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Is This Yucca Safe?

scrape

Rollerblading along the road
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I've found some, what I believe to be yucca, nearby. It would be awesome if I could use it, Parker would LOVE it!
I just wanted to check 20200324_143549_Film1.jpg 20200324_143557_Film1.jpg 20200324_143614_Film1.jpg 20200324_143627_Film1.jpg 20200324_143634_Film1.jpg 20200324_143658_Film1.jpg and be sure. Is this plant bird-safe?
 

Pockets

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It's 100% a Yucca - though I can't comment on the species. The flower spike confirms it (big-ol' asparagus - the similarity between yucca/agave blooms and asparagus comes from the fact that they're in the same family)

However, there's no way to know if it has been treated with systemic pesticides (i.e. those that are within the plant/leaves) or topical pesticides. If you are confident in the area where it comes from and know that nothing has been treated, then you can probably safely use it. Clean thoroughly and avoid collecting too much so that the plant can recover readily.

Enjoy!
 

calibird

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The yucca that is sold by the vendors is the tall stalks that grow in the middle of the yucca plant.
 

scrape

Rollerblading along the road
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It's 100% a Yucca - though I can't comment on the species. The flower spike confirms it (big-ol' asparagus - the similarity between yucca/agave blooms and asparagus comes from the fact that they're in the same family)

However, there's no way to know if it has been treated with systemic pesticides (i.e. those that are within the plant/leaves) or topical pesticides. If you are confident in the area where it comes from and know that nothing has been treated, then you can probably safely use it. Clean thoroughly and avoid collecting too much so that the plant can recover readily.

Enjoy!
Thank you! He's gonna love it! I'm confident it hasn't been treated, so I'm excited!


Check the edges of the leaves to see if they have "minute teeth", which are super sharp & could cut his tongue.
I won't be using the leaves, but I'll keep my tongue away;)
 

scrape

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@calibird
@Jan I've seen you on past threads about yucca. Can you help me?
So I have some bad news. I cut the one yucca up after drying it for a few days, and I put the pieces in an open plastic bag to dry some more. Well, I think I made a mistake. It seems to be growing mold on it:(
Is it possible to save it? I'd hate to just throw it out. I was hoping maybe I could cook it in the oven? Would that save it?
 

calibird

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@calibird
@Jan I've seen you on past threads about yucca. Can you help me?
So I have some bad news. I cut the one yucca up after drying it for a few days, and I put the pieces in an open plastic bag to dry some more. Well, I think I made a mistake. It seems to be growing mold on it:(
Is it possible to save it? I'd hate to just throw it out. I was hoping maybe I could cook it in the oven? Would that save it?
I don't know of a safe way to kill the mold. The only way I know to kill mold is bleach....which isn't safe.
 

Pockets

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Bummer! I'd toss it and try again. Maybe use the oven method to really dry it (low low low and slow slow slow) then, if its still not 100% dry, I would let it finish drying out in open air, or an open *paper* bag.
An open plastic bag still holds moisture against any surface it touches. Curious to see how it goes!!
 

calibird

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My sister has yucca growing in her yard that she harvests for her birds so I reached out to her for advice. The best time to cut the stalk is just after it finishes blooming. She then cuts it up and lets it dry for several weeks before bagging. She did say that you can bake it on a very low temperature like @MKMDDN said. If the stalk sits for too long before cutting it can turn black and people do mistake this for mold. So yours might not be mold.
 

scrape

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I don't know of a safe way to kill the mold. The only way I know to kill mold is bleach....which isn't safe.
My sister has yucca growing in her yard that she harvests for her birds so I reached out to her for advice. The best time to cut the stalk is just after it finishes blooming. She then cuts it up and lets it dry for several weeks before bagging. She did say that you can bake it on a very low temperature like @MKMDDN said. If the stalk sits for too long before cutting it can turn black and people do mistake this for mold. So yours might not be mold.
Ah man, that sucks. It's grey/black fuzzy bits on the inner core of the pieces I cut, so I'm pretty certain it's mold.
 

scrape

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Bummer! I'd toss it and try again. Maybe use the oven method to really dry it (low low low and slow slow slow) then, if its still not 100% dry, I would let it finish drying out in open air, or an open *paper* bag.
An open plastic bag still holds moisture against any surface it touches. Curious to see how it goes!!
Ah man. I hate messing up. It had been raining for the past few days, otherwise I could've strung it up outside in the sun. Thanks for the reply
 

mythic55

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Best way to 'dry' wood- microwave!
Short spurts (so it doesnt catch on fire.. you can do this with all sorts of branches). Kills everything. Then it dries faster that it is super heated (but not charred or burned). We have Yucca, and that is how I do it. Once it is fully cooled, it dries in roughly 24 hours to bone dry and ready for storage :)
 

scrape

Rollerblading along the road
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Best way to 'dry' wood- microwave!
Short spurts (so it doesnt catch on fire.. you can do this with all sorts of branches). Kills everything. Then it dries faster that it is super heated (but not charred or burned). We have Yucca, and that is how I do it. Once it is fully cooled, it dries in roughly 24 hours to bone dry and ready for storage :)
I'll try that, thank you!
 
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