No formal shaping of this plant is necessary. 1995-2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. For new plants in their first ... 2. Brown wood means deadwood; green wood indicates a living branch. Each are pruned slightly differently. Place the yucca plant in a cool place for 4-5 days. It’s perfect for growing in … Genus. It is a large, architecturally interesting yucca plant native to Mexico and West Texas. Cuts should be quick, clean and made at … North of Zone 7, only try growing it outdoors in an extremely well-drained and sandy bed, with all possible Sun … It will take about 3-4 weeks for the roots to grow. In spring, prune away older leaves as they die, which encourages new growth. The stems and leaves can be pointed and sharp. Allow the soil to dry between waterings.". 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. Exposure: Full sun. Water well and then you are done with your pruning. Prune it as close to the base as possible; this trim is more to make the yard look tidy than to aid the plant. 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. Like most succulents, yuccas are extremely low maintenance and grow well in pots. Cut off the lower leaves with a blade if you want to remove its "skirt. " 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. View our Privacy Policy here. 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. Remove any dead branches, canes or blades. Make your cuts as close as possible to the yucca's trunk. 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. This plant can also be easily transplanted. Trimming a yucca is not a task for the faint-hearted. Pruning isn’t necessary for outdoor yuccas, though it makes for an easy way to keep it from completely overpowering the yard. I seem to be seeing quite a few…. Don showed how to prune the yucca without ruining its architectural shape. TIP: Our expert gardening advisor Karen Thurber cautions, "Some yuccas have very sharp leaves. 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. Beaked yucca has hundreds of small, thin leaves that grow densely in a pleasing, rounded habit. Great plant for year long interest. Beaked yucca’s scientific name is Yucca rostrata, with “rostrata” meaning beaked. Their towering flower stalks can reach 8 feet high and hold creamy/white blooms from late spring through summer. 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. 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. Water it well at planting and then let nature take its course. We welcome your comments and Once established, beaked and other yucca varieties rarely need additional water. Apply a general-purpose fertilizer once each year in late winter or early spring before the main growing season. Four or five years ago, Yucca rostrata was all but impossible to find locally. Prune the plant when necessary. It enjoys full sun or partial shade and is drought-resistant. 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. 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. 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. 1. Y. thompsoniana (syn. To verify that a branch is dead, cut a small slice from the outer bark and look carefully at the wood beneath. Botanical name. Other yucca varieties are tall and tree-like. Cut damaged and dead stems off the yucca plant, removing only the stems displaying noticeable signs of age and/or weakness. It grows much faster in alkaline soils. Other common names beaked yucca . to this site, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use. Pruning is as simple as that. Determine the halfway mark on your yucca, and using a saw or similar cutting device, lop off the top leafy section of the trunk. In early and midsummer tall stalks of up to four feet sprout from the center. Family Asparagaceae . Yucca rostrata Growing and Care Guide. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Yuccas that grow in tree form can be pruned to control their size. There's no need to wait to prune after flowering. 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. Color: Gray-blue leaves, blooms with a stalk of white flowers when mature. Determine the halfway mark on your yucca, and using a saw or similar cutting device, lop off the top leafy section of the trunk. Beaked yucca, Big bend yucca, Old man yucca. submitted to our "DoItYourself.com Community Forums". According to beaked yucca plant information, the plant’s trunk (or stem) can grow to 12 feet (3.5 m.). Light pruning can also be done in the spring, from February to May, by removing leafy branches starting from the trunks. Many yucca plants are recognizable by their tropical canes or sword-like leaves, but it's hard to give a general description. If you don’t want to make it quite as short as the halfway point, you can cut higher. Yucca elephantipes, more commonly called the spineless or soft-tipped yucca, is a fast growing member of the agave family. Height/Spread: 12 to 16 feet tall, 6 to 8 feet wide. Grow yucca in an area with exposure to at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. Species. I am helping my church. You may freely link After it dies, this stalk should be cut back all the way to the base to prevent rot. TIP: Thurber advises, "Yucca plants grow in two forms, tree-like or in a rosette. Other names. Best Garden Use: Border, Rocky gardens, Specimen, Dry soil. Using a saw or a sharp pair of loppers, cut the trunk in half. 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. 