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Originally Posted by tassity22
Has anyone grown these? I have some that have been here for many years but they seem to not be as green anymore, have more brown/dying branches on them and I'm not sure if that's because they are just "old". I'm wondering if I should uproot them and let some new ones grow in their place. They develop an extensive underground root system.
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Ok thanks for clarifying. Yes I've divided mine many times, although they do seem to do OK growing in one spot. Yuccas spread, and the lower leaves eventually die, leaving something that looks like a dracaena. Long stalk with spiky leaves on top.
IMO this looks cool and tropical, all in a native plant! You can just pull off the lower leaves (tug gently) to clean them up. I've found that they transplant easily in early spring or fall. They like full sun and fairly good drainage, but will do well in rich soil in my yard anyway. Shade...not so much.
Dig them up, you can dig off bits or dig up the entire rootball and cut it with a shovel. Cutting off suckers may be easier. What I do when transplanting is A. clean up the dead leaves. B. Bury the stalk lower if it is really long...it will resprout like dracaena. C. Water deeply in the hole, let it drain and then water again when the dirt is in. D. And finally with clean clippers, trim down the green leaves like you would an iris. They will regrow.
Best of luck. Adam's needle is one of my FAVORITE plants and high on the list of natives that are hardy, pest free and look tropical. They are beautiful in big containers even, and on slopes. You can divide now or wait until fall to give it a go.
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