Native Plants

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Tuesday - July 07, 2015

From: Minneapolis, MN
Region: Midwest
Topic: Cacti and Succulents
Title: Yucca Blossoming in Minneapolis MN
Answered by: Larry Larson

QUESTION:

I have 4 yr old yucca that sent out a five foot spike with flowers! I live in Minneapolis; is this unusual ?

ANSWER:

Congratulations! – You nailed it, your Yucca has blossomed! As you weren’t specific about which Yucca you have – I’ve included pictures below of a few different varieties and their flower spikes.

The flowering itself isn’t unusual at all, even that it took four years to get to it. What I might consider unusual is that the yucca would be flourishing enough to flower in Minneapolis. In general, these plants are native to the desert southwest which has a significantly different climate! Yucca filamentosa (Adam's needle) is the best candidate as it is found farther north, even in a few places in Wisconson.