Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Tuesday - May 12, 2009

From: Blanco, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pruning, Cacti and Succulents
Title: Getting rid of yucca plants in Blanco, TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

How does a person get rid of Yucca plants? We have four fig trees that do not bear figs, what do we need to do? We live in SE Blanco County, Texas.

ANSWER:

We can't help you with your second question. Ficus carica is native to southwest Asia and the eastern Meditteranean area. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is dedicated to the care, protection and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which the plants are being grown. We found an essortment website How to grow and care for a fig tree that might be of some use to you.

On the subject of getting rid of yucca plants, that's going to be difficult, because yuccas are tough desert native plants, and they resist being exterminated. However, you are not the only one who has wanted to either get rid of or thin out their existing yuccas. We don't know which species of  yucca  you have, but Yucca constricta (Buckley's yucca) is shown on the USDA Texas map as growing native around Blanco. Here is an excerpt from a previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer:

Members of the Genus Yucca are all similar enough that we can talk about them in general terms. You do have a problem getting rid of your unwanted plants. Yucca has a root you wouldn't believe, big and going deep. It propagates itself both by seed and by offshoots, or pups, from the main plant. The first thing is to avoid further propagation by seed. If your yuccas are blooming, get the blossom trunk down and disposed of before the seed pods turn dark brown. Then you can go on to the rest of the plant. 

There is no magic potion. You are going to have to arm yourself with heavy clothes, long leather gloves and goggles to protect your eyes from those stilleto-like leaves, as well as some serious cutting equipment. First, cut down as much as you can of the leaves, or blades, if you prefer. You probably already know that their edges are sharp, their tips are sharp, and they are tough. Begin with the offshoots and work your way in. Any piece of root left in the ground will sprout a new plant. Dispose of these cuttings in heavy paper bags (they'll rip plastic to shreds) and send them to the trash. Don't put them in the compost, or pile them somewhere, they stay lethal for a long time. Although we have no documentation to prove this will work, you might ask your nursery to recommend some herbicide that is meant to be painted on cut-off trunks to kill the roots. Cut the yuccas that you can't dig out down as close to the ground as possible, and then paint with the solution.You need to get the herbicide painted on the cut end within 5 minutes of cutting, as it will try to heal itself and keep the herbicide from circulating to damage the root. Don't get carried away, you don't want to contaminate the soil around the yucca, where you will presumably want to plant something else in the future. And don't spray! Spray can drift to other plants that you didn't intend to destroy, and probably do them more damage than the yucca.

You will have to continue destroying yuccas for some time. Don't let them get ahead of you, be vigilant to root out the offsets and destroy them before they get firmly entrenched. The yucca is a survivor, growing in some of the bleakest desert land in the country. There is one other remedy that has occurred to us-when you look up information on how to care for a yucca, you are always warned not to water it, not to let the roots stand in water, don't let it get wet. So, try flooding the roots and see if that helps. Never tried it, but it's cheaper than herbicide. 


Yucca constricta

Yucca constricta

Yucca constricta

Yucca constricta

 

 

 

 

More Cacti and Succulents Questions

Need advice about an agave that didn't survive the winter in Myrtle Beach, NC.
March 09, 2011 - I live in Myrtle Beach, S.C. bought an agave big last summer and it died in the winter. Some green is showing on the bottom should I cut it all down because the whole top is dead. Thank you
view the full question and answer

Non-blooming yuccas in Brooklyn CT
July 14, 2013 - I have outdoor yucca plants that don't flower - - in full sun. Why?
view the full question and answer

Foundation plants for Albuquerque.
July 01, 2012 - Hello, I live in Albuquerque. I am looking for some native/xeric low water usage plants for foundation plants for my home. They will be foundation plants for a two story home that has a large ponde...
view the full question and answer

Should I remove the flowering stalk from my Dasylirion leioiphyllum?
March 23, 2009 - We transplanted a plant that is new to us but going through your photos on your website, it appears that we have a Dasylirion Leiophy. My question is this.. Are we supposed to cut the 6' stem that f...
view the full question and answer

Unidentified stalk, possibly manfreda, from San Marcos TX
May 23, 2014 - I had a very weird stalk pop up in my yard in San Marcos TX this month (May 2014) It bloomed very quickly and appears to be a manfreda but there is no rosette, or leaves of any kind - just the thick o...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.