Yucca Baccata growth rate

[EastCanadaTropicals]

Hey guys! I am planning to get this yucca for it's cold tolerance. I don't want it to take too long to produce a trunk, so I wonder how fast they grow and how long it will take to produce fruit.

[Silas_Sancona]

1 minute ago, EastCanadaTropicals said:

Hey guys! I am planning to get this yucca for it's cold tolerance. I don't want it to take too long to produce a trunk, so I wonder how fast they grow and how long it will take to produce fruit.

If it does form a trunk ( most specimens really don't, not like Y. rostrata, rigida, etc.. ) it will take some time.. especially where a lot cooler.  As far as flowers / fruit, From a 1 gal / small 3 gal.. Would estimate several years under the same cooler than optimal conditions.

[EastCanadaTropicals]

56 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

If it does form a trunk ( most specimens really don't, not like Y. rostrata, rigida, etc.. ) it will take some time.. especially where a lot cooler.  As far as flowers / fruit, From a 1 gal / small 3 gal.. Would estimate several years under the same cooler than optimal conditions.

It does when it's old..... here's a pic:

Do you think this can survive here with cover to keep it dry?

[EastCanadaTropicals]

57 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

If it does form a trunk ( most specimens really don't, not like Y. rostrata, rigida, etc.. ) it will take some time.. especially where a lot cooler.  As far as flowers / fruit, From a 1 gal / small 3 gal.. Would estimate several years under the same cooler than optimal conditions.

Our summers are pretty warm, but very humid. It will be in full sun, with sandy soil.

[Silas_Sancona]

2 minutes ago, EastCanadaTropicals said:

It does when it's old..... here's a pic:

Do you think this can survive here with cover to keep it dry?

Really old..  As you can see, most of the specimens here: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47788-Yucca-baccata   ( as well as those i've seen out in the Desert/ in gardens.. in my yard ) don't have near as much trunk.

1 minute ago, EastCanadaTropicals said:

Our summers are pretty warm, but very humid. It will be in full sun, with sandy soil.

They survive winter cold/ snow in habitat in Nor. AZ, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico so you might be ok.. its the cooler conditions thru the growing season up there that would be the bigger unknown, maybe slow these down more. Remember, even though it isn't 100 / 100+ ( +++, lol ) up in the mountains here, summers are still hot and pretty dry. Doesn't mean these aren't adaptable, but would be sure it sits in really well drained soil when you plant it.

While not always possible ( not all places list where seed / seed of started plants originate/ originated < though they should > ) wherever you obtain seed / starter plants,  hardiest potential specimens - for colder areas- will come from the northern parts of it's range.  Would check out Cold Hardy Cactus ( Colorado, i believe ), Mesa Garden ( New Mexico ).. Some other mail order sites that might be able to ship to Canada.

[EastCanadaTropicals]

On 4/19/2021 at 6:34 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Really old..  As you can see, most of the specimens here: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47788-Yucca-baccata   ( as well as those i've seen out in the Desert/ in gardens.. in my yard ) don't have near as much trunk.

They survive winter cold/ snow in habitat in Nor. AZ, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico so you might be ok.. its the cooler conditions thru the growing season up there that would be the bigger unknown, maybe slow these down more. Remember, even though it isn't 100 / 100+ ( +++, lol ) up in the mountains here, summers are still hot and pretty dry. Doesn't mean these aren't adaptable, but would be sure it sits in really well drained soil when you plant it.

While not always possible ( not all places list where seed / seed of started plants originate/ originated < though they should > ) wherever you obtain seed / starter plants,  hardiest potential specimens - for colder areas- will come from the northern parts of it's range.  Would check out Cold Hardy Cactus ( Colorado, i believe ), Mesa Garden ( New Mexico ).. Some other mail order sites that might be able to ship to Canada.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Blue-Banana-Yucca-Seeds-Yucca-Baccata-Drought-Tolerant-20-Seeds-/182968733910 found a source

[Palmensammler]

I tried Y.  baccata many times here in Germany (Zone 7b) without success. Plants grew backwards and died slowly because of the cold and humid winter times. Even a raincover didn't help.

This year I will start a last trial with some of the seed grown baccatas from AZ and NM. Will try several locations in my garden and hope to find either a good spot or an adaptable form.

Hope to have good news in two years.

Can someone identify this Y. baccata which formed trunks, found at Mesa Verde NP ?

Thanks

Eckhard

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Palmensammler said:

I tried Y.  baccata many times here in Germany (Zone 7b) without success. Plants grew backwards and died slowly because of the cold and humid winter times. Even a raincover didn't help.