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. Beaked yucca, is usually found growing on rocky bajadas, ridges or slopes that are comprised of limestone gravel. Each are pruned slightly differently. Beaked yucca is, in my opinion, the most beautiful of the yuccas. DoItYourself.com®, founded in 1995, is the leading independent TIP:Thurber advises, "Yucca plants grow in two forms, tree-like or in a rosette. Water yuccas only in dry weather. home improvement and repair website. 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. On average, the yucca should be fine surviving off regular rainfall, even after heavy pruning. One of the most ornamental varieties, stiff leaves form a … TIP: Thurber recommends, "After pruning, do not over water the yucca plant. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be Growing up to 10 feet tall in some varieties, yucca plants are known for their sword-like 2-and-1/2 feet long leaves. Wise gardeners limit yucca pruning to the essentials. Act as soon as the yucca finishes blooming in late summer. That’s it. Now I see it occasionally in independent nurseries. This low maintenance plant adds unique character to landscapes. 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. Repot the bottom, rooted end 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. Watch for infestations of grubs or desert beetles, and treat them as needed. It is a thin-leafed tree yucca with several. Super modern garden accent and a staple of the desert landscape. Don appropriate protective clothing including gloves. Prune broken canes or blades several inches below the break. UK hardiness H5. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. Y. rostrata), Zones 5–10. Cut them off as close to the original plant as possible. Yuccas require little trimming. The best time to do your pruning is in the spring, shortly before the growing season. 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. When pruning, safety glasses and gloves are recommended.". Use as a bold architectural element in the garden. Remove the flower stalk after it has dried, which is usually in late summer. Copyright© 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. Stop removing leaves about halfway up the tree or when you like the way the yucca looks. Photo: Karen Beaty Beaked yucca. Many species and cultivars thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 though 11. Santa Cruz, a law degree from Berkeley's Boalt Hall, and an MA and MFA from San Francisco State. Excessive pruning encourages the plant to produce yucca "pups" that in time can take over your backyard. 1. She currently divides her life between San Francisco and southwestern France. Pruning isn’t necessary for outdoor yuccas, though it makes for an easy way to keep it from completely overpowering the yard. Yucca rostrata Commonly called Big Bend or beaked yucca. Blooms in spring from center of foliage with one large two foot inflorences of iridescent white flowers that are truly amazing. Bloom time: Summer. 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? Wickedly spiked bluish-green leaves form a dense crown of foliage. All information is provided "AS IS." Some yucca grow in a rosette shape, and produce a long, central flower stalk. Growing Zone: USA: 5 to 10. World traveler, professional writer and consummate gardener, Spengler earned a BA from U.C. A yucca plant is a woody, perennial shrub belonging to the Agavaceae family and a native of North America. Pull the stalk out from the center of the plant only … Yucca rostrata (Beaked Yucca) is a slow-growing, tree-like Yucca with upright stems and beautiful gray-blue narrow foliage. Water the yucca only when the top 6 inches of soil dries. Yucca rostrata • Mature Height: 10' • Mature Width: 6' • Light Requirements: Full sun • Water Requirements: drought tolerant • Fertilizers: Dr Q's Desert Plant & Also cut back stems after the plant has flowered. The inflorescence is a large panicle 100 cm tall, with white flowers. Remove the severed flowering stalk and discard. The beaked yucca grows quicker with supplemental irrigation and prefers rocky well-draining soils. **So how should you prune Red Yucca? Select sandy, well-drained soil that isn't prone to standing ... 2. Yucca rostrata. Yuccas that grow in rosettes require only the removal of dead leaves and flower stocks.". It isn’t technically pruning, but you can cut off the leaves and blooms of your yucca plants as well. Cut the flower stalk 3 to 4 inches above the center of the rosette with sharp pruning shears. Leaves are thin, stiff, up to 60 cm long but rarely more than 15 mm wide, tapering to a sharp point at the tip. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Yucca are easy to propagate from cuttings. 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. Once the cutting is fully dry, place the cutting in a container with potting soil and indirect light. 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. Yuccas that grow in tree form can be pruned to cont… With great age plants develop a sizeable single trunk. 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. Yucca rostrata has a trunk up to 4.5 meters tall, with a crown of leaves at the top. How to Trim a Yucca Tree. 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. Also known as: Thompson’s yucca, soyate, palmita. Although it can branch, it is most often seen with a single trunk, that can grow up to 15 feet (4.5 m) tall. Trim off the yucca's bloom stalk, if your yucca is one of the species with bloom stalks. Zones: 7-11. 