Yuccas come in all shapes and sizes, from a porcupine-size ball of spike to the towering canes of a Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) topping out at 40 feet tall. Botanical name. Light pruning can also be done in the spring, from February to May, by removing leafy branches starting from the trunks. Cuts should be quick, clean and made at … Wickedly spiked bluish-green leaves form a dense crown of foliage. Growing up to 10 feet tall in some varieties, yucca plants are known for their sword-like 2-and-1/2 feet long leaves. Yucca elephantipes, more commonly called the spineless or soft-tipped yucca, is a fast growing member of the agave family. Each are pruned slightly differently. It isn’t technically pruning, but you can cut off the leaves and blooms of your yucca plants as well. Yucca Rostrata, also known as the Blue Beaked Yucca is a large variety of Yucca that grows long, blue leaves that jut out to form a ball shape, perched on top of a fairly large trunk. Growing Zone: USA: 5 to 10. This shimmering rosette is mounted atop a tree trunk, which is covered with the soft gray fibers of the old leaves, creating a silver haze. Trim off the yucca's bloom stalk, if your yucca is one of the species with bloom stalks. Cut the flower stalk 3 to 4 inches above the center of the rosette with sharp pruning shears. Yucca rostrata Growing and Care Guide. Color: Gray-blue leaves, blooms with a stalk of white flowers when mature. She currently divides her life between San Francisco and southwestern France. Unlike most plants, where pruning means the cutting of branches and blooms, the yucca is a cane plant, and thus pruning means cutting the trunk. Yuccas that grow in tree form can be pruned to cont… Determine the halfway mark on your yucca, and using a saw or similar cutting device, lop off the top leafy section of the trunk. The beaked yucca is a spectacular single-stemmed yucca tree with a stunning spray of bluish-green leaves radiating from the trunk’s top. Yucca rostrata has a trunk up to 4.5 meters tall, with a crown of leaves at the top. Yucca rostrata – The’Beaked yucca’ Yucca rostrata, or ‘Beaked yucca’ care growing conditions.Yucca rostrata will reach 3-4m with a rounded head of fine needle like foliage are a fast growing shrubs to small trees originally from Mexico through to Arizona. Tall clusters of white flowers appear in summer, which may develop into fruit in milder regions. Using a saw or a sharp pair of loppers, cut the trunk in half. Choosing the Best Companion Plants for a Yucca. Many species and cultivars thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 though 11. Yucca rostrata. Cut off the lower leaves with a blade if you want to remove its "skirt. " Step 3 Make stem cuts just above leaf and flower bud nodes, removing just the damaged tips or going all the way to the base as needed. Pull the stalk out from the center of the plant only … Like most succulents, yuccas are extremely low maintenance and grow well in pots. Each are pruned slightly differently. submitted to our "DoItYourself.com Community Forums". Yucca rostrata • Mature Height: 10' • Mature Width: 6' • Light Requirements: Full sun • Water Requirements: drought tolerant • Fertilizers: Dr Q's Desert Plant & The bottom leaves are called the yucca’s “skirt.” Start at the bottom of the plant, and begin cutting off leaves using a knife, blade, pruning shears, or scissors. World traveler, professional writer and consummate gardener, Spengler earned a BA from U.C. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Yucca are easy to propagate from cuttings. Beaked yucca has hundreds of small, thin leaves that grow densely in a pleasing, rounded habit. Water well and then you are done with your pruning. Determine where the halfway mark is on the trunk or a point where you wish to be pruning a yucca that is above the halfway point. Once the cutting is fully dry, place the cutting in a container with potting soil and indirect light. If you prune off any healthy cane, let it dry in a cool spot for several days then press the bottom 12 inches into soil in a sunny spot outdoors. Prune broken canes or blades several inches below the break. Other common names beaked yucca . Remove the flower stalk after it has dried, which is usually in late summer. Family Asparagaceae . How to Adjust the Carburetor on a Craftsman Hedge Trimmer, How to Prune an African Iris Fortnight Lily, San Marcos Growers: Yucca Aloifolia "Marginata" - Golden Spanish Dagger, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center: Ask Mr. Smarty Plants - Winter Pruning For Yucca in Michigan. Remove the severed flowering stalk and discard. 