will my agave survive?
will my agave survive?
Hello everyone!! I got a foxtail agave as a gift just yesterday and very unfortunately a handyman fell on top of it today and drop it to the floor and the fall broke it's middle part, it's crown I would say. In the second photo you can see the middle part where a beautiful rolled up leaf used to be broke off. I'm devastated since it's such a beautiful plant and I don't want it to die. I will share a picture of it and if anyone can tell me their thoughts if I should do something about it, put something on it or if it has any chance of recovery. I had just got it so I hadn't decided if I was going to plant it or keep it in a pot. Any advice is much appreciated!!
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Re: will my agave survive?
Depends if the growing point is damaged, though it looks as though new leaves are coming in the centre. If not it may offset and you can use these eventually for propagation.
I presume you know Agave's being monocarpic die after they flower? But if you are lucky they may produce new offsets before that flowering head dies. However some take many years to flower anyway.
"When an agave flowers, it is not a happy event, unless you've been waiting forever to collect its offspring. Agaves are monocarpic, meaning they die after flowering. Agave americana, the most common agave in the Southwest, has the common name “century plant” because it supposedly takes a century to bloom."
I presume you know Agave's being monocarpic die after they flower? But if you are lucky they may produce new offsets before that flowering head dies. However some take many years to flower anyway.
"When an agave flowers, it is not a happy event, unless you've been waiting forever to collect its offspring. Agaves are monocarpic, meaning they die after flowering. Agave americana, the most common agave in the Southwest, has the common name “century plant” because it supposedly takes a century to bloom."
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Re: will my agave survive?
It looks fine, the actual growing point is clearly pushing out new growth.
The rosette will be a bit disfigured for a while, there will be leaves continuing to develop which have had their tips broken off. Gradually the plant will sort itself out, with completely new, undamaged leaves being produced and eventually it will look as good as new.
The rosette will be a bit disfigured for a while, there will be leaves continuing to develop which have had their tips broken off. Gradually the plant will sort itself out, with completely new, undamaged leaves being produced and eventually it will look as good as new.
Last edited by esp_imaging on Wed Sep 26, 2018 4:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- ElieEstephane
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Re: will my agave survive?
I'd say the growing point is still intact and the plant will grow out of it in a couple of years though it's gonna look a little ugly until it sheds the lower leaves. The meristem on rosette some rosette plants is really tight and so many leaves are tucked together that it's almost impossible to destroy the meristem unintentionally.
On the other hand, it could use a bigger pot. These really need all the space they can get
Edit: esp beat me to the same point
On the other hand, it could use a bigger pot. These really need all the space they can get
Edit: esp beat me to the same point
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a)
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a)
Re: will my agave survive?
Thank you everyone for the replies!! I was devastated but I now have some hope the plant will eventually heal! This is my first plant in a new house that I plan to make a very big garden, so this accident let me down a bit. I've only had it for a day so I do plan to put it in a bigger pot or even plant it on the garden but I think it might be better to wait a bit since the plant just had all this stress and let it recover a bit. I do plan to propagate with new offsets, it already has at least one offset in the pot that came with. Even if it will look a bit ugly I don't mind just hope it stays alive! Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate!!