Hi, Long time lurker here. Great forum here. I've been successfully growing palms, cacti, etc, outdoors in Philadelphia since 2001. My question is about the root system on Yucca Rostrada. Can anyone tell me how deep those roots run. Thanks in advance for any assistance. -Al
I don't know the answer exactly, but when I do an image search for Y. rostrata, I get pics of some very large plants in little tiny pots.
Looks and sounds choice here. http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Current/Detail/00127.html Wouldn't expect much of a root on something like that.
Yucca rostrata is one I'm growing in my garden. I recall moving it from the pot to it's planting location. The roots where very brittle and broke very easily when I eased it from the pot. Good new is it never really suffered any set serious set backs as a result, just a slower than expected start of new growth. What would be your concern with root depth? Do you have a shallow planting area? Cheers, LPN.
I love the look of Y. rostrata, that blue tinge very cool, I have a bunch of seedlings growing under lights at work. great spikey look. How deep are you worried about? Are you trying to remove it? Also how big is the plant?
My concern is/was the possibility of it's roots infiltrating my water and gas lines, which are around 6 feet down right under where I wanted to plant it. At my previous house, a tree's roots detroyed a line costing me $ 6,000. to replace. Just didn't know if Y.Rostrata's roots grow downward or more shallowly to the sides. My neighbor has one that's almost 9 feet high, and we can only guess what's going on under the surface. My thought was, it's a drought resistant plant, which may mean the roots will travel deep, in search of water. On the other hand, the potted ones I see, including the one I raised from a baby, seem to be happy in small containers. (as another poster mentioned) I guess i'm gonna go for it. Thank you everyone.
I would not worry about a Yucca causing any damage to underground utilities. They have a different physiology (monocots) compared to dicots (most of you other shrub & tree material). The roots are not woody as in dicots, nor do they increase in diameter in the same fashion, acting more like storage organs than woody underground branches. Dicots damage sewers by infiltrating small cracks in sewers or foundations and then increase their root diameter through wood formation, forcing the cracks to grow bigger. Besides, only your sewer line will be negatively affected by tree roots....Water supply & gas supply are sealed high pressure systems, the roots are not going to get in! So, I wouldn't be concerned about the yucca at all, and only concerned about any moisture loving trees (ie. willow, silver maple) if they're planted near your sewer line only. Simon
Hey Simon, Thank you for the information. You fully answered my question. Now i can only hope the 60 year old clay sewer pipe will last a while. Half my neighbors had to dig up there front lawns already. - Al
I found your reply to Yucca from Novemeber. I have Yuccas about 15 feet-20-ft high in LA planted right against the house and am worried that they will be damaging the foundations. Do you think this is possible?
It's very unlikely as these monocots lack the same growth habits of dicots that cause so much grief with sewer lines, foundations, and sidewalks. In general, the woody structures are much softer in a monocot than in a dicot and are unable to exert enough pressure to damage structures. It's a similar story for palm trees, cordylines, etc.
