Propagation of a Yucca Tree

Outdoors

• Species of yucca that form multiple trunks reproduce well from cuttings. To propagate a yucca cutting outdoors, cut off one of the trunks and remove any leaves from the bottom 12 inches. Store the cutting in a dry area for three or four days and then plant it in a 12-inch hole with the cut end at the bottom. Cuttings over 18 inches long might require staking to the ground if you live in a windy area. Water thoroughly immediately after setting the plant in the soil. The cutting should establish roots about three to six months after planting.

Indoors

• To grow yuccas from cuttings in an indoor setting, avoid taking sections from small diameter young branches or large diameter older branches, advises the University of Florida. Place the cutting in a potting mix that provides enough air for it to thrive. A mix of three parts peat to one part sand works well. Although you can place the pot or container in full sun, partial shade results in a plant with a more attractive appearance.

Seed

• To propagate yuccas from seed, collect the seeds when the seed pods appear ready to break open. Crack open the pods with a pair of pliers and allow the seeds to dry at room temperature over the winter. Place the seeds in a container or pot in the spring with damp soil. Put them in individual pots when they start sprouting. When the sprouts show signs of strong growth, transplant them to the desired outdoor location.

Moth

• One curious feature of yuccas involves their method of pollination. Yuccas do not attract bees or birds to their flowers. The only pollinator of yucca is the moth. The two species have evolved an interdependent relationship over time. Neither species could survive without the other. About 70 percent of yucca moths pollinate only one specific species of yucca. The female yucca moth has evolved mouth parts that allow her to collect pollen from one flower of the yucca, which she then releases onto another.