Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Thursday - April 23, 2009
From: Winona, MN
Region: Midwest
Topic: Cacti and Succulents
Title: Winter damage to yucca in Winona MN
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
This past winter was hard on my established yucca plant and most of the foliage has discolored and it is not very pleasing to look at. What should I do about the discolored portion? Should I remove all of the winterkill?ANSWER:
We're assuming that what you have is Yucca filamentosa (Adam's needle) which is the only yucca hardy in northern parts of the US. It is hardy from USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9. Winona County, in southeast Minnesota, appears to be in Zones 4a to 4b, minimum annual average temperatures of -30 deg to -20 deg F. Our Native Plant Database does not show the plant as native to Minnesota, but does appear in a few counties in adjacent Wisconsin. As you pointed out, this has been a very hard winter in your part of the country, and yucca is basically a southwestern desert plant. Because of the tough roots of yuccas, we believe the plant will survive. The top, or visible parts of the plant may suffer severe dieback, but the root probably still has the ability to regenerate the plant. Yes, we would suggest you remove the more seriously damaged foliage, for appearances sake, if nothing else, and then be patient. Possibly what will happen is that new "pups" will begin to emerge from that tough root, which is protected by the insulation of the soil from the extreme cold you have experienced this year.
More Cacti and Succulents Questions
Native plants of Taos and Los Alamos NM from Houston
April 07, 2012 - Hi, Mr. Smarty Plants, can you recommend a guidebook for the native plants of the Taos/Los Alamos region? (I'm most interested in forbs.) I'll be headed there in May--is there anything I should es...
view the full question and answer
Care of Spanish Dagger (Yucca treculeana) after blooming
May 27, 2007 - I live in Austin and have a 5 ft spanish dagger in my backyard. Now that it has bloomed and the flowers have withered in May, should I cut off the center stalk or will it bloom again from the same st...
view the full question and answer
Protecting agave pups in San Antonio
April 23, 2013 - I would like to share the soon to happen bloom of two century plants on my property; they are sisters planted at the same time. I am sad to know they will die but will do all that I can to protect the...
view the full question and answer
Pollinating moth of Arkansas Yucca from Arlington TX
May 15, 2012 - What is the pollinating moth of the Arkansas yucca. I have Desert willows which is the larval host for white-winged moth, but the yuccas are still not seeding. What other larval hosts plants can I p...
view the full question and answer
Are agaves really native from Pacific Palisades CA
April 30, 2013 - I just replied re agave issues, and mistakenly asked the source of your information. I see that you clearly noted it, apologies.
I would note, however, that the Riverside area is very much a hot,...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
