Agaves, Yuccas, and Related Plants

by Irish, Mary F.

• ISBN13: 9780881924428
• ISBN10: 0881924423
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-05-10
• Publisher: Timber Pr

Summary

These exotic natives of the Americas are among the most striking of drought-tolerant plants, and they make wonderful accents in the landscape, providing excellent contrasts to flowering perennial plantings. They can also be massed effectively, and many of the species are small, ideal for use in containers.The authors point out that innovative nurseries and gardeners in cool, humid regions of North America and Europe have shown that many of these plants may be suitable for areas with climates very different from their native range. Full information on cultivation and propagation is provided.

Author Biography

Mary Irish is the former director of public horticulture at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona Gary Irish holds a master's degree in plant geography from Texas AandM University

Table of Contents

Preface	7	(4)
Acknowledgments	11	(2)
History of the Families	13	(12)
Agavaceae	13	(9)
Nolinaceae	22	(3)
Description of the Genera	25	(24)
Agave	26	(6)
Yucca	32	(6)
Hesperaloe	38	(2)
Furcraea	40	(1)
Manfreda	41	(1)
Beschorneria	42	(1)
Polianthes	43	(1)
Nolina	43	(1)
Dasylirion	44	(2)
Beaucarnea	46	(2)
Calibanus	48	(1)
Horticulture and Cultivation	49	(44)
Ornamental History	49	(6)
Economic and Ornamental Distribution	55	(4)
Ethnobotany	59	(6)
Planting	65	(3)
Watering	68	(3)
Containers	71	(4)
Frost Protection	75	(6)
Seed Propagation	81	(2)
Vegetative Propagation	83	(5)
Pest, Disease, and Cultural Problems	88	(5)
Species Profiles	93	(184)
Agave	93	(91)
Beaucarnea	184	(6)
Beschorneria	190	(2)
Calibanus	192	(1)
Dasylirion	193	(9)
Furcraea	202	(5)
Hesperaloe	207	(8)
Manfreda	215	(5)
Nolina	220	(12)
Polianthes	232	(2)
Yucca	234	(43)
Key to Agave	277	(6)
Key to Yucca	283	(2)
Plants Suitable for Humid Gardens	285	(3)
Map of Mexico and Adjacent Areas	288	(1)
Glossary	289	(4)
Bibliography	293	(6)
Index	299

Excerpts

Most Agave species are monocarpic (blooming once in the life of the plant); only a few species are polycarpic (blooming repeatedly through the life of the plant).

Agaves, in general, have large leaves arranged in a spiral along a small, often visible, stem to form a rosette. Rosettes are a common adaptation to desert or arid conditions. This growth form allows water to be directed down the leaves, like a channel, to the root zone. During times of serious drought, the small stem of an agave will shrink, allowing a tiny fissure in the soil around the plant base, further increasing the utility of the rosetts form in channeling water when it does rain. Rosettes are common in many genera from arid regions including all other members of the families Agavaceae and Nolinaceae, and genera from other families such as Aloe, Haworthia, and Gasteria, to name a few.

The leaves of Agave usually are hard or somewhat rigid and very fibrous inside. Many have prominent sharp marginal teeth, and almost all leaves have a rigid and very sharp terminal spine. A rosette may have fewer than 20 leaves or as many as 200, depending on the species. The leaves are thick and succulent, with specialized cells for water storage. Most leaves are coated with a fine to heavy wax cuticle. This cuticle is an adaptation to prevent excessive water loss through the leaves, retaining as much water within the leaf as possible to endure long periods of drought.

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Excerpted from Agaves, Yuccas and Related Plants: A Gardener's Guide by Mary Irish, Gary Irish
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.