November  29,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
487 
Adam’s  Needle. 
No  more  useful  or  stately  hardy  exotic  plants  have  been  introduced 
into  Europe  from  America  than  some  of  the  Yuccas,  and  most  familiar 
among  which  is  the  majestic  Y.  gloriosa.  This  came  to  us  upwards  of 
300  years  ago  from  either  Florida  or  North  Carolina.  The  accompanying 
illustration  is  from  a  photograph,  taken  in  July  last,  of  a  specimen 
planted  about  five  years  ago  upon  nearly  the  highest  point  in  the 
Nettlefold  rock  garden  in  the  Botanical  Gardens,  Edgbaston,  Birming¬ 
ham,  and  where,  chiefly  by  reason  of  its  prominent  position,  the  plant 
with  its  noble  panicle  of  creamy  white  bell -shaped  flowers,  was  an 
object  of  great  attraction 
to  the  visitors  for  several 
weeks ;  the  total  weight 
of  the  plant  and  flower 
stem  exceeded  8  feet. 
The  writer  once  saw  some 
magniflcent  specimens  of 
Y.  gloriosa  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  and  one  especially 
near  Ryde  of  gigantic 
proportions,  as  it  was 
upwards  of  20  feet  in 
circumference  round  the 
projecting  heads  of  leaves 
protruding  from  a  mas¬ 
sive  Y -shaped  Jmain  stem 
and  bearing  upwards  of 
a  dozen  panicles  of 
flowers. 
A  fltting  compeer  is 
Y.  recurva  with  its  ele¬ 
gantly  reflexed  foliage, 
and  which  specially  ren¬ 
ders  it  adapted  for  vases 
as  well  as  for  planting 
singly  or  in  groups  on 
lawns  and  other  suitable 
sites.  It  was  introduced 
from  Georgia  in  1794,  and 
is  supposed  to  be  a  variety 
of  Y.  gloriosa.  The  spikes 
of  the  former  are,  how¬ 
ever,  more  branched  than 
in  the  latter,  and  the 
flowers  are  greenish  white 
otherwise  there  is  com¬ 
paratively  little  difference 
between  them.  Yuccas, 
like  Aloes  and  Agaves, 
do  not  blossom  at  any 
stated  size  or  age,  being 
controlled  by  circum¬ 
stances  pertaining  to  situ¬ 
ation  and  temperature. 
Even  when  growing  in  a 
group  under  the  same 
conditions  they  do  not 
flower  simultaneously. 
This  is  obviously  an  advantage,  as  it  goes  far  towards  insuring  the 
probability  of  a  yearly  display. 
Another  commonly  grown  and  desirable  species  is  the  Thread-leaved 
Adam’s  needle  (Y.  fllamentosa),  introduced  from  Virginia  in  1675,  the 
thread-like  filaments  on  the  edge  of  the  leaves  making  it  additionally 
interesting,  though  somewhat  untidy  in  appearance.  Its  dwarf  habit 
renders  it  suitable  as  an  edging  to  a  group  of  the  larger  growing  species 
when  planted  in  groups,  also  for  bold  and  rugged  rockeries,  and  grown 
in  a  suitable  soil  and  position  its  bold  spikes  of  flowers  will  attain  to  a 
height  of  from  3  feet  to  6  feet.  The  golden  variegated-leaved  variety 
of  fllamentosa,  introduced  from  Virginia  in  1816,  is  a  handsome  and 
very  ornamental  plant,  but  unless  in  a  warm  and  sheltered  position  out 
of  doors  it  requires  greenhouse  treatment,  especially  in  the  winter 
season. 
One  of  the  best  species  of  the  genus  is  Y.  aloifolia  pendula.  It 
Fig.  126. — Yucca  gloriosa. 
grows  about  6  feet  high,  and  is  a  noble  plant,  bearing  a  magnificent 
spike  of  flowers,  and  is  well  suited  for  town  gardens  and  large  vases  in 
forecourts ;  it  is  also  a  free  flowerer  and  an  effective  lawn  plant.  Its 
prototype,  Y.  aloifolia,  is  somewhat  tender,  and  is  usually  grown  in 
cool  conservatories.  In  sheltered  and  otherwise  favourable  sites, 
however,  it  will  thrive  out  of  doors  and  live  through  the  winter.  As  a 
decorative  plant  for  halls  and  warm  rooms  it  is  specially  adapted,  and 
will  bear  the  heat  and  confined  atmosphere  with  impunity,  equally  as 
well,  in  fact,  as  Aspidistras  lurida  and  variegata.  The  chief  requisites  for 
assisting  in  maintaining  the  plants  in  health  are  plenty  of  water  at  the 
root  and  sponging  the  leaves. 
Considering  the  unique  and  ornamental  character  of  several  other 
species  of  Yuccas,  it  is 
somewhat  surprising  that 
they  are  not  more  grown, 
and  if  planted  freely  in 
groups  in  suitable  posi¬ 
tions  would,  in  association 
with  other  evergreen 
plants  and  shrubs,  afford 
an  additional  picturesque 
effect  to  the  garden  land¬ 
scape.  Mention  should 
also  be  made  of  Y. 
acuminata  (known  as  the 
Spanish  Bayonet  Plant), 
with  formidable  sharp 
pointed  leaves ;  it,  too, 
is  hardy,  but  is  not  much 
grown  in  this  country. 
There  are  severa 
methods  for  increasing 
the  stock  of  Yuccas. 
Plants  from  seeds  do  not 
grow  so  quickly  as  from 
cuttings ;  moreover,  seeds 
are  somewhat  difficult  to 
obtain,  and,  in  fact,  it  is 
said  that  ripened  seed 
has  not  yet  been  obtained 
in  this  country  out  of 
doors.  The  arborescent- 
like  species  can  be  pro¬ 
pagated  by  cuttings  and 
offsets,  and,  to  secure 
what  may  be  called  a 
ready  made  plant,  select 
a  branch  from  an  old 
plant  furnished  with 
several  branches,  and 
make  an  incision  about 
half  an  inch  deep  round  a 
portion  of  the  stem,  tying 
a  quantity  of  damp  moss 
round  the  stem.  The 
edge  of  the  upper  portion 
will  quickly  callus  and 
emit  roots  into  the  moss, 
and  the  top  may  eventu¬ 
ally  be  out  off  and  in¬ 
serted  in  a  pot  or  planted  in  the  ground.  Another  mode  is  by 
offshoots  from  the  stem  of  an  old  plant.  It  will  be  observed  that, 
as  in  the  case  of  some  other  kinds  of  plants,  the  stems  of  the  Yuccas 
are  formed  by  the  annual  decaying  of  the  lower  leaves,  leaving  a  scar¬ 
like  protuberance  ;  if  one  of  these  swellings  or  embryo  buds  be  out  off 
and  treated  as  a  cutting  it  will  quickly  form  a  plant.  These,  however, 
will  not  develop  on  the  plant  unless  the  top  be  removed.  Some  of  the 
species  may  be  propagated  by  root  cuttings  placed  in  a  heated  medium 
in  pots  or  otherwise,  also  from  suckers. 
Regarding  the  commercial  or  economical  attributes  of  some  of  the 
Yuccas,  it  is  said  that  the  leaves,  treated  similarly  to  hemp  and  flax, 
afford  a  fibre  which  may  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  coarse  cloth 
and  cordage,  and  the  macerated  stems  deposit  a  feculent  matter,  from 
which  starch  may  be  obtained.  At  Carthagena  a  starch  or  glue  of  this 
kind  is  made  from  the  stem  of  Yucca  gloriosa.— William  Gardiner. 
