You live in Ohio and want to grow yucca, but you’re unsure which type of yucca will grow well in your region. The yucca you choose will need to tolerate the cold and enjoy summer temperatures below 100 degrees.
Ohio has a native yucca called the yucca Filamentosa, also known as the Adam’s Needle yucca.This yucca enjoys rocky terrain and can be found growing near roads and train tracks. The Adam’s Needle and other yucca that grow well in planting zone four will grow best in Ohio.
So, Ohio has a native yucca plant already adapted to the climate. Do yucca that are growing in Ohio require any specialized care? We will investigate this while learning more about the Adam’s Needle yucca and other yucca that may do well in Ohio.
What is the Adam’s Needle Yucca
The Adam’s Needle yucca is a zone 4b cold hardy succulent. It has green or variegated white and green leaves. Adam’s Needle likes well-draining soil and will grow in rocky ground. It wants to be in full sun but will grow in partial shade.
Adam’s Needle yucca is a beautiful evergreen plant native to the Ohio region. It is a zone 4b cold hardy plant meaning it will withstand the winter months provided it is planted in soil that does not retain water, and it receives plenty of sunlight.
This yucca will colonize areas where it is established. New yucca plants, called pups, will grow from the rhizome roots of the parent plant. It can also be propagated by stem cuttings or planting seeds from the dry flower pods.
Does Adam’s Needle Yucca Bloom Every Year
Most Adam’s Needle Yucca are inconsistent with their bloom schedule and will often only bloom every two to five years. But Adam’s Needle is capable of blooming every year. This succulent will only bloom once it has reached maturity.
The Adam’s Needle yucca is an amazingly gorgeous plant to behold when it blooms. The flower stalk it sends up can reach heights of eight feet and be covered in sweet-smelling bell-shaped white flowers.
Adam’s Needle yucca does not mature until it is around five years of age. So, if you planted your yucca from seed, you must be patient to see the blooms. Even if you have witnessed your Adam’s Needle yucca bloom once, it may take more than two years to bloom again.
It is possible that your Adam’s Needle needs a little extra care from you. Does your yucca have new shoots coming up around it? These are called pups. Since the pups are growing from the rhizomes of the roots, they may be pulling too many nutrients from the parent plant, causing the parent plant not to bloom.
Removing these pups might help the parent Adam’s needle yucca bloom again. Another cause for it not blooming may be that it is getting too much water. They do not need a lot of water, and this can affect them. You can also try giving your Adam’s Needle plant food during the spring.
Ensure that your yucca has well-draining soil and receives plenty of warm sunshine. If your yucca is planted in a shady place, you might consider moving it to a better location.
What Other Varieties of Yucca Will Grow in Ohio
Aside from the Adam’s Needle, other yucca plants, such as the Dwarf yucca, will grow well in Ohio. These yucca varieties are adapted to the cold winters and warm to hot summers. When searching for a yucca to purchase, look at the recommended planting zones of the succulent to see if it will grow.
Let’s explore a few more yucca varieties with good potential for growth in Ohio. As mentioned, the Dwarf yucca, or Harrimaniea yucca, grows well in cold-hardy zones 4 through 5, so it is cold tolerant.
This is a small yucca that enjoys dry soils and full sun. It will grow to about a foot tall, however, it will have about a three-foot spread. It blooms from spring into early summer with a flower shoot rising up to three feet high and small white flowers on the stalk.
The soapweed yucca grows in dry and rocky soils amongst prairie grasses. As the name suggests, the soapweed yucca has been used to make a lathering soap from its roots. The leaves have also been used to make textiles and rope. Its usefulness enhances its beauty.
Soapweed yucca will grow to about 4 feet wide. When it flowers in June through August, the flower stalk will rise four feet above the yucca leaves. The flowers are a creamy light green that will dry out into cream-white colored seed pods.
Another yucca that will grow in zone 4 is the banana yucca. The banana yucca is unique in that you can eat the plant’s soft fruits. Most yucca varieties make a hard seed pod with inedible seeds. When mature, banana yucca will flower in the spring months with white flowers.
The overall height of the banana yucca will reach 18 inches, with a spread of up to six feet wide. This yucca should be planted in fast-draining soil or in a rocky area. It needs full bright sunshine. When watering the banana yucca in the summer months, you should not need to water it more than once per month.
How Should I Plant a Yucca in Ohio
Yucca varieties that are cold-hardy can be planted in the garden in Ohio. Make sure that the yucca is on high ground and in a sunny location. Once established, the yucca will need very little human intervention, provided its environment is conducive.
Please note, If your yucca is just a seedling or is a propagated plant, it is crucial to keep it in a pot and keep it indoors until it is larger and the root structure is strong enough to survive an outdoor environment.
The best time to plant yucca in the garden is when the ground has started to warm up, and the outdoor temperature will remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. To produce a cold hardy yucca in Ohio:
- Choose a bright sunny place that will not fill up with water during rain storms or snow melt.
- Dig a hole that is a bit deeper than the yucca’s roots.
- To give your yucca an extra head-start in its outdoor environment, add some succulent soil to the hole.
Place your yucca in the hole and backfill soil around the plant’s roots. The yucca should rise above the ground level by an inch or two; this will help ensure that water will not pond around its base.
How Do I Keep My Yucca Alive During Ohio Winters
There are things the yucca gardener can do to protect outdoor yucca and give it the best chance of surviving winter in Ohio. Yucca’s that are cold tolerant may still be affected by the cold and snow.
As winter approaches, you must refrain from some gardening practices when it comes to your yucca. To help your yucca survive the winter months:
- Trim away the dead flower stalk and any dead foliage.
- Reduce the amount of water a yucca is receiving towards the end of the summer season. Stop watering it all together before the first frost.
- If you have been fertilizing your yucca, this too needs to stop. Giving plant food to your yucca after the summer months could encourage new growth that will not be able to survive the cold temperatures.
Aside from these simple instructions, little else is needed for your yucca to survive the winter, provided it is a cold-hardy specimen planted in fast-draining soil and a sunny location.
You Can Grow Yucca in Ohio
Even though most varieties of yucca are found in the southwestern states and into Mexico, Ohio’s native Adam’s Needle is the yucca of choice. Other yucca species that are cold tolerant and grow in zone 4b will do well in your garden as well.
Growing yucca is a fun way to add variation to your more common garden plants. Since they are evergreen, they will add color to your landscape even in the winter.
