Puya alpestris - any experience in the Southeast?

[tank]

I'm planning on trying this Puya and some others in Gainesville Fl.  Anyone have experience with these in the Southeast?

I've heard that they don't do so well in south Florida.

Thanks!

[Kim]

Hi.  I just looked up the annual rainfall for Gainesville, FL, and that 49.97 inches is your problem.  Puyas like it on the dry side, and do very well here in California on maybe 10 inches of rain or less, and lots of foggy mornings.  If you have a covered area to grow it, you may have success.

[tank]

Thanks Kim.  It looks as though its already on its way.  I'll try it out in the agave bed.

Jason

[Dave-Vero]

A big mound of sand can create dry conditions.  I suspect the temperature regime might be a bigger problem.

Unfortunately, the southeastern species of Agave and Nolina aren't terribly spectacular (but Nolina brittoniana's neat for a dry sandy site, anyway).  I'm trying out a couple of Yucca filamentosa, picked up in Gainesville last week.

[tank]

Dave,

My agave bed is raised with gravel as mulch.

I'm definitely no agave expert, but here is what is surviving so far in Gainesville FL.

Agave Americana (blue, variegated and medio picta varieties)

A. weberi  (probably the agave I see most in north Florida.  Fast grower here and gets massive)

A. parryi

A. neomexicana

A. gentryi (grown from seed, appears to be a fast grower)

A. scabra

A. augustifolia var. marginata (my favorite)

A. geminiflora

A. filamentosa

A. colorata (this one seems to be doing well, although the past two years have been very dry up here.  I'm guessing a true humid Florida summer might do it in, although it is sending out pups...)

A. macrocantha

A. potatorum (not cold hardy, but surviving the past couple winters up here)

A. lophantha (can turn into a bit of a weed)

A. salmania (very small)

the two native yuccas including variegated forms,

Y. whippleii (hasn't grown since I planted it a year and a half ago, but hasn't deteriorated either)

Dasylirion wheeleri (very small.  There is a nice big Dasylirion at Kanapaha Gardens.  Might not be wheeleri though)

Only apparent casualty that I've had due to the humidity was A. zebra.

There are several other agaves and yuccas I'm going to try, but I'm waiting to see I end up selling the house I'm in.

Saw some really nice Y. filamentosa in habitat at Oleno State park along the Santa Fe River.

[Dave-Vero]

Tank,

Good to see you have Y. filamentosa!  They're really cute plants.  That dasylirion at Kanapaha sounds interesting.  I'll have to check to see what Leu Gardens in Orlando might have.

http://museum.utep.edu/chih/gardens/plants/agavloph.htm  Funny to think of Agave lophantha thriving in Gainesville.

[Zac in NC]

(Dave-Vero @ Apr. 27 2007,16:31)

QUOTE

Tank,

Good to see you have Y. filamentosa!  They're really cute plants.  That dasylirion at Kanapaha sounds interesting.  I'll have to check to see what Leu Gardens in Orlando might have.

http://museum.utep.edu/chih/gardens/plants/agavloph.htm  Funny to think of Agave lophantha thriving in Gainesville.

I've got lophantha up here in NC, in ground 4 winters. Its seen middle single digits. I know it grows well in Raleigh too.

Zac

[Sweets]

Does Puya Alpestris grow in South Florida?