Friday, February 3, 2012

Plant ABC's - A is for Agave

Recently I noticed the range of plants in my yard just might cover the alphabet.  I'm only missing one and plan to add it before we get there. Agave begins my A-Z plant alphabet series.

There are several Agaves in the garden and it was hard to pick just one.  We just planted this Agave Lophantha 'Splendida' over the weekend giving it plenty of space to offset and spread.  Note the two little pups to the left.


It was tough not to choose the Abutilon because it looks so spectacular right now.  So here's the honorable mention from the A-list.


I'll continue posting the alphabet of plants in my garden throughout the year.

21 comments:

  1. Yay for the Agave! You made a great choice to start the alphabet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll try to include as many spiky plants as possible, DG.

      Delete
  2. I love agaves. I have that same one. They're a bit vicious. But, the deer still pull mine up, and shredded one recently.

    It'll be fun following your alphabet.

    That abutilon is beautiful. Wonder if deer bother it...hmmmm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A. Lophantha is planted out of the way and fills in under a Texas Mountain Laurel where we seldom walk.

      The deer have recently eaten the liriope planted under it but have not touched the Abutilon at all so it's about as deer resistant as you can get around here.

      Delete
  3. We can only grow agaves as houseplants here. I love the abutilon though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some agaves are cold tolerant, but last year my neighborhood lost many large old ones in a rare rain-freeze-snow cycle.

      Delete
  4. Great idea on the alphabet!!! Fun. I look forward to seeing what else you have around your area and garden:) Agaves are beautiful plants.....sharp little suckers....but wonderful structural pieces around our garden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Chris, I'm beginning to appreciate the agave more in the last few years.

      Delete
  5. I don't have any abutilon, but I think they are such lovely flowers. I might have to correct that....

    ReplyDelete
  6. I don't have any abutilon, but I think it's a beautiful plant and there are many choices for color, size, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Agaves are such great plants. Good one to start with!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Clever idea! I like A is for Agave since they are my FAVES.
    I can't wait 'til you get to X.

    Xylocanthum perhaps?
    LOL
    David

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are correct David! X is the most difficult and the one I don't have (yet). There are several plants native to Texas that have Latin names beginning with X, including a spiny cockleburr - Xanthium strumarium L. Some of the others are commonly known as Yellow-eyed grass and Sleepy Daisy.

      I might just have to skip it in favor of two posts on Yucca.

      Delete
  9. Loving that Abutilon. This is one of the plants I would like to add to my garden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is the time of year to look for Abutilon, I found this one at Lowes.

      Delete
  10. Poor Anisacanthus, Abutilon, and Agapanthus...well, not the Agapanthus. And it is a nice Agave lopantha, which I'll have to enjoy through your's, since mine froze in the pot last Feb. Can't wait for the letter Q!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course I put the live oaks under the letter Q! I'm guessing these are Quercus fusiformis, the name fits since they have twisted into such interesting shapes.

      Delete
  11. I did a garden alphabet series last year. It was a lot of fun! Q was easy. I had to get creative on X...check it out :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your series is fun too, I had a chance to check it out. It has been fun so far and X will be the challenge. U might be the only place where we will match too.

      Delete

Thank you for stopping by. To comment simply open the Name/URL option, put in your name or initials and skip the URL.