that fleshy characteristic you'd expect from agaves. And the color is off.

They resemble some kind of Yucca more than agaves... Any thoughts?

[Melissa]

They look more like a Furcraea of some kind.

Melissa

[dk]

You could be right Melissa, thanks!

The google image search had some interesting images resembling my seedlings. It's probably too early to tell for certain, and I'm not familiar with the species yet so I'll just have to grow them on for a while and compare when they get bigger...

[dk]

Ok, another three months on and its taken on a totally new persona. It now resembles an agave somewhat, but definitely not an Agave Americana.

It has distinctive and sharp teethes running along the leaf margins, just like some yuccas do. But they still have that swollen base I was talking about....

Anyone think they can identify it yet?

[DiCasS]

Colour is starting to come to the leaves in that last shot.

Guess Beschorneria yuccoides, quicksilver perhaps, or as Melissa said, Furcraea maybe.

Edit: Probably wrong DK, no spines on Beschorneria.

Di

[dk]

Di, do B. yuccoides have a swollen base? I can't tell by the pictures of it I'm finding...

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Di, do B. yuccoides have a swollen base? I can't tell by the pictures of it I'm finding...

I have about 20 plus of these, some of which are 5 / 6 yrs old and none have a swollen base

[dk]

So we can pretty much rule out B. yuccoides then.

Just for the record, the leaves are very leathery resembling Yucca guatemalensis and possibly other yuccas, but do seem to curl slightly...

[DiCasS]

Just checked on a small Fucraea Longaeva(sp?) I have here, and no swollen base on that one either.

Di

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

dk,
here's some young Furcraea seedlings, hope it helps
Rgds
Mark

[redsquirrel]

fair shout Mark,first time ive seen those,look faster than trying to root the bulbils too

[dk]

Di, I did an image search for F. longaeva and came across this (zoom in on the pictures). I'm not sure about you guys, but I certainly see a lot of resemblance to my plants, the color and the general shape... even what looks like a swollen base....!?!?

[Essex Ross]

Now they've grown a little bit, it might be worth posting some photos on the British Cactus and Succulent Society forum.

Not trying to say that members on this forum can't identify them (I have every faith in them, I can assure you of that), its just it might be useful to get a few more opinions to be 100% sure, as they do seem to resemble various similar looking plants.

http://www.bcss.org.uk/foruma/ Check the link out.

[DiCasS]

Not trying to say that members on this forum can't identify them

But Ross, we can't

Okay, here's a pic of a tiny one I have here, no swollen base yet but does look bulbous like the link when it gets larger. I've not done these from seed so don't know what they look like first germinated. But what foxed me is the leaves, on this particular Furcraea the leaves are rough and if you hold the plant up to the light can see very, very tiny teeth on the leaf margins, but not sharp, just rough to the touch.

What do you think?

Di

[DiCasS]

Arlon, I like the look of those, what sort are they?

Di