Yes actually, I will be making this a lifetime project

When he thought you were taking a little too long to complete a task, a prior boss of Andrew's would ask, "are you going to make that a lifetime project?" I thought of that snide remark as I started working on the removal of a clump of Yucca filamentosa in the front garden. Because I fear this is going to be a lifetime project, or at least one I continue until we move from this house.

The clump (orange arrow) had what I believe to be a bad case of Halticotoma valida, or yucca bug. I started to notice the yellow stippling on the leaves of just one plant a couple of years ago, but I took my usual route of ignoring it and assuming nature would take its course and things would be better in a few weeks/months. Instead they got worse. More of the yucca in the clump started to look bad. I took this photo last summer as I was trimming off ugly leaves and kept it as a reminder to do something about the problem.

So far the issue is only on the clump with the arrow pointing at it, but the circles identify other yucca species in the front garden, ones that are much more dear to me. I've also read they might feed on dasylirion, there are two of those in the area, not circled.

These yucca, below, (a photo of the infected, taken earlier in the month) date back to 2005 and our first month living here. They're descendants of plants I brought to Portland from my garden in Spokane, WA. I would never plant them now, since I've learned about other, more fabulous yucca species, but at the time I didn't know and we didn't have a lot of money to spend on plants, and so they went in the ground.

Hoping to keep the bug from spreading I decided it was time for these yucca to go. I could have tried treating with a systemic insecticide but I'm always one to chose the non chemical route when possible. Oh and yes, I started this dig knowing that removing a yucca (especially a Y. filamentosa) was going to be a big job lifetime project, still, even I was shocked at what I found. Look at the size of that root!

There were more...

And more...

This was a solid mass of them.

I kept digging and digging...

The roots go out in all directions, including under the sidewalk and driveway. Even if I removed the plants I want to keep, in an effort to dig out the roots, there's no way I could get the ones under the concrete.

But you know what? I conquered the bishops weed, I've moved an Acanthus mollis and eradicated every attempt it made to regrow. I can do this. I think. I hope. I pray. Wish me luck...

To receive alerts of new danger garden posts by email, subscribe here. Please note: these are sent from a third party, their annoying ads are beyond my control. 

All material © 2009-2025 by Loree L Bohl. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.