Well not quite but have spent some time recently potting up some of the ones we have...
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| Mangave 'Inkblot' |
We've only every grown Manfreda before with moderate success and two Mangaves, 'Bloodspot' and 'Macho Mocha'. The former has done incredibly well for us in the conservatory until it bloomed a few years ago, while the latter struggled by being constantly nibbled by snails to the point of demise. This cross between an Agave and a Manfreda is monocarpic so once it blooms it can take awhile for resulting offsets and/or bulbils to be good enough to take over the mother plant.
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| Mangave 'Lavender Lady' and 'Red Wing' |
There are plenty of varieties out there, some I find more attractive than others and it's easy enough to get into collecting them. With space a premium in our garden we have to be selective and just go for the ones that really appeals to us. Fortunately they are not that hard to come by here in the UK these days as they are well distributed in garden centres here now. They have a very good marketing team and are appealing to both the garden and houseplant brigade.
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| Mangave 'Mission to Mars' |
From our limited experience they do well as houseplants too, for a sunny spot otherwise they lose the distinctive markings.
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| Mangave 'Pineapple Express' |
They also make for a great pot plant so matching them with an appropriate colour and shape of pot add to the fun of repotting them.
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| another Mangave 'Inkblot' |
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| Mangave 'Lavender Lady' |
Are you into mangaves too, and if so which ones are your favourite?
Mark :-)
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
No mangaves here and no plans for any but I did enjoy seeing them displayed in your garden. I can see that finding the right pot could be great fun 😂 Do you have to bring them indoors to overwinter?
ReplyDeleteHave to bring them in Anna, they mark quite easily with frosts
DeleteI have collected quite a few as they became available, but not all have thrived. I've slowly discovered which varieties need winter protection , which usually just involves moving the container closer to the west wall of the house or protecting from rain-if we ever have rain again. Best so far are 'Purple People Eater', 'Bloodspot','Moonglow' and 'Mission to Mars' . I love 'Pineapple Express' but it hates rain, hates frost and is besieged by snails.
ReplyDeleteThat’s very helpful Kathy, I have more ideas now which ones to go for that are less fussy
DeleteI started on a Mangave kick in 2015. My first was 'Bloodspot', which is currently developing a bloom spike. I have all those you've shown here with the exception of the very handsome 'Ink Spot'. I just picked up yet another on a nursery visit today - 'Night Owl'. I haven't even tried to count what I've got. Many are pups, including several 'Silver Fox' produced when my mature plant bloomed last year. They're addictive!
ReplyDeleteOh I can imagine Kris, it’s so easy to get into them!
DeleteI like them, but oddly, don't love them. Still trying to figure out why--maybe because they all seem to offset lavishly--and lots of offsets end up visually cluttered?
ReplyDeleteYours look really good.