Agave salmiana seeds

Agave salmiana, the Salm's Agave, is one of the most imposing species in the genus. Due to the numerous offsets it produces throughout its life, it requires ample space to develop. Its rosette consists of large, slender leaves, slightly curved towards the centre, edged with reddish thorns and ending in a sharp point. After 15 to 25 years, the plant produces a monumental branched flowering spike bearing dozens of yellow flowers. This spectacle marks the death of the main rosette, which perpetuates itself through its offsets. These offsets provide the simplest method of propagation, but this Agave can also be propagated from the seeds offered here.

Agave, once classified in the Agavaceae family to which it gave its name, is now a member of the Asparagaceae family.
Agave salmiana is native to Mexico, where it grows wild in the central part of the country. This vast distribution area has led to the emergence of several subspecies, whose morphology and hardiness show relatively limited variations. Like Agave americana, Agave salmiana is a large plant, reaching 1.5 to 2 metres in height and 3 to 3.5 metres in width at maturity. This Agave develops long, quite dark, deep green leaves, shaped like a gutter with sides that meet at the tip to form a formidable, 8 to 12 cm long thorn. The perimeter of the leaf is adorned with thorns, which are reddish initially, turning grey with age. Quite aggressive at first, they eventually soften in older specimens. Eventually, after 15-25 years, Agave salmiana produces a spectacular flowering spike. Initially resembling a giant asparagus, this floral stem hardens and branches out, eventually exceeding 4 metres in height. Each branch (about ten in total) bears dozens of 8 to 10 cm long, yellow flowers. The development of this giant inflorescence is surprisingly rapid and persists for many weeks, offering a magnificent spectacle. Exhausted by this effort, the rosette eventually dies, but perpetuates itself through the numerous offsets formed earlier. It is also possible to propagate this Agave from seed, but some variability may then appear compared to the parent plant, as with any sexual propagation.

Agave salmiana will thrive in Mediterranean regions and warm areas of the southwest. It can be grown in containers in cold climates to be overwintered indoors, but this is impractical due to its mature size. It is better to opt for a more compact plant, such as the magnificent Queen Victoria's Agave (Agave victoria reginae). In southern gardens, plant this Agave salmiana in full sun and well-drained soil, alongside cacti such as Opuntia, with its highly sculptural prickly pear pads, or Dasylirion, which forms a perfect sphere of long, slender leaves.