Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Cool plant #1: Twist-leaf yucca



Today I bring to you the first in an occasional series on interesting plants endemic to my area, the Edwards Plateau located in Central to West Texas. What characterizes the Edwards Plateau? I’m so glad you asked! From the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department:

“The Edwards Plateau is an uplifted and elevated region originally formed from marine deposits of sandstone, limestone, shales, and dolomites 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period when this region was covered by an ocean. The western portion remains a relatively flat elevated plateau whereas the eastern portion known as the Hill Country is deeply eroded.”

We live in the Hill Country sector. What an odd idea, that we live in what was once an ocean. Proof is all around us, however, with sea creature fossils decorating many of the rocks we find – and we find lots of rocks here.

Our featured plant today is the twist-leaf yucca (Yucca rupicola). This is a cool little yucca with - you guessed it - twisty leaves! Its leaves are one to two feet long, with a colored margin, which can be light brown, yellow, orange, red or white (depending on the source consulted). Tiny sharp teeth march along those leaf margins and thin white curly hairs cover the leaf. The bloom stalk shoots up in the spring (April to June), and can be up to five feet tall, with large, heavily scented white or greenish white petals.

If you look closely, you can see the tiny teeth at leaf's edge. 
Also, notice yellow leaf margin on the upright leaf,
and red margin on leaf at bottom right.


And boy, is it tough. The twist-leaf yucca grows in full sun or part shade and on shallow rocky soil, is heat and drought tolerant, and is deer resistant (except for the blooms). Some years the deer leave the yuccas alone, but when food is scarce they will top them all. This is a sad sight to a gardener, but part of the natural cycle, after all.

These yuccas grow fairly commonly on our property. One has popped up in a flowerbed.  This could be an unwelcome addition, but the plant only gets up to two feet in size and is manageable in its volunteer location.

If you live in the Hill Country, I hope you have some of these neat plants growing on your property. If you don’t, maybe you can find one at a native plant nursery.

Favorite spot in the garden:

Well, I haven’t added this feature lately, but today I have such a spot. This area is outside the living room French doors, and catches the sun so prettily (though it is cloudy today). Newly planted snowdrops (Leucojum aestivum from my mother-in-law's grandmother's house) surround the area, with rich purple oxalis (Oxalis triangularis) and wandering Jew (Tradescantia pallida, I think) in the middle, backed by a lush spread of yarrow (Achillea millefolium).  I love this color combination!






11 comments:

  1. These yuccas, are indeed tough plants. We have several in the Deer Grove. I've moved a couple up to the house. One survived, so far. I may try more.
    Is your favorite spot out with the deer? They ate the Jew I put out, when we first moved here. Haven't tried the oxalis.
    Of course, our deer seem to eat more right here, than even other places in this neighborhood....ugh

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    1. You are afflicted by deer, no doubt! These are right by the porch and the dog's bed. I think that's why they survive. They did not survive the chickens, but those critters are penned up now.

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  2. I love twist-leaf yucca! We have lots in the woods, but for many years we had a few that were growing in our unpaved road. They never got over about 4 inches tall, but they kept coming back no matter how often they were driven on. One of our rare road work sessions with a grader finally did them in.

    It's amazing how they can perk up on the first rain after a drought.

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    1. I've seen some in that situation, also. So, Lona, is this our only yucca? No others were listed in the Hill Country Wildflower book . . .

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  3. I do like this plant a lot. We don't have them native here but I'll look for them at my favorite native nursery.

    When I saw your favorite spot I thought the same thing Linda did and you must not have deer in that part of the garden. I can't plant the tradescantia or the oxalis because they eat it to the ground immediately.

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    1. The deer don't trouble me too much, and I attribute that to the presence of Iris the dog. She's not much of a watchdog, but she does chase the deer. My husband, the hunter, is not so thrilled with this activity. But I like it!

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  4. One of my favorite, "lusher" plants that's still xeric! Great in part-shade in the desert; 2 in terracotta pots off my patio have taken -0F to 105F+, never skipped a beat. Those sharp, yellow leaf margins are amazing. And great background info on that plant - definitely a yucca deserving more use, esp there where part of the local plant "fabric".

    I've been meaning to ask - any relation to an Austin landscape architect, Will Pickens?

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    1. I'm glad you use them in NM!

      Yes, indeed - my brother-in-law.

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    2. One lucky guess on my part - I'll have to tell Will P!

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  5. Neat plant. I will now know it if I ever see it - and if it's for sale, I'll probably pick one up! I do love your favorite spot in the garden. Love all the purples and greens. And when the summer snowflakes start blooming, it will be quite the lovely spring sight.

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    1. The snowflakes have begun blooming, but not profusely. Too dry, I guess.

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