Hardy Tropicals UK

Re-potted the nice filamentosa variegata that I bought a couple of weeks back, first time I've had chance to get a really good look at it.

From what I have read, if you plant them out they can get pretty deeply rooted and get almost impossible to 'get rid of', even if you get the parent plant out. That may not be the case in the UK, but first time for me with this one so think I'll keep it potted.

Anyway, when repotting, noticed one offset above ground right at the base, at 90 degrees to the main 'trunk' (is pretty much only an inch above ground). The plant had pretty much filled the pot, and there are several chunky pink pups (I presume that is what they are) a few inches below surface, all looking upwards.

So, I guess my question is, can these be cut and removed and potted to form new plants? Will the plant just 'heal' where cut and stop growth there, or will that cause further offsets? And should I let the underground growth make it to the surface and clearly root individually before removing? Would like to keep the main plant solo, but if I can get some free 'kids' then all the better!

Yes they are pups. They grow out from the plant in a row, if not in a pot. I would leave them to grow a good few leaves then cut them off with root - you may need to shake off the soil first to do that. If you want to do it now then check there are roots on the pup first and if so then pot them up in a GH to get growing.

Great, thanks Blairs. The plant is sitting cosily in the greenhouse, so is probably actively growing. Would the undergrouns pups have lots of roots or just a handful? Don't want to cut them off prematurely. And how deep should they be planted on their own - and how much water?

That's plenty of questions for now

Thanks again for any help, first timer with yuccas!

They take time to form root, and had only a few roots, not much at all. One of mine snapped off and still grew with no roots: i just popped it into gravel-compost mix and watered. You keep the top most bit right at the top of the soil, poking out - it is light that makes the shoot grow.

Apart form Caterpillars they tend to be trouble free.