I planted my Yucca rostrata babies today. I hope yours are coming around now Barb.

Cheers, Barrie.

Ooooh, Barrie, nice blue. I wish mine were the size of your Y.rostrata!

Only 5 remain after the "herd thinning". Damn!

I'm getting two from mail order...they're in 24 ounce cups.

Do you "help" the plant start trunking by taking lower leaves off?

Barb

"Do you "help" the plant start trunking by taking lower leaves off?

I can't induce or "help" any trunking effect by removing the lower leaves. These will start to form trunks at their own will. I do remove any dead or expired foliage. It'll be a while before these form trunks I'd imagine.

Cheers, Barrie.

Therefore my babies will take 35 years to trunk 😆 😆 😆

Once a year I remove a few leaves from my dracaena marginata to expose more stem.
Doesn't seem to hurt them.

Barb

Hey Barb!
Having lost my large (and small) Yucca thompsoniana this past winter (low was -23C, perfect drainage...) I've just purchased a fairly large rostrata for 25 bucks which I've planted and will moisture protect this coming winter... I think the thompsonianas would have been finw if I'd given them protection from the snow... Lesson learned...
I'll let you know how the rostrata does in a cold/wet zone 4b/5a!
Are you going to plant any of your babies out this winter??

Paul

Hey Paul where on earth did you get a "fairly large" rostrata for 25 bucks 😯 😯 😯 ??
Millionplants.com just shipped their last ones to BC (John, I bet! ha ha).

The ones I ordered from Carolina are in a paperwork snafu...seems we "international" buyers have to buy 100 bucks worth of PRODUCT, not the total bill including phyto and shipping etc.

Doubt my seedlings will be ready for a winter outdoors, even protected.
Right now the 5 remaining each look like a couple of blades of three inch grass... 😆 😆

Paul I bet they'd do better if you could find a spot under a garage overhang, etc. ?

Barb

Hey Barb,
I got the rostrata from Broadway (millionplants) it was the most robust of the 25 dollar plants... Which means that it will trunk in about 2 years time! I've planted the Yucca in a protected south facing location. It will get near total mositure protection in winter... This is the same microclimate that allowed Yucca brevifolia to hold on for 4 years!

Paul,
I've heard they have great plants...just didn't get my order in on time to get any...damn!
I was very impressed with how quickly Tony answered my email enquiry.

25 bucks! Cheap.
Trunking in two years 😯 ...make sure you post pics as they grow this summer.

Your planting location sounds perfect.
Are you going to protect them this winter?
It'd be a shame to lose your valuable specimens.

Barb

Barb, the only protection it will recieve is the mositure protection... It should be fine unless we get record cold, but even then it's along the south wall!

Oh, and the Trachy survived with much less damage then last year, it might actually gain some size this season! The needle looks a little more beat up then last spring, but should be fine by September 🙂 I also recently planted a Sabal minor McCurtain that Tony got in for me... We'll see how it compares side by side with a regular Sabal minor! My prediction: Both will have 70-80% leaf burn!

Paul, you've had a few setbacks but sounds like your plants will be well situated for the coming winter.
The south wall will likely be its saving grace, along with moisture protection.

Does Tony get stuff out of Florida?
Is he bringing in any more $25 Y.rostrata, or is he starting again from seed?

How about some udpated pics?
Barb

Barb,
I think the 25 dollar rostrata were brought in as a smaller size then potted up... Not sure if he'll go back to seed or just order in some smaller sizes from somewhere. I think most of the palms come from Florida, but I'm not sure where he gets the Yuccas and similar (wholesale from PDN???)...
I'll have to get some updated pics before too much of the growing season has passed so that I can compare with how things look come September/October... I'll try to post a few asap!
Cheers,
Paul

Looking forward to seeing your pics, don't forget the rostrata 😆

I think the industry is beginning to wake up to the demand for more "exotic" specimens.
Barb

Therefore my babies will take 35 years to trunk 😆 😆 😆

Once a year I remove a few leaves from my dracaena marginata to expose more stem.
Doesn't seem to hurt them.

Barb

You should see a trunking plant in 10 years, 3-5 feet 😀

Great news, thanks!
Barb

Glad I potted these up into deeper containers.
Was surprised at the root length.

Read on the internet that Yucca can get attacked by "desert beetles". So far, have seen only the odd ant climbing around on them.

Barb