Yucca Elephantipes in Delaware

[Gerano]

I have a Yucca Elephantipes that has chosen to grow along the floor rather than towards the ceiling. It started out growing upward, but then chose to cling to the floor. It twists and turns as it reaches for the nearest sunlit window. It is probably 10 to 12 ft long and growing too large for my room. I've read that these plants are hardy. The winters in Delaware are rather mild compared to my home region of New England. I would like to know if anyone has planted a Yucca Elephantipes in or near the area of Delaware? If so, how is it doing? Is it surviving well, or is it struggling to survive? I need to consider transplanting it to the outdoors so that it can continue to grow.

[KPoff]

1 hour ago, Gerano said:

I have a Yucca Elephantipes that has chosen to grow along the floor rather than towards the ceiling. It started out growing upward, but then chose to cling to the floor. It twists and turns as it reaches for the nearest sunlit window. It is probably 10 to 12 ft long and growing too large for my room. I've read that these plants are hardy. The winters in Delaware are rather mild compared to my home region of New England. I would like to know if anyone has planted a Yucca Elephantipes in or near the area of Delaware? If so, how is it doing? Is it surviving well, or is it struggling to survive? I need to consider transplanting it to the outdoors so that it can continue to grow.

That’s a plant that requires a lot of sunlight isn’t it? Or at the minimum a lot of bright indirect light? It doesn’t look like that is a bright location. Can you put it outside somewhere in the summer?

[SeanK]

1 hour ago, Gerano said:

I have a Yucca Elephantipes that has chosen to grow along the floor rather than towards the ceiling. It started out growing upward, but then chose to cling to the floor. It twists and turns as it reaches for the nearest sunlit window. It is probably 10 to 12 ft long and growing too large for my room. I've read that these plants are hardy. The winters in Delaware are rather mild compared to my home region of New England. I would like to know if anyone has planted a Yucca Elephantipes in or near the area of Delaware? If so, how is it doing? Is it surviving well, or is it struggling to survive? I need to consider transplanting it to the outdoors so that it can continue to grow.

These plants are probably z9b hardy. See if you can find Y.aloifolia to plant in the ground. Y.recuvifolia is also cold-hardy, wet-hardy, and trunking.

[Gerano]

My only option is the transplant it permanently to the outdoors. I need use of that bedroom.

I can honestly state that Delaware is a State that gets too much sunlight. The heat and humidity of Delaware are driving me out. I need to go someplace where there's less sun and less humidity. I'm originally from New England and I like cool, drier climates. Most of the people who reside in Delaware refuse to plant trees. They don't want the bother of leaves, birds, squirrels, seeds or nuts, or anything else. Many people move here and cut down all the trees and then place their new house on a two or five acre lot without a single tree. It's Insanity to me. 

My Yucca Elephantipes has done well for nearly 20 years in the bedroom which only gets sunlight from the early mornings until about noon. If it can thrive in that limited sunlight, it should do very well in the yard.

My only concern is the temperatures. What temperature range is acceptable to this tree or plant?

[SeanK]

4 minutes ago, Gerano said:

My only option is the transplant it permanently to the outdoors. I need use of that bedroom.

I can honestly state that Delaware is a State that gets too much sunlight. The heat and humidity of Delaware are driving me out. I need to go someplace where there's less sun and less humidity. I'm originally from New England and I like cool, drier climates. Most of the people who reside in Delaware refuse to plant trees. They don't want the bother of leaves, birds, squirrels, seeds or nuts, or anything else. Many people move here and cut down all the trees and then place their new house on a two or five acre lot without a single tree. It's Insanity to me. 

My Yucca Elephantipes has done well for nearly 20 years in the bedroom which only gets sunlight from the early mornings until about noon. If it can thrive in that limited sunlight, it should do very well in the yard.

My only concern is the temperatures. What temperature range is acceptable to this tree or plant?

z9b is approx 25°F (-4°C).

[Xenon]

4 minutes ago, Gerano said:

My only option is the transplant it permanently to the outdoors. I need use of that bedroom.

I can honestly state that Delaware is a State that gets too much sunlight. The heat and humidity of Delaware are driving me out. I need to go someplace where there's less sun and less humidity. I'm originally from New England and I like cool, drier climates. Most of the people who reside in Delaware refuse to plant trees. They don't want the bother of leaves, birds, squirrels, seeds or nuts, or anything else. Many people move here and cut down all the trees and then place their new house on a two or five acre lot without a single tree. It's Insanity to me. 

