Mail Order Catalog Fall 2010 - Cistus Nursery

Agave utahensis v. eborispina
Exquisite form, the most northern agave anywhere!, with 6-10" rosettes of chalky blue leaves dressed with ivory,
corkscrew spines, sometimes black-tipped, up to 1.5" long. Ooooh! Offsets to form small clumps. Bright sun
with very good drainage. Perfect for your limestone crevice. Frost hardy to well below 0F, USDA zone 7. (Did
we mention really really good drainage?)
$16.00
12
Agavaceae
Agave victoriae-reginae 'Porcupine'
This selection from Yucca Do Nursery has indeed white-tipped, porcupine quill-like leaves with gentle patterning
on a symmetric plant (think of the shape of artichokes), making it a more dazzling creature than the typical
Agave victoriae-reginae. Slow growing but worth the wait. Bright light, good drainage, and, preferably, protection
from winter wet. Frost hardy to below 10 to 15F, USDA zone 8, depending on moisture.
$15.00
Agavaceae
Agave victoriae-reginae var. compacta queen victoria agave
A beautiful compact form of an ever-popular species. Each olive green rosette consists blunt, black-spined leaves
marked with wide, silvery white striations. Each rosette grows to about 6" or less in width, clumping after a year
or two. Bright light and good drainage. One of the hardier species, originally from near Saltillo in northern
Mexico, it has been rated frost hardy to 10F, USDA zone 8, but has survived in dry winter places such as Denver
to well below 0F, zone 7. If this makes you nervous, it makes a beautiful potted specimen.
$15.00
Agavaceae
Agave x arizonica - cl 2
Wonderful endemic from central Arizona, almost undoubtedly a natural hybrid, originally from only a few plants
growing among chaparral in miniature oaks and manzanita. This selection, given to us by the late agave God,
Howard Scott Gentry, is of great ornamental and sentimental value to us. Rosettes are fairly slow growing, to 12"
or so, with glossy green leaves edged in mahogany, slowly forming a colony to 2 ft across. Beautiful for rock
garden, dry stone wall, or container. Not particularly fussy about moisture, though careful drainage and bright
light are always a plus, and drier winter conditions can add several degrees. In our high desert, eastern Oregon
garden survived a dip to -12F, upper zone 5, in 1990 under bone-dry conditions.
$22.00
Agavaceae
Agave x ferdinandi-regis
This little century plant comes from one of the more exciting habitats in agaveland, a series of mountains
northeast of Saltillo in northwestern Mexico where the beautiful A. victoriae-reginae crosses with both A.
scabra and A. lechugilla. The form of this plant is particularly upright, its leaves marked white with a pinkish
gray cast and topped with black spines. Reaching 12-18" and offsetting freely, it is hardy to between 0 and 10F,
USDA zone 7, with excellent drainage. Full sun. Excellent pot specimen.
$16.00
Agavaceae
Agave x gracilis
The name A. gracilis applies to a group of plants in northwestern Texas into New Mexico, natural hybrids
between A. lecheguilla and A. neomexicana. This forms blue-gray rosettes of narrow leaves with horizontal
striping. Rosettes of about 12” make a dense colony if allowed. Bright light and average to gritty, well-drained
soil. Collected in the Guadeloupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico at 6200 ft making frost hardiness
probable well into USDA zone 6.
$15.00
Agavaceae
Spring 2010 Mail Order Catalog (* = new to mail order list)