Agave vilmoriniana
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Agave vilmoriniana has interesting narrow recurved leaves which give the plant the appearance of a giant octopus. Agave vilmoriniana has few teeth and soft terminal spines making it more friendly in garden plantings than many agaves. It tends to remain solitary as well and has a tropical look and color for an agave.
Agave vilmoriniana does well in succulent and cactus gardens. It provides an appealing contrast to grasses in xeriscape plantings, and it is also flourishes in large containers.
Agave vilmoriniana is very tolerant of alkaline soils. After about 5-10 years, Agave vilmoriniana blooms with an unbranched flower spike covered in yellow flowers. The blooms are very attractive to nectar-loving birds. Individual rosettes die after flowering.
Agave vilmoriniana has one of the highest concentrations of smilagenen, a sapogenin, so that in Mexico the fibers of the leaves are made into a brush that contains its own soap.
It has been noted by many gardeners that villmoriniana appears to be resistant to weevils possibly due to sapogenins. Villmoriniana is very forgiving with its unarmed leaves. Its easy to chop up and renmove. Once flowering let it go through its process and it will produce hundreds of small bulbils that you can use to repopulate your garden with Octopi.
Horticultural Data
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Names and Synonyms: Agave edwardii, Agave houghii, Agave mayoensis, Agave eduardi
Common Names: Octopus Agave
Family: Agavaceae
Origin: Hanging out on cliff sides between 2,000 and 5,500 feet in the Mexican states of Sonora, Durango, Jalisco and Aquascalientes.
Size Label: 1 Gallon
Height: 3-4′
Width: 4-6′
Cold Tolerance: 20 to 25°F, -6.7 to -3.9°C
Heat Tolerance: Very high heat tolerance.
Light Requirement: Full sun to partial shade inland.
Water needs: Very drought tolerant.
Maintenance: None
Uses: This plant is beautiful in succulent and cactus gardens. Excellent contrasting with grasses in xeriscape plantings. Also a nice plant for large containers. This plant is very tolerant of alkaline soils.
Propagation: The flower spike produces many bubils or pups which can be removed and replanted as seed is difficult to germinate. Replant rare base offsets as well.
Problems: Root rot in poor draining soils. Needs good drainage.
Research Links:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/57135/
https://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/aridplants/Agave_vilmoriniana.html
http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=87
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Agavaceae/Agave_vilmoriana.html
Shipping & Availability
Description | Horticultural Data | Shipping & Availability | Top
There is a minimum purchase of any 4 plants for online orders. All plants shipped bare root. Other sizes may be available for pick up from our growing grounds in Fallbrook, CA. For more information, give us a call at 760-990-4762.
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