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Mankind is a race of dualities , and this is no more true than the mode in which we both destroy and adjudicate to protect nature .
A perfect example isAgave shawii(a - GAH - vee SHAW - ee - eye ) , the westernmostspecies of agavefound only in Baja Mexico and just inside the coast of southerly California .
Stan Shebs,CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This perennial member of the Asparagaceae family ( formerly Agavaceae genus ) is critically endangered in its native home ground . Humans are keeping the coinage alive in captivity while also create hardier cultivars such as Agave shawii ‘ John Bleck ’ to reintroduce back into nature .
Best known as coastal century plant , this plant also stick out the vernacular names of :
An well-heeled and telling plant to grow at home ( literally a solidifying - and - blank out , if kept out of reach of kid and pets ) . you could be a part of a big preservation effort by adopting one of these wonderful agave plants for your collection .
Stan Shebs,CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Agave Shawii Plant Care
Size, Growth and Foliage
Coastal agaves are slow growers which can take up to 30 geezerhood to flower , at which point like all agave mintage the blossom rosette give-up the ghost .
Each rosette in the main grows to around 2′ to 3′ foot tall and 2′ to 4 ’ fundament wide and will bring forth suckers ( new plant life ) as they grow older , ramify out from the al-Qaeda in solid groups .
The item-by-item trunk are between 4″ to 12 ” inches retentive and have protective , out to reddish spines , while the florescence stem that finally seem may pass on 3′ to 8 ’ feet tall .
The lancelike - go out evergreen plant rosettes tend to be a lustrous sinister grey - green color and curved shape upwardly , bear additional hooked red spikelet .
Flowering and Fragrance
After just about 20 to 30 years , a massive 6′ to 14 ’ substructure tall flowering emerges from the anthesis stalk , bearing blood-red horizontal offshoot with long violet bracts along the top third .
The tips of these leafy bracts are fee with umbels of red bud that give fashion to yellow flowers . While the rosette bear the inflorescence dies , usually in a colorful display of orange tree , then light brown , and ending as grey .
The blooms unremarkably occur from February to May , although there are suit of it producing the blooms at other times of the twelvemonth .
item onWhat To Do When Your Agave Flowers ?
Light & Temperature
Coastal agave loves sunlight and will require access to full Lord’s Day under most fate .
Indoors , put it in a window with full afternoon exposure .
outside , it may want to have some light shade in the hot hours of the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. in more arid regions .
you could spring up this industrial plant out of doors in USDA hardiness zone 9 to 10 .
Unlike many other plants , it ’s not advised to move a container with this flora alfresco in cooler mood due to the teeth and risk of infection of striking with its highly toxic sap .
The plant is cold hardy down to 25 ° academic degree Fahrenheit , and will sustain more and more extensive damage as the temperature send packing below 23 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
Watering and Feeding
You may wish to apply a moisture cadence or else of your finger with this works , although a ice lolly joystick or similar instrument will work .
dampish grunge will stick to your tool , allow you to measure the moisture depth without come in contact with the plant life .
Water when the stain is dry 2 ” column inch down using the soak and dry method acting .
This entail you ’ll want to water slowly and evenly until you see oozing from the container ’s drainage hole .
Due to this works ’s drought tolerance and adaptation to flaxen and rocky ground in its native environs , fertilisation is n’t necessary .
Soil & Transplanting
You do n’t call for to baby this plant . In fact , it ’s well - conform for sandy , rocky , and coastal land types . Just ensure the territory is well - draining .
For potted plant , you’re able to go with a cactus or succulent mix , reduce in half with an aggregate such as coarse gumption , crushed rock , or perlite .
Repot this plant annually or when it doubles in size of it , choose a larger pot in the latter type .
Be sure to ferment in an expanse where you wo n’t be disturbed and to bust heavy boxing glove to avoid direct contact with the spine and sap .
Grooming And Maintenance
It ’s not necessary to prune this flora unless you wish to restrain the act of offshoots .
When grooming , forefend physical contact with the sap and be sure to practice intemperate - duty gloves and aseptic , sharp shear .
How To Propagate Coastal Agave
This agave may be circulate through several method acting , although leaf and stem turn cuttings are rarely used due to the plant ’s many spines .
Instead , most growers prefer to apply either offshoot ( pups ) or seeds .
Related : How To Propagate Agave whelp
Shaw’s Agave Pests or Diseases
Despite its endangered status , Shaw ’s agave is actually fairly full-bodied .
It ’s deer tolerant , cold hardy down to 25 ° degree Fahrenheit , middling salt - kind , and can treat dry or jumpy dirt .
The plant is also resistant to most pest and disease , with root rot and scale being the two braggy threats .
As with many other agave works , this mintage and its cultivars are toxic if ingested , and the needle - discriminating spines can pose a risk of injury if place where a kid or pet may endeavor to palm it .
Agave Shawii Uses
This plant life is known to attract snort , butterfly stroke , and hummingbird . It plays well with most cacti , as well as succulent native to nearby regions .
It ’s also well - suitable as specimens for several garden types , including :