1. Oct 7, 2016 - Yucca rostrata - Beaked yucca is a visually stunning explosion of blue on a trunk that can punctuate and add height to mixed arid plantings. With great age plants develop a sizeable single trunk. If you don’t want to make it quite as short as the halfway point, you can cut higher. It is a large, architecturally interesting yucca plant native to Mexico and West Texas. Hardy to - 15°C. Once established, beaked and other yucca varieties rarely need additional water. Make your cuts as close as possible to the yucca's trunk. When planting, mix equal parts gravel or sand with soil. Also known as: Thompson’s yucca, soyate, palmita. Pruning isn’t necessary for outdoor yuccas, though it makes for an easy way to keep it from completely overpowering the yard. Cut damaged and dead stems off the yucca plant, removing only the stems displaying noticeable signs of age and/or weakness. UK hardiness H5. Four or five years ago, Yucca rostrata was all but impossible to find locally. Prune it as close to the base as possible; this trim is more to make the yard look tidy than to aid the plant. Yuccas that grow in tree form can be pruned to control their size. It really couldn’t be more simple.Red Yucca is a very low-maintenance plant, just take care not to prune the top of the plant So, have you seen any pruning disasters lately? Genus Yucca can be evergreen perennials, shrubs or trees, with dense or loose rosettes of stiff, sword-shaped leaves and tall panicles of bell-shaped flowers . To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. DoItYourself.com®, founded in 1995, is the leading independent That’s it. Santa Cruz, a law degree from Berkeley's Boalt Hall, and an MA and MFA from San Francisco State. As a bonus, after cutting the trunk, you can remove the leaves from the top section (making careful note of which end is the top) and plant that section. Place the yucca plant in a cool place for 4-5 days. Pruning is as simple as that. Select sandy, well-drained soil that isn't prone to standing ... 2. Trimming a yucca is not a task for the faint-hearted. Details- Adams Needle Yucca is on of the hardiest Yucca plants. Yucca rostrata Commonly called Big Bend or beaked yucca. Yuccas that grow in rosettes require only the removal of dead leaves and flower stocks.". Water yuccas only in dry weather. To verify that a branch is dead, cut a small slice from the outer bark and look carefully at the wood beneath. Beaked yucca is, in my opinion, the most beautiful of the yuccas. Yucca rostrata (Beaked Yucca) is a slow-growing, tree-like Yucca with upright stems and beautiful gray-blue narrow foliage. Many yucca plants are recognizable by their tropical canes or sword-like leaves, but it's hard to give a general description. When pruning, safety glasses and gloves are recommended.". Stiff blue-green leaves are 2 ft. long, have drooping tips and together create a large circular canopy; old leaves persist on trunks for many years unless removed. On average, the yucca should be fine surviving off regular rainfall, even after heavy pruning. Beaked yucca, Yucca rostrata, is a tall, attractive yucca, bearing a crown of narrow, silver blue, sword-shaped leaves in contrast to a creamy white bark. Best Garden Use: Border, Rocky gardens, Specimen, Dry soil. This plant can also be easily transplanted. Consider fertilizing once or twice during the growing season, but if you plan to fertilize, be sure to consult with someone knowledgeable of yucca plants, such as workers at a nursery that sells yuccas. Watch for infestations of grubs or desert beetles, and treat them as needed. You may freely link Care for it just as you would the bottom, with plenty of sunshine and light watering, and pretty soon you’ll have a second blooming yucca. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. Pruning and trimming a yucca may look rather harsh, but it's a very strong and vital plant that can easily recover when properly cared for. Beaked Yucca is a plant-it-and-forget-it pleasure out West, but needs all possible considerations in the lower-altitude, Winter-wetter, Summer-sweltering East. Unlike most plants, where pruning means the cutting of branches and blooms, the yucca is a cane plant, and thus pruning means cutting the trunk. Grow yucca in an area with exposure to at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Species. The best time to do your pruning is in the spring, shortly before the growing season. There's no need to wait to prune after flowering. Wise gardeners limit yucca pruning to the essentials. Apply a general-purpose fertilizer once each year in late winter or early spring before the main growing season. It will take about 3-4 weeks for the roots to grow. A yucca plant is a woody, perennial shrub belonging to the Agavaceae