PlantFiles: Spanish Bayonet, Aloe Yucca, Spanish Dagger
Yucca aloifolia

I live in East central IL and am wondering what time of year it is appropriate to divide and transplant the Yucca. We have a very elderly clump of it growing down the road at an old farmstead and want to move it soon. Does anyone recommend moving and planting it in the fall? I'm sorry if this is not the correct place to post this.

I live in northeast Tennessee @ 1500 ft. elevation and have had great success with this plant, even in a more shaded area. In full sun, it would probably be amazing.

If you're someone that has a brown thumb and the worst soil possible, than this is the plant for you! All you have to do is dig a clump and sit it on the ground where you want it, that's it. I have been stuck by mine plenty of times when weeding around it but I still find it an enjoyable plant.

Spanish Bayonet has several positives. It is attractive and the bloom stalk is particularly nice. It will grow happily in the hottest, brightest part of the yard; it will also grow on soil where nothing else will. It spreads through shoots at the base of the plant, but it is also easy to propogate; simply cut a piece into sections, set them on bare ground, and give them a little water. They will take root very quickly.

But there is a reason that many people plant it under windows to discourage intruders. It is an extremely formidable plant, and the needle-like leaftips will puncture even the toughest protective gear. It can also be a significant hazard to yard work; I can't count the times I've backed into it when mowing the lawn. I would very specifically warn against planting it where any innocent and unsuspecting person will encounter it.

That said, I find that the plant tends to either break or fall after it reaches a certain height. Unless you want to leave it "as is"--the broken piece will quickly root and fallen trunks often produce vertical growth--your best bet is to tackle the clean up with a machete while wearing your heaviest gloves and clothing. Even then, reconcile yourself to the fact that you'll be bitten. It's inevitable.

My Mother was an avid gardener in South Louisiana, and she really liked succulent and cactus type plants. Spanish Bayonet was one of her favorite plants to use as a barrier along a fence line, mostly to punctuate the corners of the property. She felt that they discouraged both children and dogs from coming into her yard and disturbing her plants and cats.

She always kept them up and they never looked brown or unsightly. They also never got taller than pruning range, so I suspect she kept them cut down to a reasonable height. I was just a child, so I don't really remember.

My Mother was of the school that thinks that good fences make good neighbors, but she always had something attractive and/or barrier like growing up on her ugly chain link fences, like pyracantha or thorny climbing roses, and I suspect that security for our property, beyond kids and dogs, was also in her mind.

First of all, my spainsh bayonets survive in central new york state. My neighbors cannot believe I have them. I was very excited to put them in five years ago. I chose them because I wanted my corner driveway garden to be drought tolerant. My hose does not go that far and we cannot waste water since we have a shallow well. Now they are out of control and I need to move them. Three grew into more somehow. They are also taller than my burning bush which is behind them. I guess I have mixed feelings about these interesting plants. I don't know where to place them. Any ideas?

Growing this yucca is a challenge for where I live in Southern New Jersey, however it does perfectly fine in Southern New Jersey coastal towns. I've had mixed results ovewintering aloifolia over the years with some years no problems, and other years, some amount of damage. It seems I am right on the edge of where this yucca will comfortably grow. Last winter (2002/03) for example, was a very cold and wet winter. An aloifolia I had growing in a southern exposure against a south facing wall had no leaf damage, but the growth spear rotted on me when the weather started getting warmer in the spring. The spear eventually pulled away from the stem and some upper stem rot started to occur. I applied a fungicide and eventually the rot stopped and the growth started up again. But because there was some upper stem rot, the new growth was abnormal and was growing in a downward position. On day I tried to straighten it out and snapped all the new growth off. About a month later I had about 8 new growth points from where the abnormal head snapped off. All the new growth points were pointed up and growing in the right direction. As for the peice that snapped off, I stuck it in the ground and it rooted itself. I recently moved away (1/9/04) from the house where this yucca is planted, and I'm curious to see how it has done over the past month. I'm permitted by the new owners to go back in the spring and take some plants that I had intended to take with me, but couldn't get out of the ground in time due to sudden frozen soil. We literally went form temps in the 40's and 50's to teens over the course of days and the ground froze when I had planned to dig stuff up.

Anyway, since aloifolia is such a challenge, I'll continue to try and grow it. I should have better luck in the new house as it is closer to the shore area and about 15 miles further south from where we used to live.

This yucca is found all over the east bay of the San Francisco bay area. If looked after, it offers some beauty. Left unattended, it grows tall and spreads. I see it more in the 20' range and taller - not 10' as listed.

Once established, it is likely permanent. Cutting it down, digging it up - some part of it will survive about anything. Even if you feel you've successfully conquered it, root can sit dormant for up to 10 years - then reappear.

Leaves are very sharp and contain an oil or fiber that causes irritation if it breaks your skin.

Where I live in El Sobrante, one could not go 1/4 mile in any direction without seeing this yucca at least once.

Around the roots of this tree, hundreds of little white bulbs mature at once spreading like rhizoms, which seem to all be baby yucca trees! It is impossible to get rid of them and they grow through whatever else you planted there. The spread is up to 4 feet from the base of the tree itself, half the height of the tree--my tree is about 8 feet tall now, we started it from a baby-on-the-trunk 7 years ago.

It appears that yucca trees spread several ways: babies grown on the trunk of the mature tree, seeds, and rhizomous-bulbs that they self-create around their roots. It is quite unpleasant trying to get rid of them once they established well and like where they are!

I was sucessful planting this from seeds. I collected mature pods and let them dry. Then I ripened the seeds and placed them on the surface of a pot filled with well-drained organic soil. After a week or ten days, new plants were growing. In the first days you have to water it regularly, once every five days to a week, depending on the weather. After the first transplanting you can water them less frequently. Keep them always in full sun.

Spanish Bayonet has an erect trunk armed with sharp pointed straplike leaves each about 2' long. The young leaves near the growing tip stand erect; older ones are reflexed downward, and the oldest wither and turn brown, hanging around the lower trunk like an Hawaiian skirt. The tip of the trunk develops a long spike of white flowers. Spanish Bayonet also produces new buds, or offshoots, near the base of the trunk, forming a thicket.

It is native to coastal areas from North Carolina to Mexico and in the West Indies and will flourish in full sun with light, sandy soil. Spanish bayonet may be the ultimate in "security plants" - it can be planted beneath windows and other access points where its fiercely pointed leaves will prevent passage of all interlopers human and otherwise.
Do not plant Spanish Bayonet near walkways, patios or in areas frequented by children and pets. This plant can inflict painful puncture wounds even through heavy clothing!