 |
Agave palmeri
|
| Plant Sciences Center of Sierra Vista, Arizona |
|
PLANT PROFILE & SALVAGING
INFORMATION |
|
Agave palmeri – Palmer’s Agave
Family: Agavaceae
Other common names: Century Plant; Maguey
Type: accent plant; succulent; evergreen
Salvaged from locations: Hwy 90; Ft. Huachuca
Salvage method: bare root
Size: 2 ft H x 2 ft W
Water Usage: rainfall
Hardiness: 5 degrees F
Exposure: full sun, filtered shade
Flower color: yellow
Flower season: after 5+ years of growth, plant blooms once (summer) then
dies after blooming
Wildlife value: nectar, browse; bats, insects, hummingbirds, butterflies,
bees, orioles, deer, packrats, javelina
|
Agaves produce offsets or "pups"
at the base of the plant
Did you know? Two
species of bats – the Lesser long Nose Bat
& Mexican
Long Tongued Bat – rely on the agave nectar sources on their
migration route from Mexico to the Sonoran Desert
|
|
|
Palmer's Agave Fun Facts!
- is the largest native agave to the United States
- leaves used for fiber for hunting nets,
baskets, rope and sandals
- lifespan is anywhere from 5-25 years - not 100 years as the nickname "Century
Plant" implies; flowers during its last year, produces pups for propagation
- flower stalk can be up to 18 feet high, stalks can grow up to 1 ft per day
- easily grown by pups or seeds
- sharp spines contain steroid compounds, could cause localized swelling and discomfort
- there is danger of Palmer's Agave being over collected for the bootleg mescal industry in
Northern Mexico and reduced populations in S.E. Arizona due to development
- mescal is Spanish for Agave - mescal pits date back at least 8,000 years
- a waxy coating with a powdery surface seals the leaf against evaporation and also
reflects up to 75% of the incoming heat
- practice CAM photosynthesis
- plant depends on bats for cross pollination
- flowers smell like rotting meat (an attractive scent to bats), grow on tall stalks and
secrete nectar peaking between 8 and 10 pm when bats are the most active
- nectar is high in proteins and sugars that most bats need for fuel
- have a shallow but extensive root system which harvests moisture from rain, dew and
condensation
- the waxy coating of the leaves helps to roll the moisture down the leaves to the roots
|
|
The following are notes by the Plant Sciences Center
Horticultural Technician on the salvage, care, and planting for Agave palmeri –
Palmer’s Agave.
|
|
Salvage Method:
- bare root
- salvageable size is a five/seven gallon plant or smaller; salvaging
large agaves seems to trigger a response to start blooming rendering plant
unusable (it
may produce pups in the nursery)
- when salvaging mark south side, at the nursery or planting site
orient and plant south side facing south to prevent sunburn
|
Agave palmeri bare root |
|
Temporary Holding Method:
- roots were trimmed to approximately 6
inches and either sulfured and planted or laid out under shade for a week to callus over
cuts then planted into pots or holding beds
- pups were planted into holding beds under 30% shade cloth to mimic
the conditions of being shaded by the mother plant
- holding beds and potting soil consisted of 10% native soil; 45% washed sand; 45% compost
- all other agaves were planted into direct sun
Pests & Diseases:
- myriad bugs found on agaves (never on
any pups - fist size or smaller) sprayed affected plants with a soapy water solution to
kill bugs
- upon cleaning and trimming agaves brown tips/dead leaves usually
indicated borer damage, found termites and ants in these agaves
- found Black Widow Spiders and egg sacs in many agaves.
According to Desert Plants, Vol. 7, Number 2, 1985, states that field grown
evaluation trials of agaves in Arizona showed that complete biological control of the
agave weevil was achieved by Black Widow Spiders
Watering Schedule:
- pups and potted agaves watered 1x
week, all others in holding beds received no irrigation except rainfall
- Agaves in holding beds received one deep soaking in June 99 due to
the unseasonably dry winter
|
Agave palmeri in Plant Sciences Center
holding bed waiting for a new home
|
Misc. Notes:
- Agaves should be held in holding beds
for only a short period of time (no more than 6 months) as they will root beyond the beds
into the ground below
Suggest agaves be directly planted into pots if being held for extended periods of time
|
|
| |
[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Agave palmeri ] [ Agave schottii ] [ Barrel Cactus ] [ Bisbee Beehive ] [ Desert Spoon ] |