Yucca Hybrids are they fertile?

[bgodwin1987]

So I have been wondering do Yucca Hybrids produce viable seeds/pollen? and if they did would a hybrid be possible that has three different species in its background? Are there any examples of these? Thanks I have Just been wondering.

[TimMAz6]

Yucca hybridizing is easy as long as you don't have beetles in the flowers which will kill off the flower before seed pods can develop. The beetles look like this.

Beetles:
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 620065.jpg>

Beetle Damage:
<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/ ... 420066.jpg>

Do Yuccas in your area grow seed pods? If so you'll be able to do some hybridizing.

Most hybrid Yuccas will produce viable seed......not always though. There are some Yucca hybrids with multiple parents. I created a few such as:

Most notable:
Yucca 'constricta x filamentosa' x 'filamentosa x elata'.
Yucca 'constricta x filamentosa' x 'reverchonii-thompsoniana'

Last year MNPalms and I created a nice hybrid of Y. thompsoniana x 'filamentosa x elata' many board members were sent the seed. MNPalms had the Thompsoniana and I sent him the filata pollen.

I also have many in the garden from Europe. We send each other pollen each year and have been creating some crazy hyrbids. There's one in my garden with aloifolia/baccata/stricta parantage....how cool is that.

[bgodwin1987]

Pretty cool, yeah iv got beatles they eat some of the seeds and flowers but I still get seeds on my filementosas I dont have any other species that are of flowering age yet though. I have 2 varigated Gloriosas, three Rostratas, and a filementosa "color guard" but they are all pretty young and I haven't gotten around to putting any of them in the ground yet. There are alot of filementosa yuccas where I live. Almost everyone has them in there yard and they grow wild in fields, hillsides, the edge of the woods, and old cemeteries. My neighbors have a few gloriosas though and they are about 4 feet tall and have nice trunks.

[bgodwin1987]

Is there anyway to make sure that the flower you pollinate was pollinated by you and not by an insect? I am going to have to get some pollen and create some hybrids with my filementosas. I guess most yuccas are pretty closely related if most will cross and make viable seeds I heard that some yucca hybrids are found in the wild where species ranges overlap.

[TimMAz6]

Hi Bryce

If you want some hybrid Yucca seed give me a PM. I have many different types.

Timing of Yucca blooms will be an issue with the species you have. Yucca rostrata is a shy bloomer in northern areas. Mine is 10 years old and it already had a trunk when i got it in 2002. It has not bloomed for me yet. Yucca gloriosa variegata typically blooms in late summer while filamentosa will bloom in early summer. You'll have to collect your filamentosa pollen and store it in the frig for two months

Try to pollenate the flower the first night it opens and block the opening so the moths can't pollenate by placing something small at the opening. I've seen people in Germany pluck off the whole pollen anther and stick it into a flower so the anther remains thereby blocking the entrance so moths can't get to it.

Try to get a narrow leaf Yucca in your garden too since you'll get some interesting hybrids. Do any of your neighbors have Y. glauca........try to get one. Glauca has a different type bloom which also will create some interest

[bgodwin1987]

I ordered a Y. Glauca last week should be here soon. Got a Yucca Gloriosa "Tiny Star" today.

[TimMAz6]

great that you got Y. glauca.......you'll love the different type bloom on it. I still don't have a 'tiny star'.....my brother has one in Virginia.