There aren't any. They are all monocarpic. But they can take many many years before they flower and they will produce offsets to replace the plant that bloomed.

Regardless, there aren't too many agave that are hardy to zone 5.

And some do not die immediately after flowering........it can take awhile........but the growth point that produced the flower stalk will eventually die.

Hardy to zone 5?? Must be kept inside during winter. Try to switch to Aloe? Some are Agave looking and are much nicer house plants. I have a bunch of Agaves myself and as house plants, they never seem to grow a flower stock. Although maybe taking a cold spell, with our long cold wet winters here in zone 6 Pittsburgh, PA they could never last a month in January.

There have been some cases of agaves not dying after flowering. This happens most commonly in Southern California, or at least the ones I have seen. I have seen Agave geminiflora and 'Blue Glow' not die after flowering in person and instead make new growth points around the flower. These new growth points were not pups; they branched off from the main plant. I forgot to take a picture of the ones I saw in person, but I found this thread.

Non-monocarpic agaves are not too well documented and I'm unsure if its just certain species or chance for all agaves. But, it is possible for an agave to not die after flowering.

Garrett, Is it possible that those agaves have hybrids with some thing close like yucca or another plant? Great info you supplied.

There are a couple of species that don't die, the clump formers with very narrow leaves--stricta I think is one. It forms a clump and the old original rosette survives if not to bloom again than at least for an extended time--several years.

Zone 5, no Agaves take that. Try Yucca rostrata, and keep it bone dry in winter under the overhang of the house. Someone here was growing it in Massachusetts successfully.

As to monocarpic, it really isn't a problem. Most Agaves in cultivation will produce at least an offset or two, or bulbils on the bloom stem to replace the original plant. Getting a fresh new plant every few years is a plus not a minus. Some Agaves produce more offsets than anyone can possibly want. Those that reproduce only from seed--Agaves are fairly easy to grow from seed--I've done it , and I'm not at all a skilled-grower-from-seed.

Agave ornithobroma flowers yearly and never dies, though it is a densely suckering species that is so dense it looks like a single rosette. The actual rosette that flowers stops growing after flowering, but the overall plant looks the same year after year, just getting a bit bigger and wider.

First off, let me say some folks who responded are not very helpful. I'm not inquiring which agaves are hardy in zone 5. I have no intention of trying to grow agaves outdoors in my zone 5 environment. Secondly, not all agaves die after flowering. There are about 208 species...some of which are monocarpic and others which aren't. I'm trying to identify those species (and hybrids) which are not monocarpic. If you don't know, then let someone else answer. Now let's see, thanks hoovb and palmbob for the helpful information...I will do some research on those species.

Wow, the very first thing you address is that some people aren't helpful in their responses to your questions? Aren't you the subtle one!

10 posts later later you write more than one sentence and it is somewhat insulting?

I'm being honest, folks. Comments like, "There aren't any. They are all monocarpic." and "There aren't too many agave that are hardy to zone 5" aren't helpful at all. That's not being nice...that's wasting my time. I'm doing the research myself...with hopes that I can find some of that information from agave growers like you!

Don,

Yes, completely understandable, but what's not understandable is you're ignoring a primary lesson when you're asking people for their time - you get more when you're not coming off as rude. You might call your method of review 'direct', but to most of us (including your humble reporter) you're sounding obnoxious.

However, in aid of answering your questions, Agave parryi may be hardy to Z5. All agaves are not monocarpic, but 99% are. There are a number of Agaves which are cold-hardy, but it depends on the cold. Starr Nursery is on the Web and is run by a great fellow (Greg Starr) who specializes in Agaves.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask, but you might consider softening your tone when you do - more bees with honey than with vinegar, you know?

The vast majority ARE monocarpic. The literature lists only a few species that are not - striata, bracteosa and ornithobroma are most frequently mentioned. There could be others but specific species information is often lacking in any detail.

Thank you, cactusmcharris. I apologize for being rude and insulting. I just felt that some folks who immediately responded either ignored my question (assuming I'm trying to grow agaves in zone 5) or responded without really knowing that some agaves are polycarpic, thus giving me wrong information. So let me try this again with a more pleasant tone. I will attempt to treat everyone with courtesy and appreciation.

Hello, I've read that some agaves are polycarpic and do not die after flowering. While most agaves are monocarpic, a few rare ones are polycarpic, i.e., the meristem does not die after flowering. Out of the 208 species and several hundred hybrids available, does anyone know which ones are polycarpic? I'm also trying to find a source for these specific varieties. I do not care what their zone hardiness is. I do not intend to grow them in my zone 5 garden. I would like to grow them in an herbarium or in a Florida site, zone 10. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you, gardengal. The polycarpic species I've read about are A. attenuata, ornithobroma, polycarpa, striata, and stricta. Perhaps there are additional species and hybrids which someone is aware of? Where is the best place to purchase them? I will check with Starr Nursery, as cactusmcharris mentioned. Are there other retailers anyone knows of for obtaining rare agaves?

