Use this forum to discuss matters relating to Agave, Beschorneria, Furcraea, Hesperaloe, Hesperoyucca, Manfreda, Polianthes, Yucca and related species. This is where one posts unknown plant photos for ID help.
Back on Old Ore road to document the transition of Yucca species. I encountered mostly pure Yucca rostrata spilling out of the mountains east of the road. A couple showed some thompsonians influence(more rigid leaves, color). It appeared if rostrata was able to establish, it could survive in this extremely dry area of the park. Even Agave lechuguilla was struggling to survive the last few years here.
What appeared to be rostrata in a wash from a distance turned out to be Yucca elata, possibly influenced by rostrata introgression. Then further down the road I encountered a clear rostrata x thompsoniana hybrid. Followed by the smoking gun. A lone pure thompsoniana struggling to survive amongst Yucca rostrata.
Yucca elata in a wash
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Yucca elata, possibly with some rostrata influence
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Yucca elata with possible rostrata introgression
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Drought and harsh temperatures have taken their toll on the area
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“The smoking gun”. A pure lone specimen of Yucca thompsoniana amongst Yucca rostrata
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The long flaccid leaves of Yucca rostrata
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Yucca rostrata
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Yucca rostrata with some thompsoniana influence(rigid leaves)
Driving on , the area becomes closer to lunar in appearance. I encounter a few relic specimen from when the area was wetter. Including my first encounter of Yucca faxoniana heading north . I then turn on Dagger Flat road. What is initially a brutal environment of left over volcanic activity becomes the “Landof the Lost” . An oasis river bed filled with a large population of Yucca faxoniana.
Further down the road we encounter numerous faxoniana specimen with Yucca elata growing on the hills to the north ,and Yucca rostrata x thompsoniana on the south. A few Yucca torreyi, some with blue/silver leaves are mixed in. The first Yucca faxoniana hybrids make an appearance. Most are in the immediate area of Yucca elata. The specimen had the appearance of Yucca faxoniana but with tall thin trunks and heads/rosettes a 1/4 to 1/2 the size of pure neighboring faxoniana. They almost had the appearance of Yucca filifera from a distance.
Thank you. My original intention was to figure out how far east Agave havardiana exist. They are non existent in Black Gap WMA. In the main portion of Big Bend they only extend out past Juniper and Pine Canyon’s slightly. Basically as far as the grass grows. They disappear in the low desert. I had a theory there might be relic specimen in the Carmen Mountains that extend into Texas on the east end of Big Bend that border Black Gap on the other side. I traveled along Old Ore rd. to get an idea, I haven’t driven there in 15 years. I found plenty of evidence of Yucca rostrata bordering the mountains but none of Agave havardiana. There is a 17 mile trail one way into Telephone Canyon that dead ends at a private ranch. So it’s a 34 mile hike in what is one of the hottest areas during summer months. It appears only a handful of people have done it online. The park does not advertise the trail at all, and heavy brush has grown in areas.The few pictures I could find indicate Yucca rostrata and faxoniana exist back there but no evidence of Agave havardiana.
Those Yucca elata var. radiosa are just jaw droppingly spectacular. Are they in cultivation in the US?
As an interesting side note, in one of the large glasshouses at Kew gardens in London there is a large Yucca queretaroensis that the label's accession number says they acquired in the 1970s - pre-dating the description of Y. queretaroensis in 1989 and it originally bore the name Yucca radiosa. Seeing these pics I can understand why folks thought it was this.
Paul S wrote: ↑Fri Nov 08, 2024 1:12 am
Those Yucca elata var. radiosa are just jaw droppingly spectacular. Are they in cultivation in the US?
As an interesting side note, in one of the large glasshouses at Kew gardens in London there is a large Yucca queretaroensis that the label's accession number says they acquired in the 1970s - pre-dating the description of Y. queretaroensis in 1989 and it originally bore the name Yucca radiosa. Seeing these pics I can understand why folks thought it was this.
They are a great looking Yucca. There is a nursery in Colorado that grows seedlings, so they are quite cold hardy. I have a few going. Every time I stop in this area all of the seed pods are old and empty. One day I need to come out early to mid summer and hope atleast one has created seed.
jam wrote: ↑Fri Nov 08, 2024 3:23 pm
Amazing. Thank you. One day, one day soon, I hope.
Daniel, these radiosas keep much more green leaves than those near Marathon?
These were west of Marathon, where as the previous pictures were just south of Marathon. It could be the year, everything in this area looked lush from adequate water. The cloud cover could also factor into the pictures.
