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Parry's agave (Agave parryi)

Agave parryi is an evergreen, perennial succulent that is stemless or nearly stemless, forming tight rosettes and colonies from underground stems or offsets. It is a perennial that flowers and fruits once; a mature rosette dies afterward, usually with offsets or basal plantlets already present to replace it.

LightIt takes full sun, and sources differ on whether bright light shade or afternoon shade is also suitable.
WaterIt is drought tolerant; the growing medium should dry thoroughly between waterings, with dry conditions or greatly reduced watering during winter and avoidance of prolonged wetness.
TemperatureSources differ on minimum-temperature tolerance, with one cited value of about -21 °C, while another supported minimum is -18 °C. Agave parryi is frost hardy and is reported to rest in winter. It has strong heat toleranc
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Parry's agave illustration

Overview

Agave parryi is an evergreen, perennial succulent that is stemless or nearly stemless, forming tight rosettes and colonies from underground stems or offsets. It is a perennial that flowers and fruits once; a mature rosette dies afterward, usually with offsets or basal plantlets already present to replace it.

Origin and habitat

Sources differ on the native range, describing southwestern North America, principally Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in the United States and northern and western Mexico, with Chihuahua, Durango and Sonora specifically mentioned. It occurs mainly in dry, rocky or gravelly slopes and in grassland, scrub, open oak woodland, and pine-oak woodland. Its native environment is dry and sunny and can have cold winters; highland habitats can experience temperatures below freezing and snowfall.

Characteristics

Sources differ, placing mature height at about 20–80 cm and mature spread at about 30–100 cm. Growth is slow, and the thick, rigid leaves form tight rosettes; they range from light green and gray-green to glaucous gray-blue, with stout dark terminal spines, sometimes spiny margins, and often visible impressions left by adjacent or earlier leaves. At maturity it produces a large branched inflorescence, with mainly bright yellow flowers, sometimes described as yellow to orange, and buds that may have red or pink tones. It stores water in its leaves; the fruit is reported to be an ovoid to elongated, chambered capsule with black, irregularly shaped seeds.

Light

It takes full sun, and sources differ on whether bright light shade or afternoon shade is also suitable.

Watering

It is drought tolerant; the growing medium should dry thoroughly between waterings, with dry conditions or greatly reduced watering during winter and avoidance of prolonged wetness.

Temperature and dormancy

Sources differ on minimum-temperature tolerance, with one cited value of about -21 °C, while another supported minimum is -18 °C. Agave parryi is frost hardy and is reported to rest in winter. It has strong heat tolerance and is described as heat tolerant.

Growing medium and mounting

Use a well-drained sandy or rocky growing medium; container-grown plants can use a cactus or succulent mix. It needs a very fast-draining mix and is generally reported to be prone to rot.

Feeding

It is reported that a low-nitrogen fertilizer may be applied during summer.

Propagation

Sources differ in their descriptions of propagation, which include seed, offsets or basal plantlets, and division.

Common problems

Scale insects are reported as a possible pest. Prolonged wetness of the growing medium is a major cultivation risk, and the sharp leaf tips should be kept away from locations where they are easily touched. It tolerates drought and considerable cold, but cold tolerance is closely associated with dry conditions, while cold and wet winter conditions are less favorable.

Identification

Agave parryi has tight, nearly spherical or artichoke-like rosettes, gray-green to gray-blue leaves with conspicuous dark brown to black terminal spines, and frequent impressions left by the preceding layer of leaves.

Photos

Agave parryi
📷 Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Agave parryi
📷 Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by · CC BY · source
Agave parryi
📷 Megan Hansen, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · source

Sources