Cactus flowers

[DogBunny]

That's Red Yucca. Hesperaloe is a variety of red Yucca but not the one you have.
I think you need to dig up the entire clump, thin it, replant some, and give the rest away. You could also try reaching into the clump and pulling up individual plants at their base. Might work.

 

[Mailman]

What he said…..

Those red yuccas can get pretty large as they get older and can outgrow their space. I have seen people take hedge trimmers to them and make them small and round, and they look ridiculous.
They spread by constantly producing new plants around the edges. I have seen good landscapers work around the edges of the plant with pick axes that have a flat blade. It worked really well.
I also have one in my front yard that’s getting pretty big, I’m thinking about doing what Dogbunny suggested and soaking around the base of the plant to loosen the soil and just work my way around the plant, pulling out the smaller plants on the perimeter.

 

[bosco659]

Beautiful flowers and just for one day! Makes catching a pic that much more special.

 

[Wagner73]

Many thanks for the knowledgeable feedback. I will first try the perimeter method as described, and if that doesn't work, then the yucca-ectomy and break it down, replant. Cheers.

 

[Mailman]

a question: they are getting almost too big for where they are, is there a friendly way to reduce their size i.e. pruning, or ??

Ok buddy, I took one for the team today. Trimming my red yucca has been a back burner job for a couple of years now, I’ve never actually done one myself. Today was the day. The plant had spread to the point that it had overgrown the irrigation riser and buried the emitter heads and the plant was beginning to lay on the ground around the edges.
Here is what I started with.

The yucca constantly divides around the base in what almost looks like bulbs or onions. Pulling them off just by hand was a no go. I found that the quickest way was to work a shovel between the bulb and the base and press down on it with my foot, then work the shovel underneath it and break the soil free, they could then be pulled off by hand.

And all finished….took a little more than an hour, going slow and figuring it out.

 

[Wagner73]

Ok buddy, I took one for the team today. Trimming my red yucca has been a back burner job for a couple of years now, I’ve never actually done one myself. Today was the day. The plant had spread to the point that it had overgrown the irrigation riser and buried the emitter heads and the plant was beginning to lay on the ground around the edges.
Here is what I started with.
View attachment 371400

The yucca constantly divides around the base in what almost looks like bulbs or onions. Pulling them off just by hand was a no go. I found that the quickest way was to work a shovel between the bulb and the base and press down on it with my foot, then work the shovel underneath it and break the soil free, they could then be pulled off by hand.
View attachment 371403View attachment 371404View attachment 371401
And all finished….took a little more than an hour, going slow and figuring it out.
View attachment 371405

Thanks for trailblazing! And the additional technique pointers. Looks great!!

 

[Wagner73]

Ok buddy, I took one for the team today.

And thanks again for trailblazing! Not perfect, but okay and much better than it was.

 

[Mailman]

And thanks again for trailblazing! Not perfect, but okay and much better than it was.
View attachment 371665View attachment 371666

Happy to help!

 

[John Regular]

I was wondering what kind of flower they would have…….

You might be the only one that caught that

 

[Mailman]

This morning, this cactus flowered. It’s a Trumpet Flower cactus “ Pinkie” . The cactus has a whole bunch of buds on it that I fear will never get the chance to bloom. Weather forecasts are calling for a 100+ degree heat spike in a week. June usually sees the temperatures soar. Flower buds in those conditions have a tendency to dry out.

 

[DogBunny]

My Starfish Cactus (Orbea variegata), is blooming today. It is also known as Carrion Flower because it faintly smells like rotting meat, which attracts flies, which is how it pollinates.


It's facing the wrong way in the previous pics, but here is another flower on one of the dangling leaves. In the lower right is another flower bud.
It's not a true cactus. It's pretty indestructible as long as you bring it in during freezes.


Very similar is my Red Dragon Flower (Huernia schneideriana), which almost always has a bloom somewhere on it.


My Red Dragon is in a shallow bowl that is 16" above the ground. The dangling leaves can get up to 30" long, and will root themselves in my lawn, where they grow until a freeze comes.

 

[Mailman]

My Starfish Cactus (Orbea variegata), is blooming today. It is also known as Carrion Flower because it faintly smells like rotting meat, which attracts flies, which is how it pollinates

You have some very interesting and varied plants! I’m glad you contribute to this thread!