Thoughts on Yucca?

While I was visiting Lupine's place a few weeks ago, she gave me a few Yucca seeds. Well, they've already sprouted and now I need to learn more about this plant.

How do you use it in your landscaping/garden? Anyone have some good photos of theirs? I already checked the plant database, but I'm looking for some nice pictures of it in bloom or in full size and in the garden if possible.

What's your favorite aspect about Yucca? Would you add it to your garden?

I personally like them. They are fairly disease resistant, don't require much water, are nearly impossible to kill and send up one heck of a neat flower stalk! Mine do seem to die after they flower but are replaced by more. Mind you they put out a root the size of your arm. Oh I forgot evergreen as well. I have them at all four corners of my driveway and have them planted with other plants. Two have variegated liriope, coreopsis rosea,and festuca grass around them while the other two are backed by blue bedder salvia. Like I said, I like them! I have another small chunk of them to soften the end of my cement steps. :)

I don't have any photographs but will try and remember to do that when they bloom. Like badseed, I really like them too. They add a different look as far as architecture and the bloom is beautiful. I have several, some in full sun and some in partial shade. I call them my anchor plants because they establish the area they are in and then you can plant around them.

Cool plants! I eat the flower "leaves" when they come on, very tasty in salads. Also I like to make "rope" from the dried leaves (a nice touch for hanging bird feeders from and such).
Easy to maintain, low-maintenance, evergreen, forgiving, and it seems they tend to look back at you as if you are their equal! A great plant!

Shoe, do you have any pictures or instructions as to how to make the "rope" from the dried leaves? Sounds interesting.

I DID add it to my garden :) I have many clumps of yucca. The seeds you got were of the plain green one. I also have variegated yucca, 'Bright Edge'. It has never bloomed for me.

Yucca need very well-drained soil or they will drown in our clay. They also do better in a garden that has very poor soil. Rich soil makes the multiply rather than bloom.

I have one clump of yucca (including my variegated one) in my thyme lawn amid clumps of ornamental grasses; another clump is at the side of the yard, in front of where my palm tree is going to be planted, to give it more of a tropical look. Another clump is at the edge of my woods, being a good backdrop to a species rose. Another clump just volunteered for me in my bed of shady groundcovers. It has never bloomed there, but it still lends a landmark so that I can find my herbaceous things even in winter. Good thing I like it; it is impossible to get rid of it once it is established!

Yucca is a superb herb. Its roots are edible; the leaves can be woven into many useful items (like shoes); the flowers can be eaten; it is used in soap; it also can be used for making paper. Not to mention the fragrance of the flowers :) Attracts every bee in the city! And a few hummingbirds, as long as there are some bright flowers to get their attention first.

Make sure you really, really, REALLY like this plant before you plant it, because it'll outlive you and your offspring for generations to come. In case that wasn't obvious enough, I'll be the first non-yucca fan; in fact, I spell them yuck-uh. We have two that we can't get rid of no matter what we do to them.

I'm with Terry. I have one that I have done everything but torpedo the thing, and can't get rid of it. It's in a bad place, up against the house in full shade behind bushes, and it's there to stay. I actually like many yuccas that I have seen, but they are kind of like a tattoo, pretty to look at but permanent. Nat

I guess, I am with Terry and Nat. I don't like them too much. Someone way before we bought this place planted yuccas everywhere, a whold row out front, by light pole and clothesline, and by the electric pole in the ditch. Plus they reseed where they want. You can't dig them out, I don't think you could dynamite them out.

We used to live in Florida where there are many!! We used to cut the points off the leaves because of the kids - they are like swords that could put an eye out. Also, not fun to mow around.

whew, glad I'm not the only yucca hater here! I've been using the two clumps for cross training digging out exercise since we moved here. I've offered them to lots of folks who just smile like they know something I do't know and say "no thanks!"

Celia, I just let the leaves dry (suppose you could use them fresh tho), the braid them. As you get near the end of the braid weave in another leaf. I'll see if I have a finished pic...and who knows, maybe I can take some step by step pics also.
I guess I've been lucky to not have "too many" around...at this point in time I want more of them. I can use them...ahhh, just think...rope, soap (soap on a rope?), flowers, etc.

