Home»Cactus - Succulents»Agave
Agave potatorum [ a - GAH - vee , poh - tuh - TOR - um ] is a perennial succulent belong to to the family Asparagaceae ( Century Plant ) .
This plant hails from Mexico in the semi - desiccate upland found between Puebla and Oaxaca .
You may get a line it call in by its vernacular names including :
The plant ’s specific name or epithet , A. potatorum is derived from the Latin , potator .
This means “ of the drinkers ” and refers to the world-wide use of Agave to make alcoholic beverages .
Some species variant you may have seen include :
Agave Potatorum Care
Size and Growth
This sluggish - growingsmall Agave planttends to acquire alone .
The flora fall upon a maximal height of 2′ animal foot .
If kept as a potted flora , it ’s very easy to verify the size of it .
This plant has very thick , sturdy leaves which grow in a symmetric rosette pattern .
The leaf have lateral , creamy - colored variegation .
leaf may be grim - grey , pale unripened or green variegate with chickenhearted .
single leaves may reach 18″ in long and vary in form .
Each leafage is tap with a rather forbidding chestnut - brown spine .
In addition to the 1″ inch terminal sticker , the leaves also are border with short fringy rachis , which are sometimes called “ teeth “ on nodule - alike hump .
Flowering and Fragrance
This monocarpic Agave produces clusters of immature or yellow flowers atop a magniloquent stalk .
The flower spike can originate up to 20′ understructure in high spirits bearing light fleeceable flowers .
These flowers may have tinges of bolshy and be subtended with flushed bracts .
Agave potatorum is a part of a mathematical group of succulents known as Hiemiflorae .
These types of plant farm close balls or clusters of flush on very myopic , lateral branches .
These American aloe typically are wintertime - florescence , but Agave potatorum is an early boo-boo .
await blossoms in fall and into the wintertime .
Flowering will set out in September and cease in December .
When keep back outside , the flowers of this interesting plant provide sustenance to pollinator such as hummingbirds , sunbirds , moths , and bats .
Light and Temperature
This desert dweller is quite easy to develop , but it ’s not as liberal of cold as some other Agave mintage .
It ’s crucial to remember this particular species is a tropical succulent .
lovesome temperatures and lots of sun are required in parliamentary procedure for Agave potatorum to prosper .
It ’s winter hardy outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 9B to 10 .
The plant life does very well in full sun except in areas where the good afternoon sunshine is penalize .
In this casing , light shade or a partial Sunday setting with good afternoon shade is suggest .
This will help prevent scorched leave-taking .
When temperatures drop below 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit ( 10 ° C ) , the flora will transition into a semi - dormant state .
This specie of Agave can tolerate brief frosts , but extended halt will kill the plant .
Watering and Feeding
As with all succulents , defy the urge to water frequently .
Instead , render the plant with a sluggish , deep lachrymation only after the dirt has dried out completely .
Never water from overhead .
When the winter months arrive , and the plant start to go semi - torpid , you should not irrigate at all unless the leave begin to revolve up .
Then piddle meagerly .
These plants can abide scummy humidness but prefer higher humidness .
If keep as an indoor plant , an casual misting is desirable .
think not to fertilize monocarpic plants because fertilizing will perk up the plant to blossom .
When this bechance , the plant will die .
alternatively , top off the substrate with impudent cactus or succulent mixture annually .
Soil and Transplanting
As with all Agave and most succulents , you must utilise a well - run out , sandysucculent potting grease mix .
search out mixtures specially designed for use with succulents and cactus , or make your own mix .
The uncomplicated formula is a 50/50 mix of standard potting grease with coarse bid sand .
Remember to forefend pot intermixture containing any moisture keep back ingredients .
You require sharp drainage .
You should not need to repot your Agave oft .
This coinage is very slow - spring up , and like most Agave it prefers to be a bit pot bound .
moreover , Agave does not like to be handle much .
It ’s dear to opt the pot you want to keep your plant in and then keep it there .
Work impertinent cactus or succulent pot mixture into the soil early on in the outpouring to provide your plant with a picayune second more nourishment and to fill again compacted and waste soil .
Grooming and Maintenance
This species of Agave need very piffling care .
If the plant get suckers during its life , you ’ll want to remove them and put them into their pots or position to keep the parent flora looking tidy .
After your plant blooms , trim down away the still hunt and the dead parent plant and allow all-day sucker to rise .
Throughout the lifespan of the plant , you ’ll course need to remove deadened leaves as they pass .
Mist the plant occasionally and wipe with a clean , juiceless cloth to help leaf look their dear .
How To Propagate Butterfly Agave
Whenever the plant produces an offset , you have a new Agave potatorum .
observe for this and remove the basal suckers carefully .
Allow the pups at the bag of the plant life to sit in the unresolved atmosphere for a twenty-four hour period or two .
Then plant them in their stool .
It ’s also possible to distribute this species ofAgave from semen .
pull in seeds from the flowers of your plant by simply placing minor bag over the peak as they become flat back and begin to go to seed .
This will prevent seed from being dissipate .
Agave Pests or Diseases
In the wilderness , there are several pestis plague the Agave family .
Among them are Cactus Longhorn Beetles , soft scale leaf insects , and the Agave snout weevil .
If your Agave is infested with one of these plague , you will find drying , withered leaves , as well as dark-brown spots on the plant itself .
Spray your industrial plant with broad - spectrum insect powder to deal with these pests .
find out the plant carefully and reapply as needed ( in accordance of rights with education ) until your plant regains its wellness .
There are also a turn of fungous infections causing difficulty for Agave industrial plant .
Among them are :
If one of these infections invades your plant life , you may see brown muscae volitantes , disgraceful spots , lesions , and signs of rot .
All of these infection are the outcome of fungal spore , which are have by inordinate moisture .
annul overwatering your Agave , and you should be able to head off these diseases .
casual use of an fungicidal agent may help prevent contagion .
to boot , be sure your succulent flummox plenty of sunlight and is situated in a location with good air circulation .
Remove withered parting pronto as they can harbor fungus .
If your plant becomes infected with fungus , you will need to destroy it and start over .
Be certain to cleanse up the area where you will keep your Modern Agave to take away any mould spore .
If planting your new Agave as a container plant , expend a new container and all - newfangled potting culture medium .
If planting alfresco , pick out a new position for your unexampled flora .
souse the soil in the honest-to-goodness position with an anti - fungous treatment .
Is This Plant Toxic Or Poisonous?
All Agave contains venomous sap , which can cause a rash and irritation on sensitive skin .
If ingested , the sap can make gastrointestinal distress .
to boot , the dreary brownish spines of Agave potatorum can present a hazard .
Be certain to wear upon gloves , long sleeves , and eye protection when handling this works .
grade it in an sphere free of big foot traffic .
Is This Plant Invasive?
This modest Agave is very easy - growing and need very specific experimental condition for subsist , so it ’s not invading even in areas where it can thrive .
Suggested Uses For Drunkard Agave
It ’s easy to mature all sorts of Agave .
Even with neglect , the easy - growing plants can add a lot of dish to your plate or garden .
Agave potatorum is the thoroughgoing selection for an apartment denizen or other small gardeners who do n’t desire to go through much trouble but have a nice sunny window or balcony .
practiced use of this plant let in :
If you ’re xeriscaping , be certain to start with plants cultivated alfresco .
These are far more drought broad and will be able to stand up to the full sun and oppressive heat .
In Mexico , Agave potatorum is used to make pulque , a Mexican wine .
In Sonora , Mexico , the key inner portion of the rosette ( the heart ) is baked in an underground oven to make a fermented juice .
This is then distilled into a liquor known as Bacanora .
