Native Plants

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Friday - July 10, 2009

From: Stella, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Transplants, Cacti and Succulents
Title: Transplanting Agave havardiana in Stella NC
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

We have a havard century plant in a large pot outside that has a couple of "baby" plants starting to emerge on the outer perimeter of the plant. Can we sucessfully transplant these babies elsewhere and how do we go about doing so. Look forward to hearing from you.

ANSWER:

Agaves produce new smaller plants around their base. All you need do is remove the pups from the mother plant using a trowel or knife and put them in smaller pots with the same kind of soil mixture that your original plant has been thriving in. If you don't know what the original is growing in, nurseries carry "cactus mix" potting soil which is grittier and more like the desert ground the plants are used to. Keep them watered, but let the soil dry a bit between waterings so they don't rot. These pups can have very long roots that connect them to the mother plant, but you can break them off to about the same length as the height of the plant or whatever will fit in your new pot. Even if you think you have lost too much of the root, pot it up anyway and see what happens. Agaves are very hardy and forgiving plants!

From the Image Gallery

Havard's century plant
Agave havardiana