Yucca Thompsoniana Flowering in Minnesota 4b/5a

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:50 am

Here are some early pictures of the flower stalk my y. thompsoniana is producing. For those that don't know, I planted this yucca about 15 months ago here in MN in a corner of my trachy bed. It came from a seller in Vegas who stated it was taken from the wild. Vegas? I thought this species grows wild in west Texas... Anyway It came bare root with barely any roots to speak of. I'm amazed it has recovered and grown so much so far since being planted. This yucca exhibits Rostrata traits also so I wonder if it is a cross? It has been exposed to heavy snow several times and mid teens (f) at the lowest last winter. It did get protected along with my trachies though. It's over 5 feet tall now and growing visibly each day. The flower stalk has moved over 6" in the last few days. I can't wait to see the full bloom!

I'm getting so sick of combing the helicopters (maple) out of it's head though. The spring green-up came a couple weeks late this year so the big maples are still dropping seed all over my yard. Almost done though, then I can finally do a final cleanup and open/uncover the pool. I won't even consider uncovering the pool until the maples are done, it can be a real mess otherwise. Kind of a bummer though, we are missing out on all this nice weather without the pool open. All these 80s and 90s temps, everything is so happy and growing like mad.

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0190.jpg>
<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0192.jpg>
<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0144.jpg>

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 9:40 am

Spectacular!
update pics please as it stretches out.

so sick of combing the helicopters (maple) out of it's head

A shop-vac works great, saves tons of time.
Agree that maples are a pain.
We've got fir trees near our pool, and all those little "flush envelopes" litter the pool with the slightest breeze

Great that you've got 80s and 90s to make stuff pop.
My yucca filamentosa are still in a funk, showing cold damage from winter (which I think has finally ended)

Thanks!
Barb

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 10:23 am

Hey thanks for the Shop Vac tip Barb! During "helicopter season" it seems I'm out there with the leaf blower every other day trying to stay ahead of it and have at least a semi-nice looking yard to enjoy in the meantime. I tried carefully blowing the stuff out of the yucca's head with the blower and it was no help. I'll be out there with the vac this afternoon...

My filamentosas were a little slow to get going this spring also. One looks like it might flower again this year. The others I'm not sure, but one of them has put up over a foot of new growth in the last couple weeks so maybe I'll get lucky and have a couple of them bloom. It seems my filamentosas responded well to the concentrated stinky fish muck fertilizer.

Yep, after our shi@ spring it seems we have finally turned the corner. Have not been below 60f overnight for weeks now with mid 70s/80s and even 90s highs. The bananas and cannas are loving it. All 4 of my trachies (2 in ground and 2 potted) are moving visibly each day too.

I promise, I'll keep this thread up to date!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 11:16 am

Don't ya hate that when those native plants pollute your specimen plants!

That's awesome to see your Yucca flowering,probably the first one ever in Minnesota!

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 1:50 pm

very cool....try to pollenate with other Yuccas if possible like filamentosa.

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:09 am

Tim- I'd love to pollenate it to get some seed but unfortunately at this point I have nothing else flowering (yuccas). I'm hoping to get blooms out of one or more of my filamentosas but if it's going to happen it is going to be a while. I think the timing will be off making it impossible to pollenate the big one. I believe the thompsoniana is flowering earlier because it was protected and had a much more cushy winter than the others.

If pollen will survive the US Mail I'd be happy to send you a SASE to send me some from one of your yuccas you have in bloom. I'd share any seed produced...

Meanwhile here's a picture of 24-hour growth of the flower spike. It moved 4+" in 24 hours. The pictures earlier in this thread are from yesterday morning, this one from the same time this morning. These mid 80s and 90s are great! 70s overnight lows and 92 today, 95 tomorrow and with 70+ dewpoints. It sure has everything growing!

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0195.jpg>

Filamentosa that flowered last year (last year's pic), hoping to see it flower again this year too. It has a ways to go though with our late spring this year...
<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C00655.jpg>

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 9:23 am

Great pics!

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:36 pm

I send pollen to Europe every year. I'll be glad to send some your way. I think my Y. glauca v stricta, Y. gloriosa and Y. arkansana will open first. Lets talk in another week.

Okanagan desert-palms · Post by **Okanagan desert-palms** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:06 pm

Congrats on the Yucca flowering. I wish I had your collection of Yuccas. So cool

John

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Mon Jun 06, 2011 8:45 pm

WOW...that's one nice looking yucca for a zone 4/5

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 3:58 am

Tim- Sounds great, that would be awesome! I'd love to get some seed out of it. You would be welcome to as much of it as you want. Meanwhile the stretch of nice growing weather continues here. We hit 97f yesterday and the overnight low was 78f last night. 95 to 100 forecast today (record maybe) with 70s dewpoints before falling back to the normal 80s for the balance of the week. Gotta love it! (here in MN we don't complain when it is hot and humid...)

