Can someone help name this plant?

[B00kW0rm]

This plant has been growing in my yard as long as I have lived here. I believe my aunt and uncle may have brought it back, many years ago, from one of their trips to Florida.

About a month ago I started digging up bulbs, flowers, tubers, etc that I plan to take with us when we move. I transplanted this one from the side yard to a small bed in front of the house. So far, it is doing well. However, when we move I want to make sure I transplant it to the best location. Any ideas about exactly what it is?? Thanks:-).

http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n378/B00kW0rm908/Stuff/Picture020.jpg

[sissy]

It looks like a yucca plant, Are the leaves are flat?
Sissy

[B00kW0rm]

Hi Sissy,

The leaves are flat and the edges are sharp...if you grab them the right way..LOL!

Edited for typos ;D

[sissy]

I would say it is a yucca then & they can hurt you. LOL. I've stuck myself more than once running into one of the pointed leaves. (not watching where I was going) LOL
Sissy
P.S. mine does not bloom every year, every few years. But it does multiply.

[Anon001]

Adam's Needle is a Yucca

[CarolAnn]

I agree with all of the above! I helped a neighbor dig one up when I lived in Arkansas. WHAT a root that thing had! Be prepared to dig deep and get as much of the root as you can. It will be larger around than your wrist and several feet deep. They're pretty easy to move when they're young, but I don't know about moving an old one. (She wanted it gone and I should have asked for the roots, but I didn't.) Later, I dug up several from fields in Arkansas and transplanted them on my place. The white spike of flowers is beautiful!

[B00kW0rm]

Thanks everyone!! I'm hoping the transplant will prove beneficial....we've NEVER seen this plant bloom. It hasn't even attempted to send up a flower stalk.

You're right about the roots:D, they were deep and hard to dig. It isn't in full sun now (I would say mostly sun), but it will definitely get more sun per day than it would had if I'd left it where it was.

[Walking_Tall]

Here's a link to some of the different varieties of yucca.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca

Your picture looks like yucca filamentosa (aka Adam's Needle) or yucca flacida. There are lots of different ones. In my area (Texas Panhandle), ours is commonly referred to as the "soapweed" variety.

[CarolAnn]

Walking Tall! You are lucky to have those!

That is a most versitile plant! You can fry the blossoms, grind the seeds to make flour, weave fabric out of the fibers in the leaves & make baskets from them, and grind the root for shampoo. I haven't actually TRIED any of these things, but there aren't many plants with that kind of versatility! :D

[annabella1]

I think you should name it Fred.

[backlash]

I'd go with Spike.:)

[NCLee]

Thanks for bumping the thread.

Now I know what I have around here. Adam's Needle.

Many, many years ago, on the way to my Grandmothers, saw a patch of these at a logging/construction site. From what was going on, knew they'd be destroyed. Stopped and dug 4 without any idea of what they were or how to transplant.

Brought them home and planted in a row in the side yard. They thrived, even though most of the root had been cut. (Didn't know they had a long tap root.)

A few years later, wanted to move them to another location. Dug, again, and moved them. Well, the plants survived the move, again. AND... the tap root left in the ground, sprouted and there were 4 more in the same side yard spot!

And, apparently we have the moth that aids in the plants reproducing. As, we have a number of volunteer plants about the place.

Those blooms are beautiful!

Lee