Hardy Tropicals UK

I bought this agave in December, and since then it has produced a couple of new leaves. Is it normal that the older, lower leaves gradually dry up and die? The plant gets watered around every two weeks when the sand/grit/cactus mix has completely dried.

Thanks, Paul

ive got an even smaller one than that
maybe its lack of water (succulents need water too)

Looks fine to me. All plants lose their oldest leaves in time.

Thanks Kris, think I've just noticed the leaves dying on the smaller plant more, as I also have a much larger A.Salmiana and A.Montana, but dont seem to lose as many leaves....perhaps because they are more mature plants?

Perhaps. Also many plants look at their worst just at the end of winter. They grow much faster if watered well in the warmest, summer months.

Mine has been overwintered at a relatives house in a cold conservatory. I last went in early Jan to check on it. It was standing in an inch of water!!

I have told them NOT to water it again until April.

I'm hoping it's not rotted away.

Mine will be planted out in my arid bed, with the other two sometime in April. I'm going to take Paul Spracklin's advice and plant them into pure gravel...havent decided what size of gravel will cause the least compaction yet though!!

Kris, seeing your agave on your overwintering video made me want to get exactly the same one!! I was blown away by it....hope yours pulls through ok.

Mediopicta is only half hardy and very unlikely to survive much under 0 degrees for duration of a UK winter. Agave americana variegata has a better chance with winter protection.

I think your Medio Picta need watering more frequently Paul maybe because it's in a warm room. Try stepping up the watering to once a week or keeping it somewhere cooler. It's a myth that agaves should be treated like cacti and given no water between October & April. Even plants in a cold frame with no extra heat can show signs of stress through underwatering; the leaves can start to curl and some turn red in places.

My future permanent outdoor plantings will have temporary structures over them in winter. I've killed quite a few A. americana in previous winters but was surprised at how quickly my agave filifera succumbed this winter. The only one I've got surviving with no protection is a still quite small (but probably quite a few years old) A. utahensis. My small plants of A. parryi, montana & filifera have survived without damage for the last two winters in coldframes.

JoelR wrote:I think your Medio Picta need watering more frequently Paul maybe because it's in a warm room. Try stepping up the watering to once a week or keeping it somewhere cooler. It's a myth that agaves should be treated like cacti and given no water between October & April. Even plants in a cold frame with no extra heat can show signs of stress through underwatering; the leaves can start to curl and some turn red in places.

My future permanent outdoor plantings will have temporary structures over them in winter. I've killed quite a few A. americana in previous winters but was surprised at how quickly my agave filifera succumbed this winter. The only one I've got surviving with no protection is a still quite small (but probably quite a few years old) A. utahensis. My small plants of A. parryi, montana & filifera have survived without damage for the last two winters in coldframes.

you have just answerd my question.......I have been treting mine like cacti....

The Codfather wrote:

JoelR wrote:I think your Medio Picta need watering more frequently Paul maybe because it's in a warm room. Try stepping up the watering to once a week or keeping it somewhere cooler. It's a myth that agaves should be treated like cacti and given no water between October & April. Even plants in a cold frame with no extra heat can show signs of stress through underwatering; the leaves can start to curl and some turn red in places.

My future permanent outdoor plantings will have temporary structures over them in winter. I've killed quite a few A. americana in previous winters but was surprised at how quickly my agave filifera succumbed this winter. The only one I've got surviving with no protection is a still quite small (but probably quite a few years old) A. utahensis. My small plants of A. parryi, montana & filifera have survived without damage for the last two winters in coldframes.

you have just answerd my question.......I have been treting mine like cacti....

But having said that as long as they are cool and not growing, a watering or two all winter might be enough.

i find medio picta alba to be lot tougher than given credit for.having said that,they are much more tender when small. we have a big one outside which had a rain shelter only and it survived the -9's no probs. the drier you keep them,the tougher they are in most cases of agave. montana seems to be the most wet tolerant here.

Paul,in the case of yours,was it a recently removed pup or a well rooted plant??

I think temperature minimums are misleading where these north american plants are concerned. I had seedling agaves come through -13.5 last winter including filifera & lophantha BUT they were boxed in a cold frame. Left to the elements this winter, A. filifera turned to mush after a couple of -8C's and a few days with ice lying in the crown. I had previously read Agave filifera is hardy to -9C and lophantha to -12C so I was pleasantly surprised with cold hardiness when kept dry but add water and ice to those temps and it's a different story.

I agree with planting in pure gravel Paul and deep gravel at that. Try to go for species with proven cold hardiness and avoid variegates for permanent outdoor planting. A. salmiana & montana are good choices. Do you plan to build something around them for winter protection?

Kris, I will overwinter the mediopicta in the house, but the montana and salmiana will be kept out but under cover. They are both about 20cms diameter, so should be more resilient to frost.

Joel - very jealous that you have A. utahensis....they are fantastic. Been looking at some excellent photos on the Xeric World forum....its on my wishlist!!

Red Squirrel - I bought it off Ebay, and it came with a decent root system, but was unpotted. Within a few days of potting up it really took well. The main thing is that is has grown a fair bit, I just wasnt sure if it was normal to lose the older lower leaves as it grows. Will try watering a bit more often, especially as its sat in a southfacing window and we are having a spell of sunny, mild weather.

Cheers, Paul

paulrm71 wrote:Joel - very jealous that you have A. utahensis....they are fantastic. Been looking at some excellent photos on the Xeric World forum....its on my wishlist!!

There are mixed results with utahensis. For hardiness, -20C or colder but they come from very low rainfall areas. Another one is toumeyana. Stays small, very cold hardy but very dry climate. Only 14 years from seed to flower.

redsquirrel wrote:i find medio picta alba to be lot tougher than given credit for.having said that,they are much more tender when small. we have a big one outside which had a rain shelter only and it survived the -9's no probs. the drier you keep them,the tougher they are in most cases of agave. montana seems to be the most wet tolerant here.

Paul,in the case of yours,was it a recently removed pup or a well rooted plant??

Thats sounds very encouraging. I guess only the very occasional dip down to these low temps then when dry?