Yucca watch continues
You love them for their evergreen or silver foliage color and texture and architectural presence. You don’t really look for or expect anything more. And then one day your yucca or agave or mangave is pushing up a bloom stalk so fast it’s like it’s on steroids.
This is how my softleaf yucca (Y. recurvifolia) looked two days ago. But glancing out my office window right now I see that the bloom stalk is standing four inches above the top leaves. It’s growing like Usain Bolt can run.
I’ve got my eye on it now, every time I step outside.
I’ve been watching Moby, my ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave (A. ovatifolia), all summer too, waiting to see if the stress of its recent relocation to the new-baby garden would cause it to bloom prematurely. So far nothing, and I’m grateful. Unlike a yucca, when an agave blooms the plant dies immediately afterward.
I’ve got my eye on you too, Moby.
All material © 2006-2009 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Hi Pam, that is an exciting and fast developing bloom stalk! I love those faces keeping an eye on Moby too. Thank goodness he is still bloomless, your readers count on seeing him large and in charge! 🙂
Frances
BTW, the two foot rebar pieces were pounded to about 1 to 2 inches below the level of the concrete while wet. The level goes down some, depending on how wet the mixture is. We didn’t want the rebar to be sticking out on the steps. We would use 2 x 6 lumber if doing them again FYI.
Thanks for the rebar info, Frances. I thought your blog post about making concrete steps was very useful. —Pam
Lovely photographs, and that’s a fine looking agave. I’d been trying to resist, since Portland isn’t exactly a hotbed of agave activity (well, as far as I knew,) but Megan and Loree probably have me hooked.
I think you lucky duckies in Portland can grow just about anything you like. The yuccas just don’t get quite as big, I think. —Pam
Wow! I love that agave. Where did you get the faces? They are very cool.
Thanks, GardenGrrrl. I’ve had these faces for ages. I think the terracotta girl came from Smith & Hawken. —Pam
Yuccas are just glorious, Pam, but I’m intrigued; this is obviously a species we don’t grow around here, because the standard yucca that’s hardy enough for NS gardens bloomed a few weeks ago. Except for mine, which is on vacation this year. And of course I have agave envy, because even though we’re having tropical heat this week, no agave could handle a Nova Scotian winter out of doors. Not til global warming has its way with us.
Global warming would take away your chance to grow those blue poppies, Jodi, so let’s hope that doesn’t happen, not even for glorious yuccas. —Pam
Hi Pam,
What beaytiful heads you have, is it in concrete?..We love concrete things it is so nice to have in our garden here in Sweden whole year long.
The first one is fantastic!
Agave may be beautiful but nothing for us here in Sweden.
Ken
Hi, Ken. The first one is cast stone, I think. The second one is terracotta. —Pam
Pam, the sunlit yucca plant is lovely. And although I’m late to comment on your bee photos, just have to chime in: they’re fabulous! You’ve outdone yourself! — Renee
Thanks, Renee. —Pam
Those are some sweet faces in your garden. I can see why they would want to watch the bloom stalk shoot up and Moby, well, he is so handsome. I hope he is around for quite some time. He appears to like his new home.
He does seem to like the new digs, Lisa. I’m so glad. —Pam
I have always wondered if you cut the bloom or pulled it out before it actually bloomed if it would the yucca would not die.
Hi, LU. Yuccas don’t die after blooming. Agaves do, and I’ve read that removing the bloom stalk before it flowers won’t save the plant. —Pam
Is that Whale’s tongue really a baby? Fine looking plant, regardless. Oh, I love those faces. You’ll have no trouble keeping an eye on that yucca. You have such a great blog!
Hi, LostRoses. No, the ‘Whale’s Tongue’ is about three or four years old. It’s the garden that I call a “new baby,” since I’m starting a garden at our new house (we moved in October of last year). —Pam
Fun post Pam, and I am so excited for your yucca bloom. It such a good reminder of the things we can take for granted and the differences that we have in our gardens/climate. I love my yucca blooms and was so amazed when I heard that yours hadn’t ever bloomed…I was seeing your garden as the center of all exotic activity!
Yes, I was quite envious of all your yucca blooms, Loree. —Pam