Re: more Yuccas
Perhaps one of the reasons that many of the 'better' yuccas are gard to
find is that they don't sucker vigorously. The tree yuccas such as Y.
filifera and Y. guatamalensis (aka Y. elephantipes) are not suckering
plants, being instead branching plants - less so in the case of Y. filifera
and much more so in the case of Y. guatamalensis. In Australia there are
several kinds of Y. guatamalensis sold widely from a wholesale grower in
Queensland (who does not answer e-mails from gardeners). The most widely
distributed is Y. g. SILVER STAR which has a broad central stripe of
silvery grey -green. It is available in quite advanced sizes, tho
distribution costs to Western Australia would be high. We bought a splendid
triple branched specimen via a local wholesale 'market' for less than $100.
It is about 1.5m tall, and we could have had much taller if we wanted. On
the strength of that we bought another plant, cut the three trunks apart at
the base and planted the 'truncheons' in a landscape design. Pieces of the
lower trunk laid horizontal and half buried in a tray of potting compost
are now throwing dozens of babies while the stump left from the cutting up
of the plant has also shot forth dozens of pups. These plants are not too
hard to propagate. There is a plain green version around too which has been
promoted on Burke's Backyard as a architectural indoor plant. Again it is
available in very large sizes. I have also seen, and bought, a less common
variety with somewhat longer, more lax leaves which have a wide gold edge.
It was named 'Aztec Gold' but I'm certain that is just a bit of commercial
hype.
David Glenn, of Lambley Perennials, Ascot near Ballarat in Victoria also
carries several good non-invasive Yuccas tho' supplies seem to fluctuate
throughout the year. Three in particular seem to have been assessed by him
as worthy of being in his fastidiously selected catalogue: Y. filamentosa
GARLAND'S GOLD, Y. f. 'CONCAVA' and Y. f. medio-picta. These all appear to
be clump forming ie. having very short stolons/ runners. I find GARLAND'S
GOLD rather slow, even for a yucca, but mine is not in a good position.
CONCAVA has broad grey-silver leaves with a blunt tip - again it is not
speedy with me but is has flowered; 6ft with a pleasing spire of creamy
white bells. Y. f. medio-picta is striated grey-green and cream with the
stripes converging toward the center to make a broad central stipe. It
seems faster to clump up than the other varieties. These low clumping
varieties are often used in dry perennial borders, or as tubbed specimens
where-as the various forms of Y. guatamalensis are definite trees when
mature. I knew of one near hear that was about 40ft high and had hundreds
of branches, regretably this magnificent landmark of a plant was bulldozed
to make way for a paved driveway and security gates.
I will continue the thread in a few days time.
trevor n
At 03:58 PM 12/14/00 +0800, Peter and Margaret Moir wrote:
>Trevor, perhaps we could have a Yucca thread [sorry about the pun].
>But seriously, are there any yuccas which don't sucker madly and are
>reasonably safe to plant in the garden? Here in the south-west of W.
>Australia we are rather plagued by a yucca first planted by the famous
>Georgiana Molloy back in the 1830s which has proved an intractable foe to
>many a soul trying to sort out an old garden. This I assume to be the Yucca
>aloifolia from what little ID info I have been able to glean. Largely
>inspired by Trevor's writings I have embarked on a collection of sorts of
>the few species of yucca I've been able to locate, none of the variegated
>ones unfortunately. I've never been game to plant any out of their pots in
>case of rampant running. Any advice?
>And why didn't our predecessors in our gardens plant the Dracaena
>draco.......now there's a magic plant! Does anyone know if it will be
>wintersafe in a very wet and mildly frosty environment.
>Margaret.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Trevor Nottle <trevorn@torrens.tafe.sa.edu.au>
>To: <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
>Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 10:24 AM
>Subject: Yucca filifera
>
>
>> I am on a 'rave' having just been out and photographed a 25ft tall
>specimen
>> of this astonishing plant in the Waite Arboretum. The plant curves over at
>> the top and from one of three stiff leaved rosettes hangs a 7ft long
>> waterfall of white flowers. The flowers are densely packed so the whole
>> resembles a crystaline stalactite plunging from overhead. Getting close up
>> I could see at the tip of the flower stalk more and more buds developing
>so
>> the flowers will go on for a few weeks yet. Of note is the observation
>that
>> the flower stalks and stems are white too so there is a remarkable purity
>> of colour that gleams against the bright blue sky and a stand of mature
>> Pinus radiata in the background. Why didn't more people plant these
>> beauties years ago? I'd have been glad to rescue on for my garden; as it
>is
>> I have to make do with a small immature plant that will take years to get
>> large enough to flower - and many more years to attain the dignified
>> stature of the plant I have just seen.
>>
>> trevor n
>>
>> Trevor Nottle
>> Garden Historian, Writer, Lecturer, Consultant
>> WALNUT HILL
>> 5 Walker Street
>> Crafers
>> South Australia 5152
>> AUSTRALIA
>>
>> Tel./ Fax. +61 +8 +8339 4210
>> e-mail <trevorn@torrens.tafe.sa.edu.au>
>>
>
>
>
Trevor Nottle
Manager-Education
Torrens Valley Institute of TAFE
School of Horticluture
505 Fullarton Road
Netherby
South Australia 5062
AUSTRALIA
Tel. +61 +8 +8372 6801
Fax. +61 +8 +8372 6888
e-mail <trevorn@torrens.tafe.sa.edu.au>
