Agaves

both plants when they were looking a little better.

 

Take your point about the alofolia Pete :rolleyes:

I've got a couple of y. gloriosa's and y. flaccida and they have been out doors for the last 5 years with no damage what so ever. y.alofolia is more prone to this problem than other yuccas I guess.

When I get my desert bed sorted out I'm going to be trying out some a.montana and a. chrysantha to start with and see how I get on. Both these varities grow high in the wet hill forests in Mexico and are used to rain and mist so I'm hoping that they will tolerate my warmer and wet conditions here without getting diseased.

Have you tried either of these Pete ?

 

Never come across them, if they come from damper areas I would guess they could be much more ideal for our climate.
I tend to know the problems I'm having are one of disease, but I think its a disease that could be eliminated by less humid growing conditions, but the odd spell of freezing fog is not uncommon in the UK, is it?
:rolleyes:

 

Email me your address and I'll post you some seed of each free to get you started.

Both are rare in cultivation but there's a guy called Paul Spraklin who's an authority on these and he grows them outside in his Essex garden no trouble. Check out his website http://www.oasisdesigns.co.uk/

Cheers,
Steve

 

Originally posted by Agaveman -

Good. You are now getting the spirit of G C. I was going to offer you some cycad seedlings earlier until you started on about 'cost-price' and 'postage'.

I think it doesn't work like that. (Not to me anyway)

Now you have made that offer, if you want a couple of cycads PM me. Probably a burrawang and a king sago. My queen sago is still rare in my collection so hang on. :D

 

I want a word with you John about your Burrawangs.
Looks suspiciously like my Dioon Spinulosum, I have a feeling one of us has been had, as they say. :D :confused:

 

Thanks John,

I didn't mean to offend.

I'll have plenty of agave seedlings going later in the year and would be keen for others to have a go and test out the hardiness and general tolerance to UK conditions. A.gentryi is another I have that is also a damp forest dweller so if anyone wants to try that one I'm sure I could offer some seed to try in a similar vein to my offer to Pete.

Thanks for the offer of the cycads. I've never tried any as they have a reputation for being very slow growing (I think) but it's got to be worth a go. I'll drop you my details tomorrow as I'm off out with SWMBO now.

Cheers
Steve

 

No Pete. They came direct from Australia. My first one has now put out it's first frond and is nothing like D. spin. Did I send you a spin? The seeds are nothing like either. I can send you another if you are worried, but not fronded.

I do resent 'one of us....' (And I'm not easily offended). Will post a piccie soon of the fronded one.

 

I've sent you a PM Steve.

 

John, no offence meant with the "One of us", it could be me, I have not really seen a full grown Dioon Spinulosum, so cannot say if my plant is true.
I'll post a pic when I can of my plant and yours, which now has a good looking frond, side by side and see what you think.
I'm not worried, and I'm not complaining, just courious as to what a burrawang looks like and what a spinulosum looks like.

What does puzzle me is how someone who grows agaves can say that he's not tried cycads as they have a reputation for being slow growing. :confused: :D :D

 

Actually isn't it great. We are talking (and arguing about) gardening again. Well most of us anyway. Must be (nearly) Spring.

 

The macrozamia (just being posh) seed is very big and is quite pointed at each end, that is it narrows off a lot. I could have sent you the wrong one but I will know immediately if you post a piccie of the seed, even one end. That is the trouble with drinking martini cocktail by the litre.

 

Nearly, another month I reckon. :D

 

I think macrozamia is much easier to say and write than BURRAWANGS. :D

 

Especially after a litre.....