The list of South Florida plant sales continues to expand. I got definite confirmation that the Edison Ford Garden Sale on Nov 19-20 will take place. Also, I’ve added two more plant sales, Wilton Manors on Nov 19-20 and Sawgrass Nursery Center and Wildlife Hospital on Dec 3-4 in Coral Springs.

This post will cover the Quadricolor agave, and a few others. All are available over the internet. I have grown many from seed, but most of my plants come from offsets.

The Quadricolor agave, pictured above, is a very pretty plant which needs little care, except a well draining soil mix. It is also referred to as Agave lophanthe ‘Quadricolor.’ It may appear there are only 3 colors, but the serrated edges of the leaves can be reddish if in strong light. Gloves are good for handling this one.

Another agave which I particularly like is Agave nizandensis, which I have been growing both in partial shade and full sun light. Generally the width of the plant is about 12″. No sharp tips orserrated edges to prick you fingers on this one.

Agave americana var medio-picta alba (Maguey ‘Alba’) is very attractive, but it can be challenging to grow in Miami. It does best with full sun and good drainage. Planting it out during the really wet summer months, results in the lower leaves dropping. For this reason, I’m keeping it in a pot for now. Sharp tip and edges on this one.

The Agave nickelsiae (King Ferdinand Agave) is a good reason to move to California or Mexico (a bit cheaper) to create a beautiful succulent garden. As the lower leaves died, I decided to move it to a pot. Yes, gloves and very careful handling is important.

The agaves are a large family with lots of interesting varieties or hybrids. For those with a sunny patio in Miami, particularly strong morning light, agaves may be a good choice. There are a number of yuccas and bromeliads which are very drought tolerant. I hope to post more in the future.

Happy Gardening

Dave