Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Saturday - September 13, 2014

From: Custer, KY
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Pruning, Shrubs
Title: How to Care for a Yucca after Blooming
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

We just moved into our home and there was an existing yucca plant in the yard and it had bloomed. There was some kind of vine growing in and around it. We tried to clean out the vine but I noticed a lot of roots growing around the bottom of the yucca plant. They are pretty large so I'm not sure if they are part of the yucca plant. I want to keep the yucca plant so do you have any answers or suggestions?

ANSWER:

Yucca are interesting in that the mother plant dies after it reaches maturity and flowers. But, most often the mother plant will send out several new offshoots before it dies. So carefully take a look at the base of your yucca to see if the mass of large roots might contain some new shoots that will grow into more yucca plants.  If they aren't attached to the mother plant and don't look like new yucca shoots, then they are probably roots from the vine that has grown through the yucca. If this is the case, you will have to carefully loosen the soil around the yucca and pull the vine roots from the yucca.

 

 

From the Image Gallery


Adam's needle
Yucca filamentosa

More Shrubs Questions

Native Ohio Shubs for Wildlife
July 20, 2015 - Hi, I'm looking to plant shrubs and bushes for in front of our home this week but would like to plant some that are good for wildlife including bees and birds. Do you have any suggestions for norther...
view the full question and answer

Native plants for a barrier hedge
October 13, 2008 - Is there a native hedge I can plant to provide privacy? I have hostile neighbors behind me and would rather plant a hedge than put up a fence. I looked through the Virginia native species and didn'...
view the full question and answer

Can rose Zephirine Drouhin damage brick from Springfield IL
August 22, 2010 - Can ZÉPHIRINE DROUHIN damage brick?
view the full question and answer

Trimming of Pineapple Sage and Salvia Greggii
October 07, 2007 - I live in Central Austin. My question is: When is the best time to trim back Pineapple Sage and Salvia Gregii? How far back should these plants be trimmed?
view the full question and answer

Evergreen for privacy screen in San Antonio
April 30, 2012 - I am looking to plant native fast-growing evergreens that will provide privacy (growing taller than our fence). We live in San Antonio and the Red Tip Photinia seems to be everywhere! I heard that t...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.