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A 10 years old specimen. It stays small and compact
for many years and rarely suckers.
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Description: This
is a very compact
form of the smallest Agave (Dwarf Century Plant )
beautiful but rare to find.
Usually
they stay as small as less than 12 cm tall and wide as a container
grown specimens, however
if planted out, in appropriate climes they get somewhat larger, tending
to look more like Agave lechuguilla.
It
has been suggested that A. pumila is a
hybrid from
A. victoriae
Reginae and Lechuguilla. Must be another
cross breed then... Maybe with
Victoriae Reginae "minima".
The species is
described as highly
dimorphic, with a compact
surculose
juvenile form, before making an open rosette and a non
suckering
mature form, a seemingly contradictory situation. The juvenile form
somewhat resembles a stubby-leaved
Agave titanota, and according to the
material, that form will persist under pot culture for up to 8-12 years.
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It is thought that this plant produces only one
basal shoot every five years, this justifies its rarity and cost.
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Cultivation: Agave
pumila nana is a relatively easy-to-grow species but very slow
growing. Need a very well-drained, soil. It must be provided
with copious water in summer but allows to dry thoroughly before
watering again. During the winter months, one should only water enough
to keep the leaves from shrivelling.
But heavy
watering results in some leaf cracking. Suited for
light shade to
full sun, but better with some shade in
summer. It is best to avoid
freezing temperatures. |
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Family: Agavaceae
Scientific Name: Agave pumila
De
Smet ex J.G. Baker
cv. "NANA"
Taxonomy: This species is of unknown
origin, with no registered
type locality, and no observed inflorescence (at the time of
publishing). The
neotype was a plant growing in the Huntington Botanical
Garden.
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12 years old. The leaves are turning to the adult shape.
Propagation: Propagation exclusively by
suckers (if available) which are found growing around the base
of the plant,
The growth and multiplication is very slow
and the plants produce about an
offset every five years. Remove the basal suckers
in spring or summer
and let the cuttings dry for a few days before inserting in compost or
by seed.
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