Adam’s Needle Care
This succulent is one of theeasiest plants to grow outdoors.
you’re free to also grow Adam’s needle in a large container.
Yucca filamentosahas few severe diseases or pest issues.
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Adam’s needle attracts yucca moths at night, which are the main pollinator for this plant.
Light
This plant grows best infull sunbut will tolerate a little shade.
In low light conditions, however, yucca will stretch toward the sun.
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It also does not seem to mind pollutants or salty soil, making it suitable for roadside plantings.
Water
Adam’s needle has good drought tolerance once established and is often used in xeriscape landscaping.
Container-grown plants will continue to need a small amount of weekly water if there is not sufficient rainfall.
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Temperature and Humidity
Although native to the southeastern U.S., this hardy succulent hasnaturalizedfarther north.
you could plantYucca filamentosainUSDA hardiness zones4a-10a, as it readily adapts to all climate variations within those zones.
Adam’s needle grows best with moderate humidity but can acclimate to low humidity conditions.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
For the amount to use, follow the product label instructions.
Overall, little pruning is required.
Trim flower stalks down once the blooms have faded.
David Beaulieu / Getty Images
Or, it’s possible for you to wait until their seed pods are ready to harvest.
In the fall, remove yellowing leaves after they have dried.
If you notice branching from the trunks, remove it in late winter or spring.
Use sharp garden shears to prune away leaves by cutting them down close to the base of the plant.
Rhizomes are the underground root system of the yucca plant.
Start the germination process indoors in March.
It can take four to five weeks for seeds to germinate.
For best results, many gardeners soak the seeds overnight before planting.
It prefers to be slightly root bound.
Roots growing out of the drainage holes are signs your yucca is ready for a new home.
You shouldn’t need to transplant it oftenonly every three to four years into the next size pot.
Ideally, transplant your yucca during the winter months.
To repot, use a porous succulent or cactus potting mix.
Adam’s needle needs a pot that’s only slightly larger than its rootball.
Winter burn may affect some of the leaves in regions with cold, windy winters.
By late summer, start to reduce the amount of supplemental water the plant receives, if any.
Stop watering entirely by September.
Let the stalks naturally die back before cutting them.
This allows the plant to store needed nutrients in the roots for the next season’s growth.
Adam’s needle can withstand 5 degrees Fahrenheit but will benefit from some winter protection.
Cover the mulch pile with plastic sheeting or burlap to provide further insulation in the coldest areas.
Hold the sheeting down with stakes or large rocks placed around the edges.
Remove the sheeting and the mulch in the spring after the chance of frost has passed.
you’re able to dispatch pests like aphids and mealybugs with blasts of water from your hose.
Scale bugs will fall away with neem oil.
Agave plant bugs and mites will disappear after several applications of insecticidal soap.
The only genuinely problematic pest that can kill your plant is an infestation of yucca weevils.
Yucca weevilsburrow underground and feast on the rhizomatous root.
If you notice tell-tale holes in the leaves, pull up the root to inspect it.
If weevils ravage the root, you may need to destroy it.
How to Get Adam’s Needle to Bloom
Yucca plants may bloom from June up to September.
The flower stalks can grow up to 5 or 8 feet high, developing creamy-white bell-shaped flowers.
Adding phosphorus-rich fertilizer or bone meal to the soil can also encourage flowering.
Also, if your plant is not flowering, it may need to behand-pollinated.
Yucca’s sweetly-scented flowers bloom at night, attracting the plants' only pollinator, the yucca moth.
If these moths are not present, you might need to provide a helping hand.
Common Problems With Adam’s Needle
Yucca is an easy plant to grow and maintain.
Its pest problems are minor, and it’s cold-hardy and drought-tolerant.
Pull up a bit of the plant, and examine the roots.
If they look black and mushy,root rotis present.
Also, reduce the water significantly.
Yucca should only be watered when the soil dries out.
Allow those leaves to dry out and then remove them.
These symptoms describe fertilizer burn.
Adam’s needle is native to the U.S. and self-propagates readily.
Adam’s needle can grow indoors.
Most Adam’s needle plants grown indoors will not flower.
Also, consider its toxicity to animals if you have indoor pets.
Adam’s needle lives on average 20 to 50 years under ideal conditions, likely less when grown indoors.
Some specimens can live hundreds of years in their native environment.
Plants for a Future.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Pests in Gardens and Landscapes.University of California
Yucca filamentosa.
North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension.
Utah State University Extension.
