Plant ID-- huge whiteish cold tolerant "aloe vera-looking" succulent

[Darren Garrison]

Hoping for an id even though I don't have a picture. I saw one once on a garden show shown from North Carolina, so I thought it MIGHT be hardy here in the upper part of South Carolina. But this week I happened to drive by a huge one in somebody's yard, so obviously it is hardy for here.

It is a succulent, looks more or less like an Aloe vera, but it is several feet tall and around. It looks like it has a coating of powdered sugar. And it is a species that can tolerate zone 7 winters. Any ideas? I want one of those suckers.

[betsyb]

Should have stopped and asked the owners of the plant? Maybe they'd have even given you a cutting.

[Jim Kingdon]

Something like this?

one of these? in the Washington, DC area (zone 7), some kind of agaves or yuccas are moderately common, including in the house we bought. We have a nice big clump of three or so plants. They send up a nice flower spike with white flowers (especially striking at night). Ours does not die after flowering (some do, although they might send out additional plants first). But I don't know what species are most popular or work best (or even which one is in my yard, for that matter).

They are, of course, native to drier climates. But ours has required no maintenance and seems to be doing fine.

[Darren Garrison]

Thanks for the links, judging from the size (huge) and the need to be cold hardy, it is probably one of these:

cheap, too.

[Darren Garrison]

Might work if I was a woman. But since I'm a large hairy guy, they'd probably lock the door and call the police. :-)

[betsyb]

A smile on your face might have broken the ice had you tried? Costs nothing to ask.

Betsy

[Darren Garrison]

Followup question-- I ordered a couple of Agave_americana, a kind that is supposed to die after flowering. If mine do settle in and grow, can pruning flower stalks when they start to grow keep the plant alive, or would it die anyway?

[beecrofter]

sounds like agave, needs impeccable drainage for cold hardyness.