Agaves too big for you?

[ralphrmartin]

Then why not grow Orostachys - these easily grown plants make rostettes which die after flowering, with big spikes of flowers - just like Agaves - but only 10cm high. They often offset before flowering.

This one is Orostachys minima:

[ralphrmartin]

And this is Orostachys boehmeri 'Keiko' in bud

[Patrick]

Never heard of those Ralph!

[ralphrmartin]

These are in the Crassulaceae family, from Asia, somewhat related to Sempervivums.

[edds]

Nice plants Ralph. I've tried to start Orthosanthus spinosus but never got the seed to germinate.

Doesn't quite match the presence of this Agave posted on another forum though! https://imgur.io/a/kkakm5J

[Paul in Essex]

Easier to pollinate, too

[DanielAdkins]

Are these known as Chinese Hat? If so I have noticed alot of these appearing in garden centres near me. I must admit they do look very nice in a display.

[ralphrmartin]

Yes, they do go under the name of Chinese Hat, or Chinese Dunce Cap, but Julian Shaw, a horticultural taxonomist with the RHS, told me that the correct name is Orostachys boehmeri 'Keiko'.

[DanielAdkins]

Yes Chinese Hat was just the common name that I remember seeing on the label. I presume that they are cold hardy? As I think they are indigenous to Japan. The larger plants that I saw in the display were nice looking with a slightly metallic colour to the leaves, and they were very reasonably priced compared with the other succulents in the alpine sections.

[WoBo]

At least here in Germany, the 'Chinese Hat' is a fixed part of the autumn assortments in garden centres. However, I had to learn that these plants never survive winter: Really every shoot, even the smallest one, will produce flowers, even if it is only a single one. An impressive sight, but quite annoying as they are labelled 'perennials' (what of course is correct for the original species). Can't tell if this the result of selecting a special clone, hormone treatment or whatever else. So, it's more like a bouquet of flowers than a plant you want to cultivate in your garden. As said, this is my experience in Germany, maybe it's different with you.

To end with a positive note, I add pics of a few more species of this genus:
Orostachys malacophylla ssp. iwarenge - or is it Orostachys boehmeri, too?

Orostachys malacophylla ssp. aggregata

Orostachys chanetii

Orostachys erubescens

All these species, unlike O. spinosus or O. minima, are +/- invisible during winter as they spend the resting period as tiny leaf buds, which are also encased in dry leaves.

Regards
Wolfgang