Status of my Yucca collection Fall 2013

[Paul Ont]

I had a look through some of he hybrids and spp. that I have growing in my garden, this winter will be a good challenge for them, since a lot of them have size, when I have time I will make a more thorough report, but:

I have some of those Tennesee seed source gloriosa and recurvfolia plants that I grew few years back that are getting some size to them, 2 are of the size that they may start to form trunks next year. Should get a better idea if the ones remaining are just better selections (they are the 'champions' from a grow out of MANY seedlings) or just had fortunate positions and snow cover in winters past.

The 'elata' which I assume are Y. glauca v. sricta or Y. glauca x elata look like they will keep forming trunks after the one had a (mostly) aborted flowering.

The recurv (Big Tenn) x filata that flowered last year will not be trunk forming, the main stem died and it is sucking now. The other one has yet to flower. I still have a lot of seed from this flowering which are OP (will be self, x glauca, or x filamentosa).

The thompsoniana hybrids (don't know the cross off hand) are slowly gaining size. They've taken a beating in past winters but seem to be top hardy. So far.

My alofolia hybrid 'Southcoast Yucca', a massive strong growing plant from alofolia seed, have put on huge growth. I'm afraid it won't be hardy here though since the large one I planted last year was top killed, it might just have been the trunk that isn't hardy though...

I also have quite a few Y. filata F2 seedlings from Tim. The best ones so far look like #11 (I think), they have lots of filaments with leaves midway between the original parents in terms of width. The Big Mama seedlings haven't done much so far. Too bad really, maybe they're just digging right now?

My only 'real' Yucca elata, a small plant from beavercreek greenhouses, was top killed last year but has sent up 3 smaller heads this summer. Doubt it will be hardy long term.

I have a Y. brevifolia from Adam which is out this year. I'm going to moisture protect it and see. They can take the cold here (I had one take -32C in the early 2000's) but the moisture is a real killer.

The usual ones, glauca and filamentosa, are fine of course. I have 1 massive glauca plant that I think is a sucker from my friend Jeff's giant Blue plant that i believed to be a hybrid. It has yet to bloom.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of them. I'll add them once I remember!

Paul

[Henoh_Croatia]

Hi Paul,

that's huge collection. You mentioned Y. aloifolia hybrid. What is the pollen donor in that cross?

[Paul Ont]

Henoh- I have no idea. The plant was grown from seed collected from a 'wild' alofolia plant, but that spp. isn't hardy in Ontario.
My guess is that the male was Y. filamentosa (flaccida).

[TimMAz6]

Hi Paul,

thanks for the update. I hope you have a mild winter so your Yuccas will get even more established. I don't have a filata #11.......I have #1 through #6. Most likely it's #5 if you received the seed the same year as 'big mama' seed........big mama is #4.

It's always interesting to see which Yuccas can survive your brutal winters. Keep the updates coming. I was hoping Y. elata would be hardy in your area.