Spike
October 03, 2007
Unfolding like stiff petals
the parts add up
to something spiky
yet beautiful.
‘Whale’s Tongue’, one of my favorite agaves.
Queen Victoria agave (Agave victoriae-reginae ), daintier and more refined.
Gopher plant (Euphorbia rigida or E. biglandulosa ) offers softer spikes.
Even the spiders are getting spiky. These little crab spiders are all over the garden, catching my hair in their webs when they build too low. Ick.
The number of garden bloggers in Austin has spiked. Yes, there’s another one. This time a guy joins the ranks. Check out Lee’s blog, The Grackle, to see how his garden grows in East Austin.
Aren’t those crab spiders interesting. The ones I’ve seen are mostly white with red tips and black undersides. Your ‘whales tongue’ agave is very striking. I don’t suppose you can make mescal from it?
I think mescal comes from Blue agave, but who knows, maybe any kind would work. I won’t be chopping out the Blue Whale’s heart anytime soon though! —Pam
Crab spiders, eh? You got a much better shot of yours than I did of mine. Well…now that’s another post I don’t have to write. I’ve seen them before but this year they are everywhere. And the caterpillars are bad, too. I thought I had the webworms in my pecan tree under control but this week they’re horrific. But so is everyone else’s trees in the hood. My lemon tree is being attacked by something akin to the oligocentra that ate my roses in 2003 (another wet year, so there seems to be a pattern). And then a slew of itty bitty caterpillars appeared overnight on my newly painted outdoor table. Were they attracted to the bright yellow? I wish my spiders and wasps were more aggressive with the caterpillars.
I think the wasps and spiders have their hands (pincers?) full right now with our bumper crop of bugs. Webworms are ensconced in my flameleaf sumac and redbud, and the neighbor’s pecan is absolutely festooned with them. Ugh. —Pam
Your agaves are even more beautiful in person, Pam. One of mine is finally getting some size to it, but it’s nothing fancy, just the standard blue-green one.
Tom Spencer said the little spiders all over our gardens are in the crab spider group, with the intriguing name of Spiny Orb Weavers. I can see them, but can’t take their photo with my camera…some are white, some yellow, some with red on them.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Do you have the American agave, the biggie? Those are beautiful too. An agave’s coloring, smooth texture, and spiky, round form play off so many plants so well. I only wish I had the room for a few more. But one or two go a long way. —Pam
Ick is right about getting caught in spider webs. Ick. I like how you showed the first agave, up close and then the overall plant. And ANOTHER Austin garden blogger?! I’m going to have to do something to get some more Hoosier garden bloggers going.
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
Yep, we’re on a roll. C’mon, Hoosiers—where are you? —Pam
All I have to say is, Ouch!
LOVE your Agaves! I am absolutely Agave mad – I have a relatively small garden stuffed full of them … but I have no ‘Whale’s Tongue’. I must find one! My favorite right now is A. franzonii – huge and silver with undulating leaves. A real looker.
Do you have a favorite source for your Agaves?
I’ve gotten a few at Barton Springs Nursery and Natural Gardener in Austin, and at the LBJ Wildflower Center plant sale. My variegated agave was given to me by MSS at Zanthan Gardens.
By the by, Germi, I was flipping through my folder of inspirational magazine-gardens that I’ve collected over the years, and I noticed that one of them is yours. It’s a spread from the 4/2005 issue of Cottage Living. I tore it out years ago and saved it. I love your dramatic cottage garden filled with spiky agaves, feathery grasses, and richly colored succulents. Delicious. —Pam
Pam, I am really drawn to agaves and you have now “spiked” my interest even more. I wonder how they would do here in Colo. where they get packed with snow? I saw a beautiful one in Santa Fe (see my first post on my trip, beautiful agave but I don’t know name).
“Spiked your interest”? Good one, Bev. Your photo may be of a Parry’s agave. I looked online, and it appears that certain agaves, possibly including Parry’s, may work for you. There’s even one that grows in Canada. A raised, gravelly bed would be key to preventing rot, I’d guess. —Pam
Cool spider, and I admit that I like Spike but not those spikes.
Catching your hair in spider webs rates very high on the ick-o-meter. Brrrrrrrr
Oh nooooo, not another Austin garden blogger!!! 😀
Moving to Austin from the Southeast, I felt unfriendly toward agaves too at first. But seeing so many beautiful ones quickly changed my mind.
Oh yes, another garden blogger in Austin! —Pam
Ooooh…. you know that I drooled through this whole post. I found some agaves that are supposedly hardy (from High Country Gardens) but they recommend you spring plant them only in my zone so unfortunately I must wait.
I love how the edge of one leaf leaves its edge pattern on the inner-next leaf. Gorgeous.
I love that too. I guess with agaves, you either love ’em or hate ’em. I don’t know too many people who are lukewarm about them. —Pam
Crab spiders? Now that’s a bit much! Maybe I don’t want to be an Austin gardener after all!
They are very small, so don’t let them scare you off, Lost Roses. The crab spiders are having a big year, thanks to the rain earlier this summer (lots to eat, I guess), but normally I hardly notice them. —Pam
That spike spider is a very interesting picture! I also like the full blown agave photo.