Sad agave after the freeze
February 11, 2011
Have you ever seen a sadder agave? Freeze damage has occurred to my potted variegated American agave before, but never this bad.
Here’s the same plant last May, recovering from lower-limb amputations after the worst winter we’d seen in 20 years.
By October of last year, it looked beautiful again.
And then this happened last week, after three days of sub-freezing weather. And now we’ve just had two more nights in the low 20s.
Only the “cone” in the middle is still erect and non-mushy. Further amputations are scheduled. The prognosis seems grim, but the patient is strong. The doctor offers some hope for recovery.
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Oh I do hope the prognosis is good!
So sad. I think that this year may have been worse because of the rain we had prior to the freeze. The pup I had from you was such a baby it didn’t stand a chance.
Looks like mush to me. I’ve seen that many times before. When I was in college the heating went out in my house while I was gone for the holidays and my entire cactus and succulent collections looked like that but worse. They just lost all of there turgidity. If the roots are soft and mushy there probably toast.
It’s been a horrendous winter for lower South gardens~I sure hope your agaves bounce back. gail
My Santa Rita prickly pears have collapsed from the repeated freezing this year. Sad, sad, sad. They were fine last year. Nothing to do but wait until the cold weather is really all over, then clean up and hope for the best.
Mary Irish’s book on Agaves rates A. americana ‘Variegata’ hardy to 25F before damage = USDA Z 9. Not sure of your agave, or it’s hardiness, put in a pot, anything is less hardy – looks like A. americana ‘Marginata’? Austin Z 8b = 15-20F average low ea winter? Not sure if your last 20 years were warmer than your avg.
I’ve seen a few variegated A. americana in Abq (Z 7b), in protected spots, some damage in average 5-10F low winters like last year, but not this year…0-5F turned them to flattened mush! A brutal year here, and tough there, too.
I’m not sure whether this is ‘Variegata’ or ‘Marginata’, David. It’s very common in Austin, and indeed this one came from a passalong that produced many pups over the years. Most winters it sails through, but the last two winters have been very hard on it. I believe it’s done for this time. But it’s a fast grower, and I may well decide to try again. —Pam
I have some that are scheduled for surgery, too.
Pam, Unfortunately I have seen this sad site before. I have left several Agave and other tropicals out late in the season and lost them. Good news though, I have two on the window sill from last July, that have been well cared for into February. Maybe there is hope for me (I mean them) yet! 😉
That really doesn’t look good, I hope it recovers. The duration of cold days this year has done so much more damage than the lower temps of last winter.
Such a sad sight…at least the patient is in capable hands, if anyone can save him you can Pam!
I wonder how nurseries around your area have fared in this cold? I’m sure a lot of them have large specimens in outdoor areas that were left unprotected. For that matter what about civic spaces?
Yes, I’m sure the tender agaves around town are looking rather sad. Check out M. Sinclair Stevens’ image of damaged (and subsequently pruned) agaves along popular South Congress Ave. The nurseries have been bundled up through the cold snaps, so I bet they’re mostly OK. And some of our large agaves are cold tolerant: A. ovatifolia and A. weberii come to mind. —Pam
PAM!!! NOOOOOooooooo!!! My heart is with you – and I believe your beautiful variegated agave WILL return! As long as the central bud is intact, I think survival is in the cards. When we had a big freeze, I thought I’d lost my beautiful variegated Agave attenuata, she was a mess of wilt and mush – all but the center. I had my doubts, but now she is glorious! I think you will have luck, and I am sending my BEST agave energy to ensure that your lovely potted composition will not lose its star!
XOXOIvette!!!
I feel the agave energy pulsing my way from Los Angeles! Thanks for the moral support, Germi. I’m going out to fully assess the damage today, so I need it. Then again, the sun is shining, the sky is blue, and it feels like spring will return, so I’m feeling pretty good about things today. —Pam
Pam, I’ve got Agave in similar straits throughout my corner of Katy. A couple of the smaller potted ones have already succumbed. I hope the casualties will be fewer than I fear. I’m sending good vibes and positive energy towards yours, too!
Hope yours pull through, Cindy. What a crazy winter it’s been for central and southeast Texas. —Pam
Pam, I have a blue agave that looks just like that one. My Americana like yours – I literally pulled it out of it’s pot and brought it inside bare-rooted where it has lain on the table for weeks now. I figured that was better for it than freezing outside. Perhaps I’ll have pups to share.
You were smart to take yours inside, Robin. I’m not sure this one would have budged out of its container; it was so large. —Pam
Oh I just hate seeing all this damage for the second year in a row. I think you’re right – the damage seems worse this year. All the sagos in my yard are completely fried – no frond untouched. How did your weeping Mexican bamboo fare?
It’s dead as a doornail, Cat, or so I suspect. Still, I’ll wait until well into spring to make the final call. Maybe it will surprise me. —Pam
I saw your tweets about this agave earlier today, but didn’t have time to come visit until now. I’m so sorry that this beauty has been attacked again…here’s hoping for gently warming weather and the tender ministrations of the surgeon to put things back to rights again.
Oh, Pam, how sad! This kind of thing is heartbreaking, especially in a younger garden where you’re looking for all the size and structure you can get. I hope other commenters are right and your agave will recover. I guess there’s no chance of bringing it into a slightly warmer space (garage, sun porch, etc.) if further bad weather is forecast?
I think it’s too late for that sort of help, Jane. And it’s just too large to move anyway. Looking on the bright side, I may try a new agave in that pot this spring. —Pam
i live in dallas and planted my first few agaves in the summer 2010. my weber agave made it through the snow and sleet from super bowl week but could stand the follow up week where the temps were cooler still – total mush except the center. it was still young. average leaf was 14′ long. i’ll see if i get pups i guess.
agave franzosinii seems firm still. it is a little larger at ~24″ leaf length.
sharkskin agave seemed to do ok. it was soo small. 4″ leaves. they seem less plump but are still rigid.
agave parryi – this one surprised me but its totally soft and wrinkled except for the center leaves (both of them).
mr ripples agave – didn’t make it either. most of the leaves are pretty well shot
its been a sad couple of days for me too. fortunately there is a really good vendor pretty close and at that it just becomes a matter of money i suppose.
Any excuse to go plant shopping is at least a small silver lining, James. My sharkskin agave came through just fine. My parryi did too, so I’m surprised yours is so unhappy. Maybe too much moisture? Agave ovatifolia is supposed to be hardy in your area, and it sailed through the extended cold snap here in Austin. —Pam
james
Poor thing! Hope it bounces back.
I have a few plants that look like this, too. I am sure with the center still firm it will survive. Some of my plants that were damaged last winter and this winter will certainly be a lot smaller this year. Hope next winter is a mild one; so many plants need a chance to recover.
Jan
Always Growing
Oh no! I do hope it recovers. This winter has been a whopper for most everyone in the country!