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mmgracetigger

ID and care help-Thin leaf agave-like

mmgracetigger
11 years ago

Hi,
I got this plant from my friend last May (pleae see picture) and was told this is a rare type of succulent and only gets 1 pup per year. It hasn't been doing well at all as you can see in the picture, and I couldn't ID it for plant care. It was originally kept in ground underneath a back yard canopy, so I had been putting it under the shade since I got it. Is didnt seem happy, so I tried to move it out of the shade, but no improvement at all...

Please help me ID this and help me with some instruction of how I should take care of this poor plant.

Thank you very much!!

Comments (19)

  • lzrddr
    11 years ago

    photos are a bit small, but looks like an Agave alright... Agave attenuata (foxtail Agave).

  • mmgracetigger
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Picture in May 2012

  • mmgracetigger
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hi, thank you for the reply!
    It does look like a Agave Attenuata, but the mother plant doesn't grow taller but grows side way...
    What is the best way to take care of it? The leaves look narrow and dry now... :(

  • mmgracetigger
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    After I did some research of Agave Attenuata online, I think this is more like a Agave Desmettiana.

  • teengardener1888
    11 years ago

    It is a very vigorous jade

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    11 years ago

    Not a Jade....definitely not. It is a tropical Agave. I think (and I say think) that it is an Ag. attenuata. They have a tendency to grow sidewards when larger.

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    11 years ago

    Did you catch this thread? It might be aa good one for you if you didn't

    Here is a link that might be useful: Repotting a foxtail

  • hoovb zone 9 sunset 23
    11 years ago

    Could be A. ellemetiana, which is a bit uncommon, or possibly a Beschorneria or Manfreda. Leaf seems very narrow for attenuata, which is not at all rare in southern California. Are you trying to grow that in the house? Depending on how far inland you are, some morning sun followed by afternoon shade would help it. Closer to the coast, more sun.

    Agaves pup or don't pup depending on age, placement, climate, they don't have a set number of pups per year. Some offset only when young, some only before they are about to bloom, some never at all, some offset so much as to be a weed.

  • mmgracetigger
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    To wantonamara:
    I just read the post, but, I've already got it repotted a year ago.

    To hoovb:
    It looks like the Manfreda but with no spots on it. I'm trying to have my friend take a picture of the mother plant, and will post it when I got it.

    Something I didn't mentioned.

    I live in So Cal, about 30 miles from the coast (LA county).
    I got the baby plant in May 2012, kept the plant in shade, outdoor, only watered it when the plant looked dry. It didn't seem doing well, so I re-potted it in March 2013.

    The original plan for re-potting was just add some perlite at the bottom of the pot to prevent root rot. But then I found out the roots were growing around and around inside the pot, so I decided to switch to an even larger pot 6.5"-dia about 1 gal pot(see in this picture).

    After that, I tried to move it under the sun, but it didn't work. And then I'm here...

    From reading the plant care for all the Agave family, some says water it but some don't, most of it says partial sun is fine. But I just don't see what went wrong that this plant just hasn't seem happy since I got it. Ahhhhh~

    But if this might be a A.D., A.A. or A.E, some website says it needs medium water when it's not established. Should I just try water it a lot more and see what's going on? Will I kill it?

  • mmgracetigger
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    More Picture~

  • ChasingCenturies (Arizona 9b)
    11 years ago

    Doesn't look familiar to me.

  • nil13
    11 years ago

    I had an A. attenuata pup that looked just like that.

    Why don't you ask your friend?

  • nil13
    11 years ago

    are those teeth I see on the sides?

  • mmgracetigger
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ok~ here is the picture of the mother plant. From this picturr, it looks like its an A.A. to me.
    Also, it was planted by the landspcaper so my friend doesn't know the name.

    It has some very fine teeth on the side.

  • ChasingCenturies (Arizona 9b)
    11 years ago

    Now that looks vaguely familiar, Agave 'Blue Flame', an hybrid that is especially common in SoCal.

  • nil13
    11 years ago

    when I finally noticed those teeth I thought, "I think I have a plant with teeth like that." I concur with the German, Blue Flame.

  • nil13
    11 years ago

    That's a good friend you have there. I don't like any of my friends that much to part with a Blue Flame pup. lol

  • mmgracetigger
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    OMG, thank you, GermanStar!! I think it is the Blue Flame!!

    Now, I think, I'll try water it regularly and see if I can bring it to life ^_^

    Thank you everyon for the help! I'll post some more pictures in a couple of months~

  • mmgracetigger
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I've been giving it more water then before but kept it at the same place; it seems happy now :) Just wanna to follow up and let you guys know~