Agaves are adapted to dry, sunny weather in their native Central America. To protect against frost, plants in Central Europe have to go to suitable winter quarters in winter. After winter dormancy, the plants are sensitive.
Can agaves cause sunburn and how to avoid it?
Agaves can get sunburn, which appears as brown spots on the leaves. To avoid this, the plants should be placed in a partially shaded location without midday sun after winter rest and protected from rain.
Can agaves cause sunburn?
Even the sun-loving agavescan get sunburned The plants mainly come from Central America and cannot tolerate frost. In the cool winter quarters, the agaves do not get as much sun as in their homeland. If the plants are moved to the terrace or balcony after wintering, too much sun can cause sunburn on the agaves.
How do I recognize sunburn on agave plants?
Succulents like agave usually show sunburn asbrown spots on the leaves. These areas are slightly textured and resemble the scabs on wounds. After hibernation in colder, dark rooms, the tissue of the leaves is sensitive. The leaves have adapted to the lower light levels. The transition to strong sunlight takes a few days. If too much sun hits the leaves, the leaf tissue is permanently damaged. This causes the cells to die and the leaves to turn brown.
How do I avoid sunburn on agave plants?
After winter rest, place the agavenot in a full sun spot A partially shaded location without midday sun is optimal. Alternatively, you can shade the agave with a parasol (€14.00 on Amazon) or awning. Only after 2 weeks does the plant slowly move to its final sunny location. Since the tissue dies when sunburn occurs, the leaves no longer recover. If these are severely affected, they can be carefully removed with a sharp knife.
Tip
Protecting agaves against rain
Despite getting used to it, sunburn can occur on agave plants. This happens when the plant receives rain. When the sun shines on the raindrops on the leaves, the drops act like lenses. They increase the heat of the sun. This causes the leaves to burn. This is one of the reasons why agaves should always be protected from rain.
