Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art files are now available also in the new the Encyclopaedia of Succulents. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.

  Agave potatorum "verschaffeltii"
(Syn: Agave verschaffeltii)
CACTUS ART
NURSERY

Cultivation and Mail Sale
of Cacti and Succulents.


Agave potatorum (A. verschaffeltii)
This species is  highly ornamental but quite variable in form, the
with sinuous leaf margins and with teeth atop of outward-projecting bumps are often called by the old name of Agave verschaffeltii.
 

Description: A. potatorum is a small Agave, growing solitary or slowly clumping, that forms an open symmetrical succulent rosette, up to 60 cm tall, 60 m in diameter. But the size of the plant from different population and the clones on the market are quite variable and may be anywhere between 10 and 90 cm in diameter when fully grown-up.
Leaves: Blue-grey to silvery-grey, broad, 25-40 cm long, slightly deflexed back near the tips that terminate in a distinctive, often twisted or slightly wavy, reddish, yellowish or dark brown spine up to 2,5 long. The short marginal spines are on pronounced tubercle-like prominences. The leaves also have distinct showy bud-imprints.
Flowers: Long spikes that rise up to 3 to 5 m bearing light green flowers tinged with red and subtended with red bracts
 

.

.


Advertising



 

Family: Agavaceae

Scientific Name:   Agave potatorum Zucc.

Synonyms:

  • Agave potatorum var. verschaffeltii A. Berger 1915
  • Agave verschaffletii

Origin:  Mexico, occurs from southern Pueblo state down to central Oaxaca and Chiapas, and is quite variable.

Habitat:  Semi-arid highlands between 1200 and 2200 m

Etymology: The specific name "potatorum" has nothing to do with potatoes, it comes from the genitive of the Latin word "potator" meaning 'of the drinkers' in reference to the use of this plant in making alcoholic beverages.

Agave potatorum is included in the group Hiemiflorae. As a general rule, plants in this group have relatively short lateral branches on the inflorescence and tight ball-like clusters of flowers. They typically are winter-flowering, although Agave potatorum is a little earlier than most, with a September-to-December peak flowering time.
 


A. The leaves have distinct showy bud-imprints.
 

 

 


Plant with sinuous leaf margins and with teeth atop of outward-projecting bumps are often called by the old name of Agave verschaffeltii.
 

Cultivation: Agave potatorum  is a relatively easy-to-grow species, though not as cold-hardy as many of the more northerly-occurring species (Winter hardy to around -3° C degrees). Suited for light shade to full sun, but better with some shade in summer.  It needs  a very well-drained, soil.   It  grows fairly fast in summer if provided with copious water, but allow to dry thoroughly before watering again (the more water and fertilizer this plant gets, the faster it will grow). During the winter months, one should only water enough to keep the leaves from shrivelling.
It does great in containers or in the ground. Plants cultivated outdoors are more drought tolerant and can take some heat and full sun.  Remove eventual suckers to show the beauty and form of the individual rosette.

Propagation: By seeds or by suckers that are found growing around the base of the plant, however this species rarely offsets many plants after maturing,. This begins to occur when they are as young as 10 years old. They will flower (usually during the autumn) and the entire plant declines and dies.  But many of the clones actually in cultivation are more prolific, and suckers are readily available. The basal suckers can be removed in spring or summer, letting the cuttings dry for a few days before inserting in compost.

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Agave potatorum:



Photo gallery: Alphabetical listing of Cactus and Succulent pictures published in this site.

Photo gallery Agave

Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art files are now available also in the new the Encyclopaedia of Succulents. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.