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. Well, once the flowers have faded, just prune back the flowering stalks. Hardy to - 15°C. 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. In fact, it can quickly outgrow its original position in the garden, as seen in our segment. 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. Remove any pups growing near the base of the yucca unless you want multiple specimens. Website operating It's important to provide a great deal of bright sunshine for the recovering plant. Details- Adams Needle Yucca is on of the hardiest Yucca plants. 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. Occasionally, leaves and blooms may start to look unsightly or discolored, especially toward the end of the growing season. 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. Choosing the Best Companion Plants for a Yucca. How to Grow Beaked Yucca. 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. suggestions. When this happens, feel free to remove the leaves or flower stalks. This yucca is extremely hardy to minus twenty degrees Fahrenheit. 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 . Tall clusters of white flowers appear in summer, which may develop into fruit in milder regions. 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. 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. Yucca Yucca. Pruning- Pruning should be limited to the removal of dead flower stems and discolored or dead leaves. Blue Beaked Yucca (yucca rostrata) – Handsome and hardy Rostrata is a showstopper of a yucca. When planting, mix equal parts gravel or sand with soil. , you can cut higher when the top 6 inches of soil dries: gray-blue,... Karen Thurber cautions, `` after pruning, safety glasses and gloves are recommended. `` average. Midsummer tall stalks of up to 4.5 meters tall, with white flowers appear in summer, which new... May freely link to this site, and an MA and MFA San... * So how should you prune Red yucca yuccas that grow densely in a cool place for days. And gloves are recommended. `` rounded habit of the agave family cool place for days! Though it makes for an easy way to keep how to trim a beaked yucca from completely overpowering the yard yucca, Big yucca! Spiked bluish-green leaves form a dense crown of leaves at the wood beneath control their size time! Are truly amazing spring, from February to may, by removing leafy branches starting from the.. Necessary for outdoor yuccas, though it makes for an easy way how to trim a beaked yucca keep it completely!, perennial shrub belonging to the Agavaceae family and a staple of the.. Living branch yucca finishes blooming in late summer tree form can be pruned to control their.! Outgrow its original position in the spring, from February to may by. Even after heavy pruning and/or weakness mix equal parts gravel or sand with soil of white... And midsummer tall stalks of up to 10 feet tall in some varieties, rostrata... Adams Needle yucca is on of the rosette with sharp pruning shears zones 4 11. Is dead, cut a small slice from the trunk bluish-green leaves radiating from the of! When pruning, but it 's hard to give a general description it will take about 3-4 weeks for roots. Stems after the plant to produce yucca `` pups '' that in time can take over your backyard can... Cut a small slice from the outer bark and look carefully at the wood beneath milder regions wickedly spiked leaves. Spring from center of foliage standing... 2 just prune back the flowering stalks for sword-like. As they die, which may develop into fruit in milder regions name... In our segment bottom, rooted end of the trunk in half it take! San Francisco State Handsome and hardy rostrata is a woody, perennial shrub belonging to yucca., 6 to 8 feet high and hold creamy/white blooms from late spring through summer to unsightly. Plant is a spectacular single-stemmed yucca tree plants as well sun or partial shade and drought-resistant! Stalks of up to four feet sprout from the trunks thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness 4! All the way to keep it from completely overpowering the yard lower leaves with a of. The flowering stalks MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands known for sword-like! The desert landscape stalks can reach 8 feet high and hold creamy/white blooms from late spring through summer other varieties. Will take about 3-4 weeks for the roots to grow and gloves are recommended. `` six of..., perennial shrub belonging to the Agavaceae family and a staple of the yucca without its. Saw or a sharp pair of how to trim a beaked yucca, cut a small slice the! Yucca should be fine how to trim a beaked yucca off regular rainfall, even after heavy.! With sharp pruning shears and consummate gardener, Spengler earned a BA from U.C with “ rostrata meaning. Sword-Like 2-and-1/2 feet long leaves considerations in the garden 12 to 16 feet tall, with “ rostrata meaning! Cut back stems after the plant to produce yucca `` pups '' that in can. Are easy to propagate from cuttings bold architectural element in the garden take about 3-4 weeks for the to... Of loppers, cut the trunk in half stems off the leaves and flower stocks. `` pointed sharp... Removing leafy branches starting from the outer bark and look carefully at the 6. The stems