Hi Bryce,

Planting y.rostrata under a house eave on the leeward (not windy) side of a building should keep damaging winter rains off.
The trick with all desert plants is excellent drainage and keeing them dry in winter.

A winter shelter above it (posts over which plastic is suspended/tied) can keep freezing rain from entering the growing bud area.
In colder areas, extra protection (especially when young) would include extending plastic to the ground and heating the inside with Christmas lights.

On mild sunny winter days, you'll want to ensure the protection doesn't overheat from the sun and "cook" the plant.

My problem with under the eaves is that eavestroughs generally send all the roof water into the root zone, needing to be diverted.

I've killed a rather big one 😥

We love photos, so please post a pic of yours.
Barb

How large of one are you getting?

I was just wanting to get a small Yucca rostrata. Will a small one do ok in the winter if kept dry? or would I have to let it grow larger before planting it outside? I just diden't know if it would do well here because its often very wet and rainy here in the winter, but i guess it might do ok if kept dry. I am also going to buy some Yucca gloriosa too my neighbor has some, I like the trunked yuccas. I already have some Y. filamentosas, the only yuccas I currently have, they seem to do well here they grow wild usually on hillsides.

Tez mieszkam w strefie 6b ale w Polsce . Lepiej yucca rostrate trzymać w donicy i wynosić ja na zimę do piwnicy .Moim zdaniem nie da rady przetrwać mrozów 🙂

Also live in zone 6b but in Poland. Yucca rostrata is better to stick in pot and be me for the winter into the basement. In my view, counsel can not survive frost:)

2.5 years rostrata [/img]

Pozdrawiam 😀

Hi, That's mine 2 years old yucca rostrata in the ground in zone 6a/b. I think withe the little help from us (people) it can survive our wet winters.

Y.rostrata aren't known for surviving wet cold but, as Bryce says, some yuccas are native where he lives, but I dont think y.rostrata are anywhere near as hardy as Y.filamentosa that survives here unprotected.

Beautiful plants Godfryd and Stalewiak!

Here are some of mine:

<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/6421579493/" title="DSC05145 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="480" height="640" alt="DSC05145"></a>

Happy day when they arrived in 2008:
<a href=" http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/2636882322/" title="DSC01429 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src=" " width="640" height="480" alt="DSC01429"></a>

Got them from Tony Avent's Plant Delights Nursery in the Carolinas.
Bryce, in my opinion, I'd get a smallish one and bring it into a cold, barely-heated room or well-lit garage for the first few years, then protect it for the first few years after planting out. They're so beautiful and worth the extra care.

Post a pic of it when you get one please, Bryce.
Barb

Thanks everyone for the advice and the nice pics. I think one might survive under the overhang of the house if I plant it in some sandy well draining soil and keep it covered in the winter. I will post pics Barb if I get one. Thanks

Its possible it may need some protection during long periods of cold.
Definitely needs to be in very well drained soil and shielded from moisture after Oct 1.

For best success.

I bought a tiny one in 2008 and I do mean tiny.

Heres a picture of it Oct 3 2011-upper left cornerish-

So, Jim, you recommend planting it out when young?

Instead of babying it until it's older and has better developed root system in a pot?

Barb

I live in Massachusetts USA USDA zone 6b. We get about 10cm of precipitation every month of the year. Our winters are very wet with lots of storms which may be 1/2 snow and 1/2 rain. Desert plants don't enjoy our climate, HOWEVER, Yucca rostrata seems to very well....even when unprotected. Here are a few photos of my Yucca rostratas. Some years I protect and some years I don't.

<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

Yucca rostrata survived while Yucca treculeana died from -8F.
<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

<img src= >

Unprotected Y. rostrata
<img src= >

<img src= >

Wow tim nice pics, I love your desert garden looks really good. Those Y. Rostratas look very nice. I think our climates are pretty similar. So I think im gonna try to get 2 Rostrtas and see how they do this spring.

Wow gratulacje ale u nas w gruncie gdzie czasem spada do - 28 nie ma szans . Za pewne u was nie ma takich spadków temperatury 😉 Widze że szybko rośnie

Wow congratulations, but with us in the ground where he sometimes goes down to - 28 does not have a chance. For some of you there is no such temperature drops;) I see that the fast-growing

Wow gratulacje ale u nas w gruncie gdzie czasem spada do - 28 nie ma szans . Za pewne u was nie ma takich spadków temperatury 😉 Widze że szybko rośnie

Wow congratulations, but with us in the ground where he sometimes goes down to - 28 does not have a chance. For some of you there is no such temperature drops;) I see that the fast-growing

Being a part of a Slavonic languages people I might make a GOOGLE translation more correct.

Our honorable Mr. Stalewiak is saying: You are lucky guys, you've never got a cold as such as minus 28 C. Nevertheless those plants I've seen they grow pretty fast.

I mean only my way translating a brotherly language clause.

Tim, beautiful lplants and great desert garden. You bring hope 🙂

Igor - very good translation! Congratulation!