After 10 Years, My Joshua Tree Has A Flower On…
Robert Asked
After 10 years, my Joshua tree has a flower on the top. After blooming, do I remove the flower?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hi, Robert from Nevada: Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) are native to North America. Although quite hardy in terms of tolerating cold temperatures, it is only found at specific elevations in California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. As for removing the spent blooms, it really is up to you in terms of aesthetics whether or not you remove them or not. It certainly is not going to affect the health of the tree one way or the other. The clustered panicle-shaped flowers can extend up to 20 inches long. The fruit starts to develop as the flowers fade and can become quite heavy as they mature. Although growth rate and form depend on environmental conditions, they are slow growers so even though your tree is 10 years old, I would suspect you could probably reach the flowers without getting out your pole pruners or a ladder. The bloom stalk can be thick, so a pair of loppers may be necessary if you decide to remove the faded flowers.