This year I will start a last trial with some of the seed grown baccatas from AZ and NM. Will try several locations in my garden and hope to find either a good spot or an adaptable form.

Hope to have good news in two years.

Can someone identify this Y. baccata which formed trunks, found at Mesa Verde NP ?

Thanks

Eckhard

Likely Y. baccata var baccata, ...seems to be the only Yucca species ( and form of baccata ) in the area/ park, at least according to iNat. observation data.  The vespertina form of the species, which is typically trunk-less, occurs further west in the Mojave Desert and sometimes hybridizes with Y. schidigera, maybe others there.. which do trunk.

iNat. also lumps Yucca arizonica into the baccata group, listing it as Y.  b. var. brevifolia, but that " form " only occurs in southern AZ, at least according to the observation map.

[Palmensammler]

Here are the other candidates for this years trial.

Y. baccata "Bandelier"

Yucca baccata "Mesa verde - 1"

Yucca baccata "4-Corners"

Hope one of them is tough enough for my climate.

Eckhard

[EastCanadaTropicals]

On 4/23/2021 at 12:45 PM, Palmensammler said:

I tried Y.  baccata many times here in Germany (Zone 7b) without success. Plants grew backwards and died slowly because of the cold and humid winter times. Even a raincover didn't help.

This year I will start a last trial with some of the seed grown baccatas from AZ and NM. Will try several locations in my garden and hope to find either a good spot or an adaptable form.

Hope to have good news in two years.

Can someone identify this Y. baccata which formed trunks, found at Mesa Verde NP ?

Thanks

Eckhard

What about a variety from Colorado?

[ColdBonsai]

Don't know if you can read the tag on my pic, but this place estimates the 10 year height at 4 feet. That's probably under ideal conditions. For me it'd probably be slower due to our cold, even though they do well here.

So slow is your answer lol.

[Palmensammler]

6 hours ago, EastCanadaTropicals said:

What about a variety from Colorado?

Hi, from this type I only have a few which will stay in pots as I don't want to lose them.  Are the baccatas  from Colorado more resistant to cold and humid/wet winters?

During our trip in 2019  we only touched colourful Colorado at the southwestern edge. So I was not able to collect other baccata seeds from Colorado. 

Eckhard 

[EastCanadaTropicals]

23 hours ago, Palmensammler said:

Hi, from this type I only have a few which will stay in pots as I don't want to lose them.  Are the baccatas  from Colorado more resistant to cold and humid/wet winters?

During our trip in 2019  we only touched colourful Colorado at the southwestern edge. So I was not able to collect other baccata seeds from Colorado. 

Eckhard 

Likely, as South West Colorado is 7a in the best locations.

[Silas_Sancona]

On 5/9/2021 at 8:56 AM, ColdBonsai said:

Don't know if you can read the tag on my pic, but this place estimates the 10 year height at 4 feet. That's probably under ideal conditions. For me it'd probably be slower due to our cold, even though they do well here.

So slow is your answer lol.

Know this nursery well and would trust 95% of their information. Good to see they're selling material up there in Idaho.

[ColdBonsai]

On 5/10/2021 at 2:30 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Know this nursery well and would trust 95% of their information. Good to see they're selling material up there in Idaho.

I just started seeing it in the last year. Definately the best you can get here for yucca and various succulent/cactus types. The agave I bought is one of theirs. 

[EastCanadaTropicals]

On 5/10/2021 at 4:30 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Know this nursery well and would trust 95% of their information. Good to see they're selling material up there in Idaho.

My yucca baccata just germinated in less than 3 weeks, so they haven't been too slow for me. 

[EastCanadaTropicals]

On 5/10/2021 at 4:30 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Know this nursery well and would trust 95% of their information. Good to see they're selling material up there in Idaho.

My yucca baccata just germinated in less than 3 weeks, so they haven't been too slow for me.  Here are some pics:

[EastCanadaTropicals]

The white thing in it is likely the seed that cracked open.

[Silas_Sancona]

1 minute ago, EastCanadaTropicals said:

My yucca baccata just germinated in less than 3 weeks, so they haven't been too slow for me. 

Just because something germinates quickly doesn't dictate it's growth rate will be as quick -after - germinating..

[EastCanadaTropicals]

1 minute ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Just because something germinates quickly doesn't dictate it's growth rate will be as quick -after - germinating..

Makes sense, considering my bell peppers took longer to germinate but are rockets.

Edited June 4, 2021 by EastCanadaTropicals