In Pursuit of Agave Palmeri

Country:  USA    State:  Arizona     City:  Tucson

Tucson is situated in the Sonoran desert, and is surrounded by five mountain ranges. Its rich cultural heritage include Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo-American influences.  It is blessed with sunny days almost all the year, and it offers the perfect outdoor leisure experience for any visitor.

If you are new to Agaves, the state of Arizona is well suited to offer you an education. With a rich xeric landscape you will encounter a wide cross section of plants, and many other succulents.  It also provides a excellent mix of museums and gardens for added information.

AGAVE PALMERI

 This was my first Agave hunt in Arizona, and there was a lot of excitement building in me. The last time I visited Tucson, many years ago, I had hiked around the East Saguaro National Park, but that was non-specific, and dominated by the large Carnegiea Giganteas. This time was different, and definitely easier, as I was in tow with friends Martin, Greg and his mate, and all I had to do was to follow the leader. And yet, I almost missed it. The Palmeri Habitat was inside Base Fort Huachuca, a US military installation, fifteen miles from the Mexican border. It needed an ID to get in. Totally unaware of this, I had left my passport back at the hotel. It was left to a sweet talking member of our team to smoothe the way.

It worked, and I was soon on my way in. Minutes inside the base , I caught my first glimpses via flower stalks, but they appeared not the way I expected. I expected cohesive groups of plants almost as in an extended family. These were not like that; they appeared to be stand alone efforts, as if declaring a state of independence. And this pattern was largely followed in most areas.

At our first stop, I caught glimpses of plants lying low in the grass. Ron was right about wearing boots, as you need them to protect your ankles from the innocent looking grass seeds which once stuck, become difficult to remove. From the road, you can easily miss them, and I suspect that most people do. When I left London, I had not a single plant in my collection, that is about to change. They were immensely attractive, suggesting a kind of stately elegance in spite of their smaller size. Also remarkable about their presence, was the variation of the plants. The message was loud and clear; you may belong to the same family, but you do not have to look the same. 

Winston