2011 Plant Puzzler #5 December 19th

Plant Puzzler 4 Ready for the Latest, Plant Lovers? Lots of good guesses this week, and some close calls, too! This Mystery Plant was tricky because it bears a strong resemblance to its agave cousins. Many guessers accurately identified the species, Agave vilmoriniana, but then broke into divergent camps in terms of the cultivar, with 'Stained Glass' and 'Variegata' being the top two.

Perhaps surprisingly, 'Variegata' is a variety of agaves that is no longer grown. Once it was discovered, 'Stained Glass' gained immediate popularity for its brighter colors and stronger contrast. It was also our choice for last week's Plant Puzzler! Congratulations Megan, Chris, Greg, Madeline, Nick, and Kaveh!

Remember: Your accurate guesses are building the donation cache which will benefit the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden. Our Facebook page will contain a hint this Wednesday, December 21st for this week's Mystery Plant.

Plant Puzzler 5 This One's Got Flower Power

I'm what's known as a "sub-shrub"
I grow in tidy 3x4 mounds
My leaves are deeply dissected
My blooms are a rich, vibrant purple that fades as time passes
Per season, I'm one of the longest-blooming plants on the Central Coast