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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Agavaceae (now Asparagaceae) |
| Origin: Mexico (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Red |
| Bloomtime: Infrequent |
| Height: 1-3 feet |
| Width: 2-4 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 10-15° F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Agave potrerana (Red flowering Agave) - A medium-sized plant that forms a solitary rosette to 2 to 4 feet wide with neatly arranged blue-green stiff leaves that have brown teeth and spines. It is a sculptural foliage plant but the truly beautiful aspect of this plant happens when it blooms, which seems to take it about a quarter century. The flowers have bright pink tepals, vivid red filaments and yellow anthers and are arranged like a long bottlebrush near the top of a 20' tall stalk - a stunning combination! Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and water only occasionally to very little. It should prove to be very hardy, tolerating temperatures to 10-15°F or less - the parent plant was undamaged in Walnut Creek in 1990 at 19° F and Tony Avent notes that this plant went "through 9 degrees F so far" in trials of this species in his North Carolina garden. Our plants are from seed supplied to us in 2009 by Brian Kemble of the Ruth Bancroft Garden from a 29 year old plant that bloomed in 2007. This plant was received by the Ruth Bancroft Garden from a 1982 offering of the International Succulent Institute (ISI 1310) and originated from seed sowed in 1978 at the Desert Botanic Garden. The Ruth Bancroft Garden also had a previous flowering of this species in 2003 on a plant that was 25 years old. The natural range of Agave potrerana is in north-central Mexico centered around Chihuahua where it is found in grassland and oak pine forest from 5,000 to 8,000 feet and can be found as far north as across the Texas border in Coahuila. Picture courtesy Brian Kemble.
This information about Agave potrerana displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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