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Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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Posted by
carol23 z7NC (
My Page) on
Thu, Jun 21, 12 at 19:46
| What is the origin of this cultivar? Today I saw it in two nurseries and it's a pricey plant at $ 25.00. The foliage is wide and fleshy, not what I think of with the straight species. It looks as though winter would ruin it.
At that price I don't want to risk a dead plant.
Thanks for feedback.
Carol |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| Carol, I found this short conversation from the XW experts - Fountain Hills, AZ can freeze during the winter so I'm guessing it's moderately cold-hardy, but possibly not to the degree my Yucca here is (I don't know the species, but it's flowering for the first time!). |
Here is a link that might be useful: Purple Aloe Yucca - sure
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| I got mine from a nursery near Biltimore House. But after talking to the ppl at LA Reynolds nursery in Lewisville. I planted mine. Most searches says its at least hardy to z7 some say z6. Depending on how severe our winter gets I may cover it. |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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Thank you for the replies. I live not very far from Biltmore House. Today I'm hoping to photograph what I believe is a mature Yucca aloifolia in my subdivision. The homeowner stated they brought the Yucca with them from Missouri many years ago. It's a very nice specimen! The foliage looks nothing like that of the 'Purpurea' plant for sale at nurseries.
It is difficult for me to imagine it's simply a selection of aloifolia. |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| There seems to be a lot of uncertainty about the origin of this yucca. Some people are convinced that it is a desmettiana hybrid, but I don't know if this is true or not. It's a gorgeous yucca and I personally would not be able to resist trying it if I came across one. It's not clear to me how hardy it is. |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| Second picture. Is this aloifolia? |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| It sure looks like it to me because of how the leaves are tightly crowded along the stem. It's a nice plant. |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| Looks more like true aloifolia to me. All of the hybrids I have seen have much softer leaves. Heres My Purpurea
And here is a yucca aloifolia
 |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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'Purpurea' must be a hybrid then, and should not be labeled as a selection of aloifolia. To do so is misleading and leaves those purchasing the plant without a true sense of hardiness.
There should be information available on how this plant came to be and what species are involved. |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| I have seen it labeled as aloe also. Must be part of the cross but the growers were positive that it was hardy. Of course I'll know for sure next March! |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| Carol, If it's legitimately named 'Purpurea', I'd suspect it's a variety of a species, rather than a hybrid, which doesn't usually use a Latin word as a hybrid / cultivar name. Chad, That's really pretty. |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| Jeff that's just it, I have seen the same plant under different cultivar/ssp. At one nursery its yucca and at another its aloe. All I know is its beautiful and I'll provide winter protection if foliage damage appears. I am keeping a more complex journal this year. So I will report any problems next spring. |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| Your Y. aloifolia 'Purpurea' and garden looks beautiful Chad. I like the mulch your using too. I can see why some people think there is some Y. desmettiana in it. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Y. desmettiana
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| Thanks Carol. That Y. desmettiana is a beauty. Hope mine has half the color that one does. |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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I love the photos! You can see the pups , or offsets, of Yucca aloifolia are stiffly upright with fairly narrow leaves. They do not look like 'Purpurea'which has fleshier, wider and arching foliage.
Normally a new introduction has a history of its origin. Why don't we have the information on who came up with it, where, etc?
It would not be the first time a plant was labeled incorrectly. Look at the many Clematis cultivars from texensis hybrids that are named Clematis texensis _______
( Princess Diana, among many others) which are no more than 50% genetics of texensis and should be correctly labeled as Clematis 'Princess Diana'.
Anyone caring to see this :
http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=530
The cross between a large flowered hybrid and a species, texensis.
How Monrovia labels it:
http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/1308/princess-diana-clema
tis.php If the Yucca cost $ 5 , it would not be a terrible loss if the hardiness was incorrect. Plants here are selling for $ 25 and we should know just how hardy it is. |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| It is strange that there isn't more information available. Even the Agave and Yucca book I have classifies it under aloifolia. |
RE: Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea'
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| It is strange that there isn't more information available. Even the Agave and Yucca book I have classifies it under aloifolia. |
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