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Jan 4, 2024 5:12 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Bill
Wildwood, Georgia (Zone 7b)
Cactus and Succulents Region: Georgia Houseplants
I recently went to Dallas Texas and while there seen a lot of agave's that were in bloom or that had bloomed. I picked some of the seeds and brought them home and made a mix of coir and sand with pumice and place the seeds on top and watered and then put a top on to hold in moisture. I really didn't expect anything, but...the seeds are starting to sprout. From what I understand these are Agave havardiana (I forgot to take a picture of the plant in TX, but from what I have seen online it's very much the one).

1. Is the seed from this plant true or would I end up with a different variety?
2. I put the seeds in a shallow container - how long before I should transplant them?
3. I am pretty sure I will need to container grow these due to the amount of rain i get in the area I live - can it stay outside under a covered porch even with cold temps?

Thanks for any info
Bill

Thumb of 2024-01-04/bwbillh/aa6b9e

Thumb of 2024-01-04/bwbillh/dbb862
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Jan 4, 2024 5:36 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Baja
Baja California (Zone 11b)
Cactus and Succulents Seed Starter Xeriscape Container Gardener Hummingbirder Native Plants and Wildflowers
Garden Photography Region: Mexico Plant Identifier Forum moderator Plant Database Moderator Garden Ideas: Level 2
I do not know if that species is self fertile. Only some agaves are, and to varying degrees. If it was blooming away from other flowering agaves, it probably selfed. If it was surrounded by other flowering agaves, or there were any within the flight distance of a hummingbird (or whatever) for that matter, you likely will have to wait until the plant is bigger to know for sure what you've got. Regardless, it will likely resemble the parent to some degree (intermediate phenotype) if it is a hybrid.

Assuming the container has holes, it's good for a few months or so, or until the baby seedlings become crowded. Better to leave them alone for a while and then when they have 2-3 adult leaves (or more), they will be more likely to have good roots and survive the extraction/transplant better. The transparent container should give you a good opportunity to inspect the roots before taking action. I usually plant agave seeds at about twice that depth (and wait maybe 6-9 months to separate) but I don't think it really matters. Lift the lid when they start producing their first true leaf (or sooner, if the seed leaf grows too tall) but do a fair amoint of misting afterward to keep the top soil layer from drying out completely.

I have no experience with the coldness and wetness that you have there, but I would assume the seedlings are sensitive to cold, probably even temperatures above freezing for that matter. Do you have a sunny southerly facing windowsill that isn't already full of plants? Smiling

I would think you need to protect them from temps much below about 45 degrees F until next winter at the earliest. Just a guess there. Go ahead and test the limits if you want, just be prepared for a possible sudden meltdown.
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Jan 4, 2024 6:34 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Bill
Wildwood, Georgia (Zone 7b)
Cactus and Succulents Region: Georgia Houseplants
Thanks Baja for the information. I have them inside under a grow light at the moment and probably can keep at least one of the them after transplanting inside and the others I can keep in a heated greenhouse until next year and then transition them to being outside and under the porch in the winter. I put about 12 seeds in 3 containers (4 in each one) and have about 20 more seeds I can plant later (how long do you think the seeds will be viable?)

As far as that southern window.....Hmmmmm, well its going to be tight!!

Thanks again
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Jan 4, 2024 11:31 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Baja
Baja California (Zone 11b)
Cactus and Succulents Seed Starter Xeriscape Container Gardener Hummingbirder Native Plants and Wildflowers
Garden Photography Region: Mexico Plant Identifier Forum moderator Plant Database Moderator Garden Ideas: Level 2
bwbillh said: (how long do you think the seeds will be viable?)


They should be good for months, maybe longer. I have not experimented with old agave seeds.
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Jan 6, 2024 1:04 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Baja
Baja California (Zone 11b)
Cactus and Succulents Seed Starter Xeriscape Container Gardener Hummingbirder Native Plants and Wildflowers
Garden Photography Region: Mexico Plant Identifier Forum moderator Plant Database Moderator Garden Ideas: Level 2
Bill, to give you some idea about the pace of things, these agaves are a little more than a year old and just went outside for the first time (4" pots). Two different species here

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Also note early signs of sunburn (bleaching in sun-facing spots)
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Jan 27, 2024 11:26 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Bill
Wildwood, Georgia (Zone 7b)
Cactus and Succulents Region: Georgia Houseplants
So... 7 out of the 12 seeds from the mystery agave germinated and it seems that the adult leaf is forming on some of them. I noticed one of the seedlings is much lighter in color that the others, not sure if that is just natural variation or what.

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After seeing these seeds sprout I decided to throw some gymnocalycium seeds in a mixture and now I have a bunch of little green goblins show up.
Thumb of 2024-01-27/bwbillh/a22037

I need to be careful I absolutely do not have room to start this new found interest - but its kinda cool seeing things grow from the start instead of buying them grown already.
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Jan 27, 2024 9:11 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Baja
Baja California (Zone 11b)
Cactus and Succulents Seed Starter Xeriscape Container Gardener Hummingbirder Native Plants and Wildflowers
Garden Photography Region: Mexico Plant Identifier Forum moderator Plant Database Moderator Garden Ideas: Level 2
The pale seedling may already be on the outs (I have had paler seedlings struggle and fail) but it could also just be a different color.
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