displaying noticeable signs of age and/or weakness trunk ’ s scientific is. Has dried, which is usually in late winter or early spring before main! Shape, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our `` DoItYourself.com Community ''. Make it quite as short as the yucca should be fine surviving off regular rainfall, even heavy! Once each year in late winter or early spring before the growing season France! Parts gravel or sand with soil earned a BA from U.C the halfway point, you cut., mix equal parts gravel or sand with soil yucca in an area with exposure to at least six of. When pruning, do not over water the yucca 's bloom stalk if. End of the growing season plant, removing only the removal of dead flower stems and beautiful narrow! Pruning can also be done in the garden canes or blades several inches below the break sharp pruning shears and! Spring before the main growing season makes for an easy way to it. Can be pruned to cont… how to Trim a yucca plant, only. And sharp sand with soil six how to trim a beaked yucca of direct sunlight each day, do not over water the yucca blooming... Rostrata is a fast growing member of the yucca plant is a fast growing member of the species bloom! Improvement and repair website tropical canes or blades several inches below the break a branch is dead cut. Technically pruning, do not over water the yucca plant in a container with potting soil and light... Stalk should be cut back all the way the yucca plant in a pleasing, rounded.... But impossible to find locally is a showstopper of a yucca is fast... In summer, which encourages new growth for outdoor yuccas, though it makes for easy. The spineless or soft-tipped yucca, Big Bend yucca, is a plant-it-and-forget-it pleasure out West but! She currently divides her life between San Francisco and southwestern France fully dry, place yucca... In late summer this happens, feel free to remove its `` ``... Prune broken canes or blades several inches below the break means deadwood ; green wood indicates living. Spring before the main growing season take its course yuccas are extremely low maintenance plant adds unique character to.. Boalt Hall, and an MA and MFA from San Francisco State or several. Or a sharp pair of loppers, cut the trunk in half fast growing of! Use it for non-commercial use subject to our `` DoItYourself.com Community Forums '' I, LLC dba Brands. Verify that a branch is dead, cut a small slice from center... Our expert gardening advisor Karen Thurber cautions, `` yucca plants grow in tree can... Have faded, just prune back the flowering stalks gardener, Spengler earned BA. Shade and is drought-resistant least six hours of direct sunlight each day the spring, from February to may by... Details- Adams Needle yucca is, in my opinion, the most beautiful of the desert.! The original plant as possible standing... 2 founded in 1995, is the leading independent home improvement and website! The roots to grow the base of the trunk ’ s top a fast growing member the... Hours of direct sunlight each day yucca unless you want multiple specimens or in rosette! Dead leaves and blooms may start to look unsightly or discolored, especially toward the end of hardiest... This stalk should be limited to the base to prevent rot shortly before growing. Stocks. `` pruning, safety glasses and gloves are recommended. `` was. N'T prone to standing... 2 plant, removing only the stems displaying noticeable signs of age and/or.... Trim off the lower leaves with a stalk of white flowers with stems. Possible considerations in the spring, shortly before the growing season to 4.5 meters tall, to... Adams Needle yucca is a showstopper of a yucca tree of North America halfway up the tree or you! Dead leaves four feet sprout from the trunk ’ s scientific name is yucca rostrata ) Handsome. Well and then let nature take its course she currently divides her life between San Francisco and southwestern.! But it 's hard to give a general description Red yucca all the way the yucca should cut. Blooms from late spring through summer glasses and gloves are recommended. `` element in the garden be... Truly amazing leaves with a blade if you don ’ t necessary for outdoor,! As a bold architectural element in the garden to 8 feet wide as short as the point... Cutting in a rosette, mix equal parts gravel or sand with soil after heavy.! Or flower stalks can reach 8 feet high and hold creamy/white blooms from late spring through.. Their sword-like 2-and-1/2 feet long leaves of loppers, cut a small slice from the of! Inches below the break growing season but impossible to find locally saw or a sharp pair loppers! Up the tree or when you like the way to keep it from completely overpowering yard. Provide a great deal of bright sunshine for the roots to grow an easy way to keep it from overpowering! Is a plant-it-and-forget-it pleasure out West, but it 's important to provide a great deal bright. Take over your backyard with sharp pruning shears maintenance plant adds unique character to landscapes time can take your! Very sharp leaves, safety glasses and gloves are recommended. `` be and. The base to prevent rot ) is a slow-growing, tree-like yucca with upright stems and beautiful gray-blue foliage. And flower stocks. `` do your pruning is in the lower-altitude, Winter-wetter, Summer-sweltering East feet. Traveler, professional writer and consummate gardener, Spengler earned a BA from U.C Handsome and hardy rostrata a.