I checked the flower stalk again this morning. It is now 3" above the highest leaves on the head. Overall height of the stalk is nearly 2 feet now. That's 10" of stalk growth in 48 hours! I still can't get over how fast this thing has grown since it was planted here. Is it a true thompsoniana? Some kind of cross with rostrata or something else? It seems to grow way faster than a rostrata though. It does have serrated leaves with yellow edges. They are relatively firm. It's blue-green but more green than blue, so less blue than most of the rostratas I've seen. I'm a yucca novice so any more experienced member's opinions are greatly appreciated.

And thanks for all the kind words everyone. I know seeing a large yucca flower is not really a big deal, but under the circumstances, and especially for here in MN I think it is something special, and as Jim mentioned probably a first here in MN. I'll keep the pictures coming.

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 8:08 am

Stalk moved about 10" in 46 hours! This pic taken only 46 hours after the first picture in this thread.

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0197.jpg>

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:46 am

Amazing!

seeing a large yucca flower is not really a big deal,

It is a big deal on Palms North!

Look forward to seeing/hearing where it tops out

Barb

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:27 am

Your Yucca sure looks like it is a mix of Y. thompsoniana and rostrata. Y. thompsoniana blooms much more than Y. rostrata. If yours blooms nearly every season it's a thompsoniana. Some times Y. rostrata will bloom from transplant shock....if yours is more rostrata then you will probably never get it to bloom again....sorry. I've had Y. rostratas here since 2002 with no blooms.

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:49 am

Here's from this morning, 48 hours later than the last most recent pic I posted:

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0199.jpg>

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:47 am

Holy cow...and my y.filamentosa aren't even pushing air yet

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 9:09 am

It just keeps growing higher and has turned purple.

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0213.jpg>

First of the cannas is finally flowering

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0214.jpg>

Now if I can just get my larger trachy to flower! Maybe next year...

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 2:22 pm

Getting really tired of having to turn my computer on it's side

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 3:50 am

Sorry about that Jim! Cell phone camera... How are your babies doing? I think our weather has been pretty similar so far this season. Your bananas really take off yet?

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 4:05 am

I've been a little slow to keep this updated. Here's a few more pictures I took several days ago. It is opening flowers now and looks better and better every day. The flower stalk is over 5 feet in length now. I'll post more up to date pics this weekend also.

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0224.jpg>

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0225.jpg>

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0226.jpg>

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0228.jpg>

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:27 am

Cold spring really stunted them Kory...

April 2011 being 9f cooler than last April and June being 7f colder
and needless to say,things got off to a slow start!

But they are moving now big time-I posted pics in the last week.

Probably in the cold hardy palms area.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:18 pm

things got off to a slow start!

Also here.
But catching up now, finally.

Nice pictures!
Barb

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:15 pm

nice bloom..........mine are blooming now too. If you want some pollen let me know asap

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:03 am

Tim- I sent you a PM. Thanks for the offer!!!

Yes, slow start this year because of the lousy spring. Though it seems everything is catching up nicely now. The older bananas (basjoos) are being passed up by the pups though. It seems the pups that made it through the winter are growing 5x faster then their parents. Dwarf orinoco and cavendish looking good, ensete glaucum leaves are getting a cool purplish color mixed in as bigger ones come out (my first time trying that species). In ground trachies both opening their 4th full fans of the season now. Potted palms growing pretty fast now too. My y. filamentosa that flowered last year is growing like mad but I don't think it will flower this year. The thing is different than others I've seen and have. It is over 3' tall and grows in a much more upward fashion.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 3:30 pm

My Glaucum is not digging the hot weather at all-
no matter how much water I give it!

Ventricosum loves it!

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:24 pm

Tim- I responded to your PM but I'm not sure if it went through correctly. It is still in my "out box" but there is nothing additional to click on to send it. Hopefully it sent and you get it. I have collected pollen for you (and/or anyone else here) in case you/they want any. I have been going out there at 5:30 AM when I get up for work when the flowers are still open. I'm storing it in a ziploc bag so it should keep. It looks like my thompsoniana is about to end its flowering though. There are not too many new buds to open and the older flowers are dropping off. I give it a week and it's probably all done.

Jim- your glaucum is not liking the hot weather? Strange. Mine seems to love it but unfortunately it does not get as much sun as my other bananas in the same area. The others are shading it somewhat at various times of the day. It was about 6" tall when I got it this spring and has grown to about 2' now and the new leaves are getting a cool purple color blended in. The fastest growers seem to be the basjoo pups from last year and the dwarf cavendish and orinocos. They love this hot humid 70s dewpoints we have been having for the last few weeks. And the stinky fish fertilizer, amazing stuff! Gnarly storms again tonight but as long as there is not any more big hail everything should be good to go...

