COLD HARDY PLANTS
Growers and Breeders of Unusual Cold Hardy Plants
 

Agave parryi (Mimbres, NM 6,000ft)
Quantity of plants tested: 5
Size of plant tested: 1st year seedlings which germinated 2nd week of May 2000.
Soil texture: sandy loam
When planted: the seedlings were planted in soil in June 2000.
Winter protection: no mulch of any kind, glass covered top of seedlings from early November through March 2000.
Microclimate: cold microclimate, 100% shaded from November through mid February.
Temperature: refer to 2000-2001 winter on this chart
Findings: all the plants died.  All did well until January and failed in February when the soil surface thawed but the lower soil remained frozen.  The lower frozen layer prevented the excess moisture at the surface from draining, therefore, the seedlings were sitting in water for several days.  There were many days when the top 1/2" to 1" of soil was thawed, but the lower soils were still frozen.  Freeze/thaw cycles may have also played a role in their death since water expands 10% when frozen.  Low temperature was not observed to be the cause of death, this years low was 4F.
agave_parryi_2001_jan27.jpg (54456 bytes) January 27, 2001 - This photo shows the first year seedlings which germinated during the second week of May 2000.  Seedlings grow slow the first year and are approximately 1" in diameter.  Here's the status of some of them in late January 2001, they don't look very good.  All 5 ended up dead.
agave_parryi_2001_sept27.jpg (40074 bytes) September 27, 2001 - here's a second year seedling being tested in our cactus garden located 3 to 4 feet off a south facing wall.
agave_parryi_2002_oct27r.jpg (71228 bytes) October 27, 2002 - this is the same plant one year later.  It survived a low of 12F or so and was covered in a poly 2 sided greenhouse.
agave parryi 2003 mar8r.jpg (66435 bytes) March 8, 2003 -  here is the same plant after the cold 2002-2003 winter.  The big leaf is already white, not a good sign.  Will it pull through?
agave_parryi_2003_apr13r.jpg (72699 bytes) April 13, 2003 -  here is the same parryi a few weeks later.  It received a lot of damage, but did survive and is growing well as of August.
agave_parryi_2003_may11r.jpg (73892 bytes) May 11, 2003 -  here is another parryi which was planted May 2003.  It's the Agave in front of the bigger Yucca treculeana in flower.



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