Native Plants

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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Saturday - April 27, 2013
From: Scotch Plains, NJ
Region: Northeast
Topic: Propagation, Cacti and Succulents
Title: Loss of bloom stalk on Yucca filamentosa from Scotch Plains NJ
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
We have 3 Yucca filamentosa L. planted together, in NJ. A friend of ours was helping to remove the weeds, little did she know and removed the blooming stalk from the plants. By the time I saw, it was a little late and the blooming stalk was out from the base.:( The bottom of the blooming stalk was oval/oblong shaped. I really like when it flowers, does the blooming stalk grow back, may be next season??? Thanks!!ANSWER:
Yucca filamentosa (Adam's needle) is native to the area of Union Co., NJ. As a longtime Texas gardener, this Smarty Plants Team member is familiar with the Yucca genus; in fact, in some spots in West Texas that was about as close to trees as we had. Finding one native to the Northeast has always been a little startling to us.
The Yucca is a member of the Agavaceae (Century Plant) family, but is not an agave, which is a good thing. Century Plants will live from 8 to 40 years (not a century), sprout a tremendous bloom stalk, and then die because it has expended all its energy making those blooms. It is necessary to all plants to reproduce themselves, usually by seeds, so removing the bloom stalk from your yucca might even mean it will bloom again this year! It blooms from April until August and we have seen yuccas (although we have not grown filamentosa) sprout up to 6 bloom stalks a year, sometimes one after the other, sometimes all at once. The yucca has a slow growth rate, but its bloom stalks have a very high growth rate. So, while you probably would have seen blooms sooner if the bloom stalk had not been extracted, you will see blooms again, if not this year, then next.
Extracted from the Ohio State University Pocket Gardener site on Yucca filamentosa (Adam's needle) (note last item).
- performs best in full sun in moist, well-drained, deep soils, but it is extremely urban tolerant, including tolerance to poor soils, various soil pHs, soil compaction, heat, high light reflextion, extended drought, pollution, and Winter salt spray; however, it does not tolerate poor drainage or wet sites, and does not bloom in full shade
- propagated primarily by root segments and clump division, but also by seeds
- Agave Family, with few disease or pest problems
- abundantly available in container form
- the flowering stalk should be dead-headed (pruned away, all the way to the ground) after flowering is finished, as the fruiting stalk is unsightly and will persist for two or three years as "dead wood" unless it is removed
From the Image Gallery
More Cacti and Succulents Questions
Cleaning up Adams Needle yucca in Vancouver Island BC
May 19, 2009 - We have Adam's needle yucca's in our the flower bed of our newly purchased home here on Vancouver Island BC. They thrive and produce impressive flowers.
How do I clean them up in the spring time ...
view the full question and answer
Need plants to replace cedars on a 40 degree slope in Boerne, TX.
August 28, 2012 - My backyard is a roughly 40 degree slope that is covered with cedars. The slope is basically all rock, what can I grow here to replace the cedar which drink too much water. I would still like the area...
view the full question and answer
Bloom stalks on agave plants
September 26, 2007 - Hi,
We have Agave plants in our garden for years. But in the past few weeks, we noticed a giant asparagus looking thing growing out in the middle of the plants. We don't know what it is, but every d...
view the full question and answer
Twist-leaf Yucca flowering in Burnet County, TX.
June 16, 2015 - I recently moved to Burnet County and our property is full of twist leaf yuccas which are now blooming, but not all are blooming.
Why do some twist leaf yuccas bloom and others don't? Are they m...
view the full question and answer
Cutting bloom stalk of century plant in San Diego CA
June 25, 2010 - My 28 yr old century plant will bloom soon. I understand it will die. Will this 30 ft stalk then likely fall? Will I need to call someone to cut the dead stalk? The base is nearly 7 ft by 6ft - n...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |