Yucca plants produce abundant seed pods that contain many small, black seeds. These seeds can be collected and planted to propagate new yucca plants. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore when and how to harvest yucca seed pods, how to properly store the seeds, and the best methods for germinating and planting yucca seeds.
Identifying and Harvesting Mature Yucca Seed Pods
Yucca plants first send up a tall flower stalk covered in bell-shaped creamy white flowers. After the flowers are pollinated, green oval seed pods start to develop where the flowers were. The seed pods will ripen and turn brown when the seeds inside become mature and ready for harvesting.
It’s important to monitor the pods and collect the seeds at just the right time. Check them regularly as they transition from green to light brown. The optimal time to gather the seeds is when the pods first begin to split open slightly. If left too long, the pods will burst open fully and disperse the seeds.
The ripe seed pods are generally found clustered under the dead flowers on the upper portion of the flower stalk. Carefully cut off the entire cluster of pods or gently detach individual ripe pods Avoid shaking the stalks or you may lose many of the seeds preemptively.
You have a few options for removing the small black seeds from the woody pods
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Crack Open Manually Wearing gloves to protect your hands, simply use your fingers to break the pods apart and pour the seeds into a container.
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Crush in Bag: Place the seed pods in a paper bag and crush them with a hammer to safely contain the seeds.
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Cut with Pruners: Cut the pods into sections using sharp bypass pruners, then pry them open with the pruners to extract the seeds.
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Soak in Water: Submerging the pods in water for a day or two will cause the pods to split open for easy seed removal.
Once removed from the pods, spread the yucca seeds out on paper towels or mesh screens to thoroughly dry for 1-2 weeks before storing or planting them. Proper drying prevents mold growth.
Storing Yucca Seeds Correctly for Viability
With proper storage, yucca seeds can maintain viability for up to 5 years. Here are some tips for effective yucca seed storage:
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Allow seeds to fully dry before storage to prevent mold.
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Place seeds in an airtight glass jar or plastic bag.
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Add a desiccant like powdered milk or chalk to absorb excess moisture.
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Store seeds in the refrigerator or another cool location around 40°F.
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Inspect seeds periodically and discard any with signs of mold.
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For long term storage, keep seeds in a freezer for best viability.
When stored properly in a cool, dry environment, yucca seeds will retain the ability to germinate for several years.
When to Plant Yucca Seeds
Yucca seeds can be started indoors at any time if you provide warm temperatures for germination. When planting yucca seeds outdoors, follow these guidelines:
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Spring: Sow seeds outdoors after the last expected frost when soil warms to at least 65°F.
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Fall: Yuccas can also be planted in fall around September/October and will naturally stratify over winter.
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Winter: Place seeds in mini-greenhouses outside so they undergo winter cold stratification and sprout in spring.
Soaking yucca seeds in water for 12-24 hours before planting helps improve germination rates.
How to Plant Yucca Seeds
Use these tips for the best results when planting yucca seeds:
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Fill containers with fast-draining cactus/succulent potting mix amended with extra perlite or sand.
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Plant seeds 1⁄4 inch deep as they require light to germinate.
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Water carefully, keeping the soil just barely moist. Avoid overwatering.
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Provide warm temperatures around 70-80°F and plenty of light.
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Germination takes 10-15 weeks. Thin seedlings to 1 per container.
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Harden off young plants before transplanting them outside after all frost risk has passed.
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Outdoors, choose a sunny spot with very well-draining sandy or gravelly soil.
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Space most outdoor yucca varieties about 3 feet apart. Be patient as yucca seedlings grow slowly.
Transplanting Yucca Seedlings
Yucca seedlings develop a long taproot that is sensitive to being disturbed, so take extra care when transplanting. Here are some tips for success:
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Transplant in early spring after the last frost or in fall before first frost. Avoid summer.
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Water plants thoroughly the day before to make removing easier.
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Carefully dig up the entire root ball and replant at the same depth.
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Backfill with native soil to prevent transplant shock.
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Water deeply after transplanting and provide temporary shade.
With proper handling, yucca seedlings can recover well after being transplanted. Staking may be needed while roots reestablish.
Troubleshooting Problems Propagating Yucca from Seed
Here are some potential issues and solutions when growing yucca from seed:
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Seeds fail to sprout: Ensure fresh seeds, proper planting depth, and consistent moisture. Scarify old seeds.
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Damping off disease: Avoid overwatering and allow soil to partially dry out between waterings.
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Stunted growth: Increase light and fertilize monthly with dilute balanced fertilizer.
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Transplant shock: Check for root damage, water deeply, and provide shade after transplanting.
Key Tips for Yucca Seed Pod Propagation
To summarize, here are some key things to remember when collecting and propagating yucca seeds:
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Identify ripe pods that are turning brown and cracking open.
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Harvest seeds when pods first start to split to prevent seed loss.
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Allow seeds to fully dry then store in the refrigerator or freezer.
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Soak seeds before planting to improve germination.
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Provide warm temperatures and plenty of light for best germination.
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Carefully transplant seedlings to avoid disturbing the sensitive taproot.
With the proper harvesting, storage, and growing methods, you can successfully propagate an abundance of yucca plants from the seed pods. In just a few years, you will have numerous new yucca specimens to expand your garden.
Things You’ll Need
- Sharp knife or scissors
- Small pot
- Large stones or wooden boards (optional)
- Gravel
- Granite stones
- Loose, dry soil
- Small shovel
- Fertilizer
- Pesticide
- Fungicide
- Watering can
- Mulch
- Glass sheet
Planting a Yucca Plant Outdoors
- 1 Make sure your yucca plant can survive your climate. The acceptable USDA Hardiness Zones for yucca range depending on species, from zones 4 through 11 (minimum winter temperatures of -30 to +25ºF or -34 to -4ºC), depending on your species. Zones 9 through 11 (17 to 25ºF, -7 to -4ºC) are typically safe even if you do not know your exact yucca species.[5] If you live in a lower or higher zone, its best to consult an experienced gardener or garden nursery employee to identify your yucca species and find out what zones it will thrive in.
- 2 Plant your yucca during the late spring. Yucca plants thrive during the warm summer months. Planting the yucca at the beginning of the warm weather season gives it the longest growing season possible.
- 3 Choose a location that receives full sun. Yucca plants need a hot, dry environment, so give your plant access to direct sunlight. Certain yucca species can thrive in colder or shadier locations, but these are in the minority, and typically still do well in full sunlight.
- If the plant was kept in a shady location, consider moving the pot to an area of indirect sunlight for a week before moving it into full sun. This gives it time to adjust, reducing the chance of burning or withering.
- 4 Prepare the right soil. The yucca plant should be placed in a soil mix that is 50% sand or gravel and 50% soil. You should make sure that there is neither too much gravel nor too much soil.
- 5 Form a raised bed over the stones (optional). If you built a stone bed, build a wooden wall around the location the yucca will be planted in to hold in the soil that will form a raised bed above the stones. Nail four 3 feet (0.9 m). by 1 foot (0.3 m). (1 m by 30 cm) boards into a square frame to place around the stone bed. You may wish to tilt the bed facing toward a sunny direction. (Tilt south in the northern hemisphere, north in the southern hemisphere.)
- Alternatively, tightly pack one or two dozen large stones that measure about 1 foot (0.3 m). (30.5 cm) in height around the stone bed to form a wall. This is more labor-intensive, but may provide additional drainage.
- 6 Prepare the soil. Yucca needs a fast-draining soil to prevent root rot. Use a special yucca or cactus potting mix, or mix your own with three parts lightweight clay, four parts sand, and one part ordinary soil.[6] If you prepared a raised bed, this soil is placed within the boards or stone wall. Otherwise, simply have this soil ready for later.
- 7 Dig a hole for the yucca. The hole should be twice as wide and twice as deep as the yuccas root ball. Slightly larger than the current pot the yucca is kept in should be enough if you are not sure how big the root ball is.
- 8 Place the yucca in the hole with the prepared soil around it. Gently pry the yucca out of its pot. Turn the pot on its side. Grab the yucca at the base of the stem and slowly “wiggle” it out, soil, roots, and all. Place the yucca into the newly dug hole. Fill the rest of the hole with your soil mix and pack the soil around the base of the stem to hold the plant in place. The roots should not show above ground.
- 9 Top the soil with 2 inches (5 cm) of granite chippings. The chippings keep the root dry at the neck by preventing water from splashing onto it accidentally.
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- 1 Fertilize rarely. Use a water-soluble, potassium rich fertilizer, diluted to a ratio of about one part fertilizer to four parts water. Apply it once a month during the summer months, during the morning. Fertilize yucca zero to two times during the entire cool season (autumn through winter).
- Only fertilize more quickly if your yucca is a fast-growing species. Most yucca species are slow-growing and can be harmed by excess fertilizer. Similarly, if you miss a monthly fertilization in the summer, it is not a big deal. The plant will likely still grow.
- Some recommend only fertilizing yucca once a year. This is because yucca can survive well in areas with low nutrients.[7]
- 2 Water sparingly. Many yucca plants can get by without any supplementary watering, relying solely on rainwater to survive. Once foliage starts to develop in the warm months, however, you can water it weekly, giving the plant just enough water to slightly moisten the soil without making it wet to the touch.[8]
- Reduce the frequency of watering if your yucca plant develops brown tips with yellow rings around them. This is a sign of over-watering.
- 3 Check your plant for pests. Not many pests are drawn to yucca, but snails and slugs will attack new growth. Use a standard pesticide or organic pesticide to get rid of them. Small, green aphids can be washed off with soapy water.
- 4 Monitor the plant for signs of fungal disease. Rust and mildew are the most common diseases. Spraying a fungicide may help rid the plant of disease, especially if it is only mildew, but a fungicide may or may not work against rust.
- 5 Prune the plant when necessary. Some yucca grow in a rosette shape, and produce a long, central flower stalk. After it dies, this stalk should be cut back all the way to the base to prevent rot. Other yucca varieties are tall and tree-like. These may be pruned to direct growth, but always wear gloves and safety goggles, as yucca can send sharp splinters flying when cut. In either type, cut off dead or withered leaves from the base of the plant whenever you see them.
- 6 Add a layer of mulch over the bed each winter. Yucca plants can be damaged if exposed directly to frost. Spreading a thick layer of mulch can go a long way in keeping the plant warm and dry. However, keep mulch away from the lowest leaves to prevent rot.[9]
- You can also protect the plant by placing a solid sheet of glass or plexiglass over the bed instead of mulch.
- 7 Divide the plant. If the Yucca grows too thick and dense after a few years, you can take a shoot from it to plant elsewhere. Choose an offshoot you would like to remove, dig a perimeter around it, and lift the shoot from below with a shovel. You can cut any roots to the mother plant. Transplant this shoot to a new sunny area. This is best done during the dormant season.
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How To: Collect Yucca Seed Pods ✔
FAQ
What do you do with yucca seed pods?
“Gather capsules as they begin to dry but before they split. Allow to dry, then crush to remove seeds. Overwinter, keep seeds in moist sand in the refrigerator. For longer storage periods, keep in sealed, refrigerated containers.
Can I start a yucca plant from seed?
Start the seeds indoors in early March. Use a sterile soilless potting or seed starter mix. Keep the soil slightly moist and about 55 degrees. Once the seeds sprout place the young seedlings under grow lights or in a bright sunny window.
What do you do after a yucca has flowered?
Many Yucca plants will die after blooming but the younger plants around them will take over the space. Some gardeners will remove the bottom leaves to expose the stalk. Others will cut them down to the ground and most of the Yucca will come back the next year, looking as good as ever.
Can you eat yucca seeds?
Yup. Seed pod. Don’t eat it. Save the seeds for next spring and make some new plants! If you don’t want more Yucca, maybe you can find a local and so some seed trading or plant trading.