Is This Agave Dying?

[Stu77]

I'm in need of a bit of advice on a recent ebay purchase..

I recently purchased this agave knowing that it had some damage on the leaves, but i was told that it is due to the lower leaves dying off which i understand is the natural process.
I'm no expert but to me the roots don't look too healthy and I was wondering could this be the cause of the leaves dying?

If the roots are in a bad way, is there anything I can do to try and save the plant?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Stewart

[KLC]

You won't get any new root growth from that mass of dried roots. Cut all of that off leaving an inch or so of the old stuff still attached to the plant body, then stick it in moist soil and it will regrow new roots from the base. In a year you will have a new plant with new leaves.

I've grown and shipped thousands of agaves this way, that's how it's done. The only reason I see that the roots are left on after it has been removed from the pot is to show the buyer that it was indeed a rooted plant, I do the same thing most of the time. And yes it appears to have leaves dying off, not because of age but lack of water/ sun exposure when it was still in the pot. Not a big deal really, your agave looks to be healthy.

[mcvansoest]

I agree with KLC. On top of that I think the leaves were dying off because the plant was severely pot bound, which then leads to very little long term water retention in the soil that was left in the pot, so the plant was probably severely underwatered though it likely was on a normal watering schedule for Agaves. I see that happen in my collection when I have been too slow in up-potting plants that are ready for it. Pruning those roots back like KLC suggests and planting nice new soil should get that plant back on track in no time.

[Gee.S]

It looks like that because it was underpotted for quite a while. Difficult to provide the right amount of moisture for growing agaves when so little substrate. Pay heed to KLC. He knows of such things.

[Merlyn2220]

I bought an "Arizona Star" Weberi from a local nursery, they had left it sitting in a pot in a corner for probably 5-10 years. I made the mistake of just slicing off the pot and sticking it into the ground, with the monstrously compacted set of roots all intact. I should have sliced off the ancient dead roots, like KLC recommended. It sat in the ground and didn't move for over a year. I transplanted it 2 weeks ago and 100% of the old rootball had rotted away and it was finally growing new roots from the base. So I'd follow KLC's advice!