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:13 pm

A note about PMs...

Just FYI.
They stay in your Outbox until the recipient opens their Private Message.
Recipients are notified on email that they have a message (just like a posting notification), but it states "new private message" in the title.

And at the top of PN (when you log on each day), there's usually a RED prompt that you have received a new Private Message .

Barb

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 8:12 pm

PM message received.....thanks......I'm super slow on my end! I got some nice hybrid seeds that may be hardy in your area.....Y. gloriosa x arkansana. A trunking Yucca crossed with a narrow leaf Yucca which. The blooms are totally different.......should be a cool hybrid. Anyone want some see let me know......should be ready in September.

PS, I also spotted 2 seed pods on my Y. filata 'big mama'.

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 8:19 am

Tim- I received the pollen today, THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!! I owe you! I also sent you a PM. I will be out there tonight pollenating the flowers.... All the flowers have bloomed so I am hoping they are still viable. Many have been falling off the past few days but I'd say about 1/2 of them still seem to be in decent shape. The ones at the very top of the flower stalk just opened in the last day or two which were the very last ones. I'll keep this thread up to date as to the progress and (hopefully) success.

I'll be using the method this guy uses: (scroll down the page about 1/2 way) http://www.bennyskaktus.dk/Y_hybrids.ht ... te_by_hand

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:17 am

May have been watering the Glaucum to much,leaves have been curling in the heat.

The Ventricosum on the other hand is always on!

Even the Trachys with spear-pull are on leaves 5-6

Washys are loving the (past)hot weather-8-9 leaves so far.

They are talking about 100+ highs here,maybe even close to that
by the weekend-that will get some things caught up!

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 1:39 pm

Yup, same forecast here Jim. I just hope the severe storms stay to the north though. Don't need the bananas beat up by, and set way back by big hail again! Also I hope the weather holds out long enough for my y. thompsoniana's flowers to accept the pollen I gave it. You are also on my short list of people to get seed if/when I get it. All thanks to Tim in MA!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 3:13 pm

mnpalms wrote: You are also on my short list of people to get seed if/when I get it. All thanks to Tim in MA!

Kory,how about getting your weather-sticker up!!!!!

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 6:03 pm

Keep us posted if any seed pods form.....it will take several days before the seed pod starts to grow.

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:58 am

I did the pollen thing both last Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. We were out of town from Thursday afternoon through Sunday night though. It appears the big storms did come through ahead of the big warm front and left 3.5" of new water in the pool while we were gone! Looks like there was no hail or high wind, just major rain. The yucca has only a few remaining flowers now, most fell over the weekend. I went out there again early this morning and scraped up the very last of the pollen and applied it to the last two flowers that looked like they were still good. Fingers crossed....

Jim- How can I get the weather thing in my posts? Is there an easy trick? Or is it something you have to link to every time?

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:37 am

I think Jay(?)can do it for you if you P.M. him.

Would be nice if everybody had one up.
It gives you a chance to compare sites on a
daily basis,which I find very interesting in regard
to seeing everyone's challenges in this hobby!

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Mon Jul 18, 2011 5:11 pm

I fully agree Jim. I'll try to figure it out. I find myself looking at everyone else's all the time but my own is absent here!

Tim/Jim and others who might be interested: I just about shi@ my pants today!!! It appears that my yucca has at least 4 seed pods (fruits?) growing now!!! I think the pollen Tim sent me worked! I'll get pictures up here as soon as I can, probably tomorrow. My wife and daughter must think I'm crazy, I'm all excited about "that cactus thing" is going to make seeds! Also if anyone is interested, I did collect pollen from the mature flowers several ago. Hopefully it is as viable as Tim's... 98.7f was the high here (in Burnsville, MN) today. 81.3f was the low last night and the trend is to continue through at least the weekend. Set a record of 80+ dewpoint the other day too!

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:54 am

test post to see if weather thing works

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:17 am

Thats awesome that your Yucca is going to seed-
also nice to see that weather sticker up.

Lots of heavy rain there I hope!
Wish we could get some-very dry lately!

2 days in a row of 99F dp 81F and heat index 120F
Easily pass that high today,already 97 @ noon!

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 4:13 am

Here's a few pics showing some of the flowers turning into fruits. Looks like I have 4 fruits forming at this point. Tim's pollen was good!

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0245.jpg>

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0246.jpg>

<img src=http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww29 ... C_0247.jpg>

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 10:31 am

Really cool!

man,you have some steep terrain there!

PalmsNorth.com

Yucca Thompsoniana Flowering in Minnesota 4b/5a

Yucca Thompsoniana Flowering in Minnesota 4b/5a

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