Agave guiengola Photo by: Raimondo Paladini
Growing habit at Vivai Ferracane, Sicily, Italy, February 2018.
Origin and Habitat: It is native to Cerro Guiengola, a limestone mountain in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.
Altitude range: It grows at an elevation of about 100–1,000 metres above sea level.
Habitat: It grows on sheer cliff-faces in dense colonies.
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Agave guiengola
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Accepted name in llifle Database:Agave guiengola GentryBrittonia 12: 98 1960
Cultivars
(1):
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Common Names include:
LITHUANIAN (Lietuvių): Minkštalapė agava
SPANISH (Español): Chontal, Maguey
Description: Agave guiengolaSN|22557]]SN|22557]] is a fairly fast growing agave with few soft succulent leaves. It’s uniquely shaped, silvery-bluish leaves makes it a very unique statement in the landscape and it is considered by some collectors to be the most spectacular large agave because of its sculptural form. Plants in habitat are mostly single while the more common cultivated clones sucker profusely.
Derivation of specific name: The species name guiengola refers to the Cerro Guiengola, the mountain where the species was first discovered.
Rosettes: 90-120 cm. tall by 120-180 cm. acaulescent, with few spreading open leaves ( ca. 25 to 30 leaves at maturity) that lay more horizontally than most Agaves.
Leaves: Thick, ghostly-pale, glaucous, very broad at the base ovate to ovate lanceolate and taper to brown terminal spines. Nearly plane above and narrowly channelled apically. Along the edge of the 30-55 cm long leaves there are few to many dark-colored variously serrated teeth (this is a variable trait) The teeth alternate in size between small and large ones along the leaf margins. There is also some variation in leaf size and colour.
Inflorescence: When mature this plant produces a 150-200 cm spike flowering from near the base.
Flowers: Yellow inconspicuous, 33-35 mm long, almost tubeless with distinct tepals and the insertion of the filaments at the base. The flowers attract hummingbirds.
Blooming season: Spring to summer. Typicality it flower only at maturitv once every 15-25 years and the main crown dies after blooming.
Fruit: Capsules 22-24 mm long, oblong, thin walled.
Remarks: This plant shows relation to Agave bracteosa and Agave ellemeetiana, but its monocarpic rather than polycarpic habit set off Agave guiengolaSN|22557]]SN|22557]] from either of the species mentioned.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Agave guiengola group
- Agave guiengola Gentry: It is recognizable for its wide open rosette of bluish-green, thick, soft, boat-shaped leaves that lay more flat than upright.
- Agave guiengola cv. Cream Brulee: has bluish-green leaves surrounded by a 1-2,5 cm border of creamy white to butter cream yellow that takes a nice pink hue with cold and sunny conditions.
Bibliography: Major references nad further lectures
1) San Marcos Growers contributors “Agave guiengola” San Marcos Growers <http://www.smgrowers.com>. Web. 27 December 2014.
2) Howard Scott Gentry "Agaves of Continental North America" University of Arizona Press, 1982
3) Mary & Gary Irish "Agaves, Yuccas and related plants. A. Gardener´s Guide." Timber Press, 2000
4) Bailey, L.H. & E.Z. Bailey. 1976. "Hortus Third" i–xiv, 1–1290. MacMillan, New York.
5) Thomas Heller "Agave guiengola" In: "Agaven." Münster 2006, S. 94–95.
6) J. Thiede "Agave guiengola." In: Urs Eggli: "Sukkulenten-Lexikon. Einkeimblättrige Pflanzen (Monocotyledonen)." Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001
7) Bernd Ullrich "Aantekeningen bij Agave guiengola Gentry." In: Succulanta. 70(12): 257–260 1991.
8) Wikipedia contributors. "Agave guiengola." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2 Jun. 2014. Web. 31 Dec. 2014.
Agave guiengola Photo by: Matteo Faggion Habit at Enchanting Floral Gardens of Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA. February 19, 2008. Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr Habit at Enchanting Floral Gardens of Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA. February 19, 2008. Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr Habit at Enchanting Floral Gardens of Kula, Maui, Hawaii, USA. February 19, 2008. Photo by: Forest Starr & Kim Starr Cultivation and Propagation: This is one of the few Agaves that might do best in some shade as the leaves tend to burn in hot blazing sun. It likes regular water but don't soak it wet as it seems to suffer from edema from over watering (They enjoy a little water during winter period too). It's also somewhat cold sensitive, protect from freezing temperatures to avoid disfiguring the foliage.
Propagation: Offsets (New plants are freely produced basally between the leaves) Plants in cultivation sucker or produce offsets profusely (while plants in habitat usually stay solitary), but as it ages, offsets become fewer and fewer. Seed grown plants are much more likely to be solitary.