Hmmm, maybe one of these days I'll dig up my victoria-reginae. I rarely water it during the winter. Sits on a windowsill all winter long. Pups like crazy. Don't have a "white rhino" -- quite a nice pair you have there.

I used to have a victoria-reginae, rarely watered it, never a problem. It eventually grew too large. Mine never pupped, though. As I recall, I think I ended up donating it to the Arnold Arboretum rare plant auction back when they had one every year. This one seems to be much more of a diva.

It would be a nice pair, if only they had roots, lol!

My v-r has never gotten large. The mother plant is still only about 3" across .... and I've had it for years. Now, I must say that its small slze is likely due in no small part to the fact it is in a small pot and has at least 6 pups crowded around it. I think I'll attempt dividing it this summer. If you want a pup, let me know..

The one you gifted me is still on 'hospital row'. Down to two tiny leaves and almost no roots. But it is still alive and I'm hoping to see a new leaf coming along soon.

A friend gifted me one with two tiny leaves and two tiny roots that almost died but now is taking off really well. It's about 4 inches long with about 6 leaves.

How's the one I sent you with the yellow edges? I can send another one if it died.

Paul, I have one regular V R that stays less than an inch and pups like crazy. Just refuses to grow. I also have one like Wendy's that never pups and is larger growing but looses a leaf every time it grows one. Getting a very thick trunk but staying less than a 6 inches tall. It hates water.

Can't seem to find pictures of my tiny Agave V R. I know I took some.

Wendy, you know it's going to root up!

The VR I used to have was good size when I got it. I got it at a nursery in Texas in the early 80's and brought it back to CT. The nursery had a whole row of them planted in the ground as I recall. By the time I got rid of it it was a good 12" in diameter, maybe a bit more. My parents got one at the same time, and their's eventually flowered; the spike hit the ceiling and had to bend at a right angle.

From what I've read, I believe that there are two forms of VR, one that pups frequently, and one that doesn't pup at all.

Stush, the little Ring of Gold you sent me has been doing great. It was sitting right next to my White Rhino's and didn't mind my neglect at all.

Howard, my larger White Rhino has been re-rooted twice... I'm hoping three times a charm, lol.

Windy, Howard is right. You are a master plant person. (so is Howard)

Wow, that would be something to see. A White Rhino in bloom. And it the house to boot!

Stush, it wasn't a White Rhino, just a regular VR, the type that doesn't pup.

Things are looking up :-)

Hopefully this time around I can manage to grow them without killing the roots.

Good Job. The one you sent me died after struggling all winter long. Lucky the other one is doing well. Happy to have one.

This Agave is super slow growing and if over watered, good bye.

The euphorbia is doing great but stays super small with so many leaves on it.

Tring to get a picture of it's trunk but afraid I might hurt a few leaves tring.

It sure is colorful. If you find yourself with an extra one, I sure would love to purchase it. Tried to self pollinate this but can't. Even tried other euphorbia and nothing. How are you doing getting any seed?

Judging from where they grow in nature; they like limestone rocks on a slant. They grow mostly on cliffs in an area that gets summertime rain.. I have mine outside on a pile of rocks. I did uproot it and take itinside for the grand ice storm /artic blast. It is recovering.

Mara, Are you talking about the euphorbia francoisii Thai Hybrid? I have it in a sort of coarse mix on the neutral to acid side. So it would love to be on the sweet side?

NO; I am talking about the native Agave victoria-regina. They grow on limestone ridges west of Monterey in Nueva Leon. I don't really know how the hybrids with variegations gr0w so I am a bit off topic.o. The native ones like perfect drainage but they are in an area that gets some rainfall both summer and winter. I grow mine outside in Central Texas on limestone rocks seperated by a bit of soil. Sometimes we get LOTS of rain (Like now) and then we get nothing til September but then we might get the remnants of a hurricane. This is the same weather patterns that they get down west of Monterey. They do have mountains with rain shadows so I can't be totally the same as there.

Good to know. I have been having trouble with this type agave. I have about 6 of them so I could try it on 1/2 of them.

Thanks.

Stush, I'm glad the Euphorbia is doing well for you. Right now I don't have any I want to get rid of, but, if I decide to, I'll let you know. Mine haven't set seed for me, but I haven't tried to pollinate them. Now that they're outside where bugs can get to them, maybe some seed pods will develop.

As for the White Rhino, my problem was letting it dry out too much. I think it's much fussier than the regular victoria-reginae.

Wantonamara, thanks for the info on the native habitat of victoria-reginae. That's really helpful. Mine are in a mix of pumice, lava, and chicken grit. Maybe I should try to find some limestone gravel to add.

My understanding is they like moisture but they like it to flow on by. Maybe in habitat they loose their roots periodically and replace them. we have to wonder if what we see as finikiness is just how they deal with dryness routinely. oops there goes this years roots time to hunkerdown till it rains. I saw this 2 '+ wide A. victoria-regina just out on the street in a pot in the wrong side of town. I drove by it for years.I guess that side of Austin isn't as bad as they say it is. I mean I was tempted every time I drove by. It was a beauty. But but the little voice above my good girl shoulder won out. The commity in my head had an argument everytime.

I just got an Agave albopilosa from Plant delights. I have been drooling over it for years and the price dipped down to something reachable. I understand that they are a newly identified species (maybe a decade ago). They were found on extreme limestone cliffs just south of Monterey.They are related to the victoria- reginae. In the marginate group of agaves. also perfect drainage in limestone. I need to get some chunkier limestone into their pot. I found some washed up limestone gravel down from my water tanks after our last down pour filled up my tanks and GUSHED out of the overflow. It came out so fast that it gouged out the ground. Texas gully washer..

Had to look that one up. Nice plant. While investigating the lime stone question, got a ton of information on the family of Mexican Agaves like victoria- reginae group. I purchased an new cultivar called Royal Flush. This is a nice small growing cousin of the Queen Vict group. Mountain Crest Gardens has it for a very good price. I have purchased many of my Agave from them.

They are cultivars of one I have called Agave schidigera shira ito oh no ohi or Queen of White Thread-leaf Agave. They are a much stronger growing type that is not fussy.

My friends of another site informed me that ph is not important for proper growth but drainage and the amount of light/heat. That last part is my biggest problem during the winter. I kept them just inches below my 50 watt LED's and it was warm and very bright but one died while the other is doing okay. When I loose a plant that I think I gave every thing that it wants it brother me to no end. The only part I didn't take into reason was the ph. I think I will experiment with crushed egg shells. Should be great to use and would buffer the ph slightly higher. I gave them all a little shot of ground limestone in their water today knowing that a small amount of lime increases ph drastically.

I think Mara hit the problem with watering. Give them all the water they want during summer as long as it is fast draining and doesn't accumulate around the roots. Good point.

Got some euphorbia francoisii on Etsy for a good deal from what I have seen they selling for. They are plain not the fancy one I got but should be good stock to pollinate with.

Maybe I can get some seed from them now. They are good bloomers. They never stop.

Good luck with pollinating your francoisii. If I get seed from any of mine, I'll send it to you :-)

No, No, No, I am afraid I might not be that good anymore germinating. Nothing to lose with my own seed but keep yours and see what hybrids you come up with. I don't have the space or the time to put in them like I used to.

Still, I love the one you sent the most. Very colorful. Thank you again.