I call out this post being on agaves, but then start with photos of metal barrel cactus. What can I say? I like to keep you guessing.
The first rusty metal stand-in for a real succulent or cactus that I remember seeing was a barrel cactus in my brother's previous Phoenix neighborhood.
Then during my 2018 Arizona visit we stopped at a place selling
all manor of desert decoration along with a few rusty agaves in a basic style. Things have come a long way since those days, I couldn't believe all the different styles I saw on offer when we stopped at Retablo, a shop in Cave Creek, AZ, during my recent trip.
It was almost like when I discovered there were so many different agave species, not just the big blue Agave americana...
There was a style (and a finish) for everyone.
Rust in a can?
So what do you think? Regular (live) agaves, or rusty, never to rot (or succumb to agave snout weevil) agaves?
For me it's got to be the real thing.
My brother though, he's lost so many agaves to the evil weevil (Scyphophorus acupunctatus, see
Gerhard's post for more information), as well as off-the-charts summer heat, that he's all for a metal everlasting agave or two. Here he was comparing the three at the back to decide which was his favorite (the colorful one in the front was not in the running).
Here's the winner at home, back by his shop (he's an old car guy). I was voting for the smaller pink/rusty one in the middle (above), but I have to admit he made the right choice. The white one looks so good with his metal shop building and the car "collection." He's previously tried to grow a couple different palms in this spot, but they just couldn't handle the harsh sun, heat and drought, even with an irrigation moat.
That won't be a problem anymore.
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What a small world, I've been to that store. An old friend of mine lives in Cave Creek. I think your brother made the right choice, it looks perfect. The colorful one "not in the running" looks like a bloody chainsaw. The weather and critters they have to deal with I don't blame him. But I agree, I want the real thing.
ReplyDeleteI had the same thought about the bloody chainsaw, but didn't want to put that thought in people's brains. How funny that you've been there!
DeleteWow, that's the biggest selection of metal agaves I've ever seen. I have a few myself, both rusted and painted.
ReplyDeleteThere was another shop just across the street selling similar things, we didn't stop there, I wonder if they had even different styles?
DeleteI like a few of the metal agaves but can do without the majority of them. I imagine I'd just manage to slice up my leg at some point if I had one, though!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh... that's a scary thought!
DeleteI'd much prefer living agaves, but I certainly wouldn't say no to a few rusty metal accents. I do really like the rusty metal cacti that look like Parodia magnifica.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the low-key correction. I called them barrels but of course that's not what they are.
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