FWIW, the fact that most are monocarpic should not, IMO, prohibit you from growing them. Many take a long time to flower, even in the climate that you have (I guess I should say that particularly in the climate you'll have them in, as Florida will allow you to have them in growth most of the year).

Here are two resources:

http://starr-nursery.com/

for plants and

http://www.agaveville.org/

for plants and knowledge, vast amounts of knowledge

Check your sources - there is NO species polycarpa and attenuata is definitely monocarpic but produces numerous offsets/runners that prolong lifespan, making it appear to be polycarpic.

If growing agave as houseplants (in those areas of the country where they are not hardy) I wouldn't worry about monocarpism at all...........chances of them blooming are slim to none.

Hi cactusmcharris and gardengal, My interest is not to grow them as houseplants, but to use them in a hybridizing program for doing some inter-sectional crosses with other plants. It would be a great advantage to select agave varieties which flower consistently every year without dying so they can be dependably used as pod and pollen parents. I will be working with some monocarpic agaves, but would like to have available several species of those which are polycarpic as well.

There is mention of a polycarpic agave named polycarpa at the following web address: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1048345/#b . I will try to verify whether or not that species exists. Meanwhile, as far as A. attenuata, I added it to my list after reading the following statement on the same posting: "I believe scientifically A. attenuata can be polycarpic with the potential for new growth from the main stem, etc., but for practical purposes it should be considered monocarpic."

"flower consistently every year " is likely a stretch, polycarpic or not!! and even less likely if grown indoors as opposed in their natural outdoor environment.

Thanks, gardengal. Yes, I'll have better results growing them outdoors In Zone 10 Florida. Sounds like I'd better get several agaves of various species to insure something is flowering at all times.

I wrote about this 'monocarpism' situation and added a lot of questions myself, here:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/4801

As for other Agaves that are obviously polycarpic, I only know of three (all listed above), and possibly Agave polyathafolia (seen 3 flower and not die, at least not visibly having problems even after flowers spent but have not been able to keep track of these plants much later as all were someone elses). But I can assure, Agaves bracteosa and attenuata are NOT monocarpic (have seen many flower, and so far, all have died in the process). As for the plants not dying without producing progeny, I would say the vast majority are successful in at least making a lot of copies of themselves, either in the form of bulbils or offsets, though some still disappoint (eg. Agave bovicornuta seems very reluctant to leave any relatives behind).

I have a Agave striata that I got from Yuccado and it blooms every year because it is a dense collection of pups. It blooms and meristem pups right after flowering

Here is another type of Agave Striata var falcata that is doing it too. This is the first time that this plant has flowered and one can see clearly the pups forming

I sure hope that my Agave striata 'Live wire' does the same.

I actually have TWO agaves at the end of my drive in big pots. Both bloomed, one put out pups, BOTH are producing AGAIN on every bloom!!! I live in Naples, Florida. I've had 2 others bloom and died completely. All purchased at the same nursery. I can post pics if anyone is interested.

Do you know their names. SURE we want pics!!

Most Agaves are certainly monocarpic, but not all. IMHO, this is not a particularly important point, because while a handful of polycarpic Agaves do survive blooming, they are generally hideous after doing so. A. geminiflora, A. striata, A. stricta and other Striatae Agaves are polycarpic, but in forming multiple new heads after blooming, lose the attractive rosette appearance that probably caught your eye in the first place. So after blooming, most are a disheveled mess that you may find interesting, but will probably no longer find attractive.

@ wantonamara: I have to admit, I do like your A. striata clump!

I have many babies from the green clumping mother that turn rust red in sun. Some of them are red and some are green. They are getting put out into the garden this year. A whole bank of them. The A striata 'Live Wire" has not bloomed yet. It has clumped 2 pups already.

What pic #2 this is doing is pupping under the dead part . Theses critters propagaTE AS they die. Pic #1 is making bulbiles (I might have the wrong botanical term, being the dilettante that I am) instead of seeds on the flower stem. This is also a trait.

GEES< I like the multi headed Agave striata. Chaos does not bug me . Matter of fact, a little chaos I find endearing.

OH , I did not answer your question.. The regrowth or bulbiles on the stem can be grown for new plants if you so want them or have a friend who would like to propagate them. I would keep them on the stem as long as they are getting life from it. Then I would separate them off the stem and pot them up in a gritty mix to get them rooting.. If the plants that are pupping in the pot are enough and no one wants the ones on the stem, toss the stem. Look carefully through the ones on the stem, you might see something with an interesting variation.

I know this is an old thread, but Agave Havardiana is hardy in zone 5b, I was looking to get one for my yard. I have a couple of agaves as house plants and find them to be really cool looking.

I don't think these are A havardiana... look on line. A. havadriana are hard to keep alive if you have wet cold. during the winter time.

Yeah, I'm not sure which ones those are. I know they aren't A. Havadriana, I was just suggesting which one I know to be hardy in colder zones. I wished I lived in a zone that allowed me to grow Agave's outside year round.

You might want to ask this in your own thread. You might get more responses.