How to Prevent Yucca Plant From Reproducing
Yucca plants are unusual among flowering plants, because they will only reproduce through fertilization provided by the yucca moth. The insect is essential to pollination of yucca flowers; without the moth, seeds will not form. But in areas where the yucca moth does cause fertilization and reproduction, yucca plants may become invasive. Prevent yucca plants from flowering by learning how to look for the signs of fertilization. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Wait for white flowers to blossom in spring. The blooms will appear along central stalks of yucca plants.
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Cut flower stalks with sharp shears to prevent pollination and eventual reproduction. Stalks may be cut as aggressively and as close to the ground as the gardener sees fit; yucca plants will die to the ground after flowering.
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Observe flowers through spring for green, ovular capsules to develop if removing flowering stalks is undesirable. The capsules, which hold seeds, develop only when yucca flowers have been pollinated.
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Remove green seed capsules by hand as soon as they form, plucking them right off the stalk to prevent them from falling to the ground and creating new plants.
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Wait for yucca stalks to die to the ground, which will occur in late fall or early winter.
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Dig up any new shoots that develop with a small hand spade. If seed capsules and/or flowering stalks have been successfully removed before germination occurs, new shoots should not develop from old yucca plants, but they may be dug up and disposed of if this is not the case.
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Tips & Warnings
Some species of yucca do not bloom for several years before producing flowers and seeds.
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