“Some mornings it just doesn’t seem worth it to gnaw through the leather straps.” – Emo Philips
“Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile I caught hell for.” – Earl Warren
PAUL’S PLANT PICK
December 2009
Archive Paul's Plant Pick
Agave
Okay, so maybe it’s a tad weird to feature the Agave plant in the middle of December. After all, Agaves are generally considered to be tropical or subtropical plants. But I have my reasons. For one, this is a time of year when spirits flow more than usual, and the blue Agave is the source of one of my favorite spirits, namely tequila. (I prefer to sip it, not shoot it.)
But just as important is the fact that there are actually a few cold-hardy Agaves – four, to be exact.
Agave neomexicana has always been one of my favorites. It can get fairly large, although it grows slowly and tends to form clusters. Agave utahensis is a semi-dwarf form. One of its varieties, Agave utahensis v. kaibabensis is a miniature, as is Agave toumeyana v. bella.
And just how hardy are these Agaves? Well believe it or not, they can handle winter in Zone 5. I grow mine in containers, but they do well in the ground provided the soil drains well. Beyond that, they practically thrive on neglect.
Chances are you won’t find these beauties at your local nursery unless you live in the far southern areas of the country, in which case you’ll probably prefer to grow the less hardy but potentially much larger species of Agave. However, you can get them online, and one of the best sources (coincidentally) happens to be one of this website’s sponsors, namely High Country Gardens. Check them out at www.highcountrygardens.com.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go have a sip…and a cigar.
