Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Yay! and Yikes!

Tuesday, June 14, 2016   Mark and Gaz   13 comments

Yay that our Kumara plicatilis (syn. Aloe plicatilis) is flowering...in the summer!


It's not much and the display isn't spectacular by no means but still very pretty, considering that this is the first time it has flowered for us during the warmer months, not during the winter.
Love its coral colour!
It's one of the few remaining original plants we bought in Cornwall the first time we went there almost ten years ago. It used to live in our lounge during the winter wherein it flowered then, in tune with the inverse season in the Southern Hemisphere. It started off as a single fan with no visible trunk and grew slowly to how it is now by virtue of being kept in a pot. The last two winters however it lived in the minimally heated greenhouse during the winter, hence experiencing some relative chill when before it was warm and cosy in the the house at the same period. This has obviously re-set its rhythm and now it is flowering when it is supposed to be, in the summer.

Yikes!! This Yucca linearifolia is about to flower and the spike is growing really fast. So fast that I only spotted this a couple of hours ago and we both go past this plant at least twice a day, and so many times during the weekend.

 Nothing bad with it flowering as such but blue yuccas tend to look worse for wear afterwards, for an entire season as it recovers from its floral display after putting so much energy to it. 

 As this yucca is already well rooted and established in its spot I'll leave the flower spike be and enjoy the spectacle. Had if it's just been planted I'll cut the spike off so it can put its energy in re-establishing itself.

 Hopefully none of the other blue yuccas will follow suit and flower this year, or in the near future. I much prefer then with perfect heads with blue spheres of leaves.

 But I think I spoke too soon...
Oh no!
Yikes again!

 Mark :-)

Posted in: Aloe , exotic blog , exotic garden , exotic garden blog , Yucca

13 comments :

  1. rusty duck14 June 2016 at 22:56

    Ah, but it will be fascinating to see the yucca bloom. I trust you will record its progress.

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  2. Kris Peterson15 June 2016 at 16:46

    It's good to see the Kumara in bloom - I was given a division a year ago and wasn't sure what it would look like in flower. Mine is still small so I expect it may be awhile before I see a bloom. As to the Yuccas, yikes indeed!

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    Replies
    1. Mark and Gaz15 June 2016 at 23:35

      You might be surprised with a bloom soon Kris!

      Delete
  3. Hoover Boo15 June 2016 at 20:47

    I also much prefer Yucca that have not bloomed. The 'Bright Star's in the garden are not what they were. :(

    Here the Kumara bloom in winter--if you can call our January weather here "winter".

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    Replies
    1. Mark and Gaz15 June 2016 at 23:35

      Interesting to hear. Mind you perhaps the cooler summers here has a bearing too perhaps

      Delete
  4. Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)15 June 2016 at 22:13

    My Kumara plicatilis flowers in February and March here. I wonder what triggers it? I always thought it was a combination of temperature and relative amount of daylight.

    Will Yucca linearifolia produce a new head after flowering?

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    Replies
    1. Mark and Gaz15 June 2016 at 23:34

      I'm not sure about the Plicatilis, but for the linearifolia more often than not it doesn't produce another head and remains single headed.

      Delete
  5. outlawgardener16 June 2016 at 14:56

    Exciting developments! My Kumara plicatilis is too small to bloom yet. Now I know what to look forward to.

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  6. debsgarden20 June 2016 at 21:12

    The Kumara is quite exotic.It is interesting to see how plants respond to their environment. I have never seen a yucca bloom. Be sure to post a photo of it!

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  7. Anna K25 June 2016 at 02:25

    I think it's kind of exciting that the yucca will bloom, but I too would hate to loose those pretty blue spheres... As for the Kumara (that I shamelessly nicknamed "Carwash Agave" because its leaves remind me of the felty straps that slap against your car when you go through) I think it is beautiful!

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  8. Libby10 July 2016 at 20:15

    I have been so bad visiting, I am now playing catch up. Look forward to seeing the flower spike.

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  9. Unknown24 July 2016 at 20:09

    Thanks Mark and Gaz, you are a wonderful couple. I tried to grow Kumara in my garden in hot weather but its not survived and after some days is just finished. can you tell me which weather more useful for Kumara. i also get help form Chris Symons.

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