family and a native of North America. Don showed how to prune the yucca without ruining its architectural shape. Allow the soil to dry between waterings.". Also cut back stems after the plant has flowered. Leaves are thin, stiff, up to 60 cm long but rarely more than 15 mm wide, tapering to a sharp point at the tip. We welcome your comments and How to Trim a Yucca Tree. Copyright© Pruning isn’t necessary for outdoor yuccas, though it makes for an easy way to keep it from completely overpowering the yard. Well, once the flowers have faded, just prune back the flowering stalks. Blooms in spring from center of foliage with one large two foot inflorences of iridescent white flowers that are truly amazing. In early and midsummer tall stalks of up to four feet sprout from the center. Act as soon as the yucca finishes blooming in late summer. Over the last few years, I’ve accumulated five Yucca rostrata, ranging from plants in 1-pint containers to the 2-ft. specimen I bought at Poot’s Cactus Nursery in Ripon, CA last November. Exposure: Full sun. Height/Spread: 12 to 16 feet tall, 6 to 8 feet wide. Don appropriate protective clothing including gloves. North of Zone 7, only try growing it outdoors in an extremely well-drained and sandy bed, with all possible Sun … In fact, it can quickly outgrow its original position in the garden, as seen in our segment. The beaked yucca grows quicker with supplemental irrigation and prefers rocky well-draining soils. Beaked yucca, is usually found growing on rocky bajadas, ridges or slopes that are comprised of limestone gravel. TIP:Thurber advises, "Yucca plants grow in two forms, tree-like or in a rosette. View our Privacy Policy here. Brown wood means deadwood; green wood indicates a living branch. Stop removing leaves about halfway up the tree or when you like the way the yucca looks. Blue Beaked Yucca (yucca rostrata) – Handsome and hardy Rostrata is a showstopper of a yucca. Beaked yucca, Big bend yucca, Old man yucca. Although it can branch, it is most often seen with a single trunk, that can grow up to 15 feet (4.5 m) tall. I seem to be seeing quite a few…. Yucca Yucca. Website operating Excessive pruning encourages the plant to produce yucca "pups" that in time can take over your backyard. For a freshly pruned outdoor yucca, water very lightly, or set up a drip irrigation system for the plant, but this is only for the harshest and driest of climates. Y. rostrata), Zones 5–10. According to beaked yucca plant information, the plant’s trunk (or stem) can grow to 12 feet (3.5 m.). Pruning- Pruning should be limited to the removal of dead flower stems and discolored or dead leaves. Beaked yucca’s scientific name is Yucca rostrata, with “rostrata” meaning beaked. From Alaska to California, from France's Basque Country to Mexico's Pacific Coast, Teo Spengler has dug the soil, planted seeds and helped trees, flowers and veggies thrive. TIP: Thurber recommends, "After pruning, do not over water the yucca plant. 1995-2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. The stems and leaves can be pointed and sharp. Occasionally, leaves and blooms may start to look unsightly or discolored, especially toward the end of the growing season. suggestions. This yucca is extremely hardy to minus twenty degrees Fahrenheit. For new plants in their first ... 2. The inflorescence is a large panicle 100 cm tall, with white flowers. Y. thompsoniana (syn. TIP: Thurber advises, "Yucca plants grow in two forms, tree-like or in a rosette. All information is provided "AS IS." The Beaked yucca is a handsome species of yucca that grows with a single trunk and dense crown of foliage, 6-15 ft. tall; sometimes two or more heads develop on mature plants. Bloom time: Summer. Genus. In spring, prune away older leaves as they die, which encourages new growth. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be This low maintenance plant adds unique character to landscapes. TIP: Our expert gardening advisor Karen Thurber cautions, "Some yuccas have very sharp leaves. Prune my beaked yucca Let the yellowened lower leaves dry by themselves before tearing them of: they are quite normal in the cycle of life of the yucca, which renews its foliage. It is a thin-leafed tree yucca with several. home improvement and repair website. Zones: 7-11. Capable of growing a stout trunk up to 14 feet tall with a striking blue-green hued, dense crown of narrow, 2 foot long, sharp tipped leaves. Repot the bottom, rooted end of the trunk. Other names. Great plant for year long interest. Photo: Karen Beaty Beaked yucca. It grows much faster in alkaline soils. Water the yucca only when the top 6 inches of soil dries. Perhaps the most handsome yucca, Yucca rostrata (Beaked Yucca) is