Brian, I emailed you. An Agave bloom in an urban setting like Seattle has to be a spectacular sight, I will have to get over and take a pic. I know of a few other instances of Agave flowering in the Northwest. A. parviflora in Kent. A. parryi in Tacoma. A. americana in Newport, OR. A. utahensis in Vancouver BC. And we can add this one to the list.....

Here is a link that might be useful: A. americana blooms

Here are three pictures I took with my own camera when I was at Walts recently. His yard is something to see!

-Brian
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Wow that would be a sight to see... How hardy are they here? I am thinking of using some things like this on the south side of the house. I am tired of watering. Are they avaivable at nurseries?

Hi umm I could not find your real name, so....Spring Chicken it is then!!!

These Agaves do quite well with dry summers, and wet winters by the way. Maybe the best of any I have, or even know of. No, they are in no way readily available to purchase, but yes, they seem to be completely hardy, suviving 1990 in my grandmothers yard with a yearly dumping of poor draining mink manure. It was quite a beauitiful Agave. I have a few suckers from this exact plant, like I mentioned, but that is it as far as I know of.

-Brian

Avante garde nurseries featuring drought-adapted plants like Colvos Creek nursery on Vashon Island (Seattle area) and Cistus nursery on Sauvie Island (Portland area) often have hardy agaves and similar items in stock. I do not see any agave listed in the Spring 2006 forestfarm (near Grants Pass, Oregon but visitors by appointment only) catalog but I am pretty sure they have stocked them in the past--and their enormous offering always includes items of similar character and interest.

Up-to-date in 2003-2004, with over 50,000 kinds listed THE PLANT LOCATOR - WESTERN REGION (Black-Eyed Susans/Timber) still serves to provide leads on suppliers that tend to offer the type of plants one is looking for, even if exact inventories will be different now.

Last year Molbaks brought up a bunch of plants from San Marcos Growers, including A. parryi, but they were not cheap. They might still carry it now; I'm not sure - worth a look, anyways. Another wholesaler that has grown it is Rare Plant Research; so I suspect a few retailers here and there ought to have them.

I have also seen hardy Agaves for sale at Wells-Medina in the past. And you have a good chance of finding it at Jungle Fever Exotics.

I find that A. parryi appreciates some summer water.

Likewise Sky nursery (185th & Aurora, Seattle) had a display of agaves and cacti this year, but I think they came mostly from Monrovia nursery, California and were not necessarily very hardy ones. And Swanson's (15th NW, Seattle) and...to get the kinds those in the know will be after more specifically enthusiast-oriented places like Colvos, Cistus, forestfarm etc. will be the ticket rather than general garden centers, which may or may not have particular kinds desired.

Well, now I have yet another reason to visit a nursery on my day off.

Brian, If you have some extra, send an e-mail, maybe we could work something out.

Thanks Ian and BBoy, as always you guys are a wealth of great information! - Paul (sorry, I forget my own name)