A couple of years ago I bought 3 scrawny little reject yuccas, about 40cm high and planted them thinking the bare trunks would keep growing upwards, with foliage on top like my potted yucca. Instead, the main trunks of all 3 didn't grow up at all, but the foliage has gone berserk.
To reduce their size would it be best to completely remove whole 'side trunks' and pups or lop the tops off them? I know, a can of petrol and a match is probably the sensible option. Thanks!
wasgonna,
May 20, 3:48am
Doesn't matter how you trim them they'll start producing pups all over the trunks. After continually trimming the pups off I gave up and dug the damn thing out. I did find it very dangerous with low foliage as any child (or short adult) could lose an eye on these extremely sharp leaf tips.
zak410,
May 20, 3:49am
remove the branches and pups so it grows tall
edit: #2, not all of them are sharp but yes some are very nasty.
(in bushcraft, tear the needle down with a long string from the leave for your sewing repairs ;)
kaddiew,
May 20, 4:14am
Thanks folks. Sounds like a heavy hand is needed.
Luckily these ones aren't really spikey - but my nasty potted one landed me with an after hours medical bill after I picked it up and stabbed myself inside my ear with one of the spikes. Hurt like hell.
I'd have a lot of free needles and thread from this lot, zak10! : )
groovie1,
May 20, 5:56am
The ends were needle sharp on mine so I trimmed it into a child friendly topiary but then the adults would insist on walking into it even though it was off to the side minding its own business. In the end I dug and turfed.
edit: what a beautiful specimen though. I'd cut it back with a handsaw leaving the central core. You don't have to be too precious with it, they're extremely hardy, virtually indestructible.
kaddiew,
Jan 5, 7:19pm
That was a labour of love, trimming each spike!
All 3 yuccas are at least that size, and look good all in a row at the front of the house, but will soon be blocking the light, the rate they're growing.
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