My Yucca Elephantipes has done well for nearly 20 years in the bedroom which only gets sunlight from the early mornings until about noon. If it can thrive in that limited sunlight, it should do very well in the yard.

My only concern is the temperatures. What temperature range is acceptable to this tree or plant?

It will not survive your winters, not a chance not even a small one. Damage starts in the low 20s and death somewhere in the upper teens 

[Gerano]

Has anyone ever had one of these plants grow along the floor? It started growing skyward, but later decided to reach for the window by climbing along the floor. If it had remained vertical, I would love to keep it, but my townhouse is not very large. I need that spare bedroom for an office. Does anybody know of any options? Has anybody ever seen one of these plants follow the floor as this one is doing?

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Gerano said:

Has anyone ever had one of these plants grow along the floor? It started growing skyward, but later decided to reach for the window by climbing along the floor. If it had remained vertical, I would love to keep it, but my townhouse is not very large. I need that spare bedroom for an office. Does anybody know of any options? Has anybody ever seen one of these plants follow the floor as this one is doing?

Grew up surrounded by tons of these and never saw a specimen that " crawled " like that.  W/ indoor plants, such behavior is usually a sign that it wants more sun ..AKA crawling to where there is more of it.

This is what they typically look like:  *** Picture credit: San Marcos Growers.. ***



These are pretty easy to start from cuttings so, you could lop off the tops and restart. That said, you'll need more light to keep it growing vertical vs, a repeat of what it is doing now.

As others have mentioned, Y. elephantipes / gigantea  likely would not survive in the ground there in Maryland ..unless you're located in a really warm microclimate and even then, it probably would get cut down to the base by a cold winter.

Yucca sps that occur in the east / south would be the best species to grow outdoors there ..Much more cold tolerant.

[Gerano]

Is it possible to cut it to within inches from the soil and it would then grow vertically? I don't want to damage it in any way, but I need that room. 

I would like to try taking a portion of it and planting It outdoors to see if that portion could survive Delaware's weather. What would I need to start. Would I need more than a leaf specimen? 

Thank you for your help.

[Silas_Sancona]

Just now, Gerano said:

Is it possible to cut it to within inches from the soil and it would then grow vertically? I don't want to damage it in any way, but I need that room. 

I would like to try taking a portion of it and planting It outdoors to see if that portion could survive Delaware's weather. What would I need to start. Would I need more than a leaf specimen? 

Thank you for your help.

Unfortunately, the part of the stem that is horizontal will always remain as such, even if cut / re-rooted. 

Using your picture, You can cut the yellow part(s) into sections / pot say 3  8-10" long pieces to a 1gal pot that will put out vertical growth when they start pushing new growth from dormant leaf nodes however ..if they get enough light.. otherwise the new growth will crawl towards the window again.

Don't cut anything below the  red line and X

Really, i wouldn't cut off anything below the orange lines

Blue = the green tops up against the window, which also can be re-rooted ..Either of those you can try outside once rooted..




This is how they often start these in the Nursery trade ..Specimens you might see in the house plant section at HD or Lowes for instance..



Soil- wise,  use something chunky    ..A mix that contains 40% Coco Peat, 60% combo of the following inorganic soil mix ingredients: Pumice, Turface MVP,  small Lava rock,  ..and / or, Chicken Grit / Horticultural Grit..

Soil mix has to be chunky and " open " to allow good air circulation through it to help promote root initiation / development

Don't use a heavy soil mix  Heavy = containing lots of Peat Moss ( Never use that stuff ), fine sand, other organic stuff that can quickly turn to muck..  ..And NO perlite..

Cut,  remove all the dead leaves, and insert the leafless cutting sections in pot(s) and place them somewhere warm, ..but out of direct sunlight   outside.

Keep moist ..but not soaking wet..

W/ some heat / humidity this time of year,  they should start pushing new growth ..even totally bare stem sections.. within 6-8 weeks. 

Section(s) you may decide to try outdoors won't be ready until next spring. Need a good root system on them before  they go in the ground.

As mentioned, trial-worthy outdoors there, but not the most cold tolerant of Yucca sps, so be aware they may not survive your winters..