The Baltimore Oriole comes down and steals the strings that hang off the leaves,you should see him in a tug of war with those leaves....LOL

And just for the record,

I LOVE yuccas........

Hi Morph,
I have a yucca..it is a centrepiece for one of my gardens..I really like it..gives an exoctic look. I bought it last spring for ten dollars and it bloomed in the summer. I was thrilled..
It was quite a large one when I got it though. Then at the end of last summer I bought a smaller one for the front yard. I am hoping it will bloom for me this season. I planted different sedums around the yucca and some Gaillardia.

Here is a close up of the bloom

The smaller one in the front garden

I love my yuccas. They are foolproof and need no babying. I like that! I have had mine for 30 years and they have never multiplied. Strange huh? They have died back several times and new side ones have come on to take thieir places but that is the extent of it. I would like to see pictures of the braiding process. Neat, Shoe! Since mine don't multiply I won't be able to do that! Boo Hoo!

I must admit - they are quite pretty - at a distance!

My Parents have about 5 of these yucca plants, they want me to come and get them! After reading the replies here I think I'm going to think about it some more before I put them in. Being new to gardening I don't want to be stuck with something I'm not happy with later. They look very pretty and I really like the low maintenance ideas. Rope braiding sounds neat also. Where do you find the time?

Howdy hillbilliebo! Noticed you signed up just yesterday! Welcome to the best site on the Planet! (By the way, where are you? I think if you click on Preferences it will allow you to enter your zip code and/or town/state, which will then show up under your name.)

You may want to get your parent's plants and put them in an out-of-the-way place, if you have a place like that.
As for rope-braiding, that's a winter-time experience (when it slows down around here).

Again, Welcome.

Thanks horseshoe hardly been able to get off this site since i found it. Absolutely love it, have sent to several friends. I think i managed to ad my location ok. I'm in Indiana. I've got almost 4 acres I ought to be able to found an out of the way spot somewhere! Do you know if walnut trees kill fruit trees? Got some coming and wondering where to put them.

Great! I see you got your zone in! We've got some mighty good members in Indiana.

As for walnut trees...not sure if they will "kill" a fruit tree but do know that they tend to put out a 'toxin' from their roots that tends to inhibit germination and growth for many plants.

Dave just started a Fruit Trees forum recently...you might want to post that question over there and see what it brings in. I'll be watching!

Thanks, horseshoe i see i still don't have my location right i'll try again. I'll check out the fruit tree forum next I just love this site. It's raining and i can't get outside. My husband says the house is falling apart i'm on here so much.

HAH!...Your symptoms show definite evidence of the "DG Syndrome". A large percentage of people who visit Davesgarden are susceptible to it, and 100% of the Forum Subscribers come down with an on-going extreme case of it!

Trust me, you're normal! And doing just fine! ô¿ô

Sorry that I haven't been here to thank everyone for their feedback!!! This post has not been coming up as one of my "watched threads". That combined with difficulty logging on to DGs and spending hours in the garden have kept me away.

I really appreciate everyone's opinions on this! I love the pictures, too :) Thanks, Starzz!

Now comes the decision on how to integrate best into my overall plan ~ not an easy decision.

Shoe, I love the idea of braiding their growth ~ ingenious as usual :)

I loved my yuccas in NC. Had them surrounded by tall callas (orange/red) and they bloomed at same time. Beautiful show!

Great to hear from you Morph..you are very welcome..I love showing photos of my garden, and sharing some of my pleasure.
I hope you do find a spot for your Yucca..especially now that they have grown for you.
Cheers,
Carol

Welcome, hillbilliebo :) I have to agree with Shoe, you "...show definite evidence of the "DG Syndrome". That's a great syndrome in my humble opinion!

I went through this thread even more closely today and y'all are great for giving me very helpful information! I don't have much in the way of background or center piece items, so I'm going to have some fun with it knowing that I should be careful on the invasive aspect. I liked Lupine's enough to want to grab some seeds, so I'll rely on my eyes being drawn to it as something I'll like!

I guess I'm only going to get 4 of Mom's yucca plants my mother-n-law wants one of them. She's in thomasville, NC and we're going down the first week of June. Who knows I might even take her two she can put one on each side of the drive. Love reading everybodies posts even when I don't write back. Shoe - how far is Hillsborough from Thomasville? Do you know? Tracy