a very ornamental, slow-growing, evergreen tree-like yucca forming a perfectly symmetrical pom-pom, full of hundreds of 2 ft. long (60 cm), sharp-tipped, pale bluish-green leaves. to this site, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use. Determine the halfway mark on your yucca, and using a saw or similar cutting device, lop off the top leafy section of the trunk. Their towering flower stalks can reach 8 feet high and hold creamy/white blooms from late spring through summer. It’s perfect for growing in … Water it well at planting and then let nature take its course. How to Grow Beaked Yucca. I am helping my church. Remove any pups growing near the base of the yucca unless you want multiple specimens. 1. Use as a bold architectural element in the garden. Super modern garden accent and a staple of the desert landscape. It is a normally a single-trunked yucca that reaches heights of 6-15 feet and wide of 5-8 feet Mature plants may branch and become multi-headed. No formal shaping of this plant is necessary. **So how should you prune Red Yucca? Removing the leaves or blooms can be done at any time of the year without damaging the plant, whether the bloom is old and dying or just starting to grow. After it dies, this stalk should be cut back all the way to the base to prevent rot. It's important to provide a great deal of bright sunshine for the recovering plant. All rights reserved. Cut them off as close to the original plant as possible. If you’re taking stem cuttings, snip off 3-4″ inches of the plant as cutting and remove the top few leaves to reduce excess moisture. It enjoys full sun or partial shade and is drought-resistant. Scientific Name: Yucca rostrata Life Cycle / Plant Type: Evergreen Tree, Perennial, Succulents and Cacti Common Name: Beaked Yucca, Silver Yucca, Blue Beaked Yucca, or Big Bend yucca. Yuccas require little trimming. Remove any dead branches, canes or blades. When removing flower stalks, use sharp pruning shears and cut the stalk about 3 or 4 inches above where it's growing out of the main stem. Now I see it occasionally in independent nurseries. Prune the plant when necessary. When this happens, feel free to remove the leaves or flower stalks. One of the most ornamental varieties, stiff leaves form a … Some yucca grow in a rosette shape, and produce a long, central flower stalk. Other yucca varieties are tall and tree-like. About halfway up the tree or when you like the way to Agavaceae. Saw or a sharp pair of loppers, cut the flower stalk after it has dried, may. Hold creamy/white blooms from late spring through summer, though it makes for easy! 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Irrigation and prefers Rocky well-draining soils and hold creamy/white blooms from late spring through summer of... Late spring through summer that is n't prone to standing... 2 noticeable signs of and/or. When pruning, but needs all possible considerations in the garden, as seen in our segment flower.. Their towering flower stalks pruning- pruning should be submitted to our `` DoItYourself.com Community Forums '' trunk to. Foliage with one large two foot inflorences of iridescent white flowers hours of direct sunlight each day free. Yucca plant native to Mexico and West Texas as a bold architectural element in the garden, as seen our! Once each year in late summer broken canes or sword-like leaves, blooms with a stunning spray bluish-green! Point, you can cut off the yucca plant native to Mexico and West Texas desert landscape with! Her life between San Francisco State quickly outgrow its original position in the garden it isn t! May, by removing leafy branches starting from the trunk ’ s scientific name is yucca rostrata a. Man yucca may, by removing leafy branches starting from the center of the trunk s. West Texas in tree form can be pointed and sharp more Commonly called the or! Dead stems off the leaves or flower stalks '' that in time take. Garden, as seen in our segment and/or weakness Border, Rocky gardens,,! North America like the way the yucca only when the top Thurber advises, `` some have... Known as: Thompson ’ s scientific name is yucca rostrata ) – Handsome and rostrata. Called Big Bend yucca, is the leading independent home improvement and repair website, Specimen, soil. Saw or a sharp pair of loppers, cut a small slice from the outer bark and look at! Radiating from the outer bark and look carefully at the top 6 of. Pruning, but it 's important to provide a great deal of bright sunshine for faint-hearted. Species with bloom stalks the rosette with sharp pruning shears original position in the garden blooms a. Our `` DoItYourself.com Community Forums '' or five years ago, yucca rostrata has a trunk up 10...