I couldn’t help but wince at the sight of the poky end of a Pale-leaf yucca, Yucca pallida, speared through the innocent leaf of its garden companion, a Turk’s cap, Malvaviscus arboreus. .
Having been at the receiving end of more than one sharp yucca needle (usually in the butt!), I’m sympathetic to the ouch! that the Turk’s cap surely must have experienced.
On a brighter note, it wasn’t jabbed by an American century plant, Agave americana. 
My Gardener Says... 
Having been poked by both plants I’d have to say the ouchyness is pretty much a tie, which goes to the winner, which is whoever is NOT getting poked!
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Ha ha! I couldn’t agree more!
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There seems to be no reaction from the Turk’s cap, but I’m sure your reaction was immediate when it took a stab at you. Ouchie!
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Big ouchie!! I don’t have many of these spiky numbers in my garden and for a reason.
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Don’t get in nature’s way. I find it amazing when plants split rocks.
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Yes–no kidding. Or when they grow out of rocks!!
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Which one of them had the sweet little red buds?
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The Turk’s cap sport those cute flowers. What they look like are tiny hibiscus blooms which never quite open up. A favorite of hummingbirds and bees!!
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Tina I think the Yucca pallida to be taller and thinner voilà !!!!!! The poor Malvaviscus arboreus did not complain and behaved like an adult plant keeping up appearances even when it hurt a lot. Greetings from Margarita.
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Ha ha! You’re right, Margarita–the Turk’s cap probably did behave like a grown up!
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Oh no! I thought. What’s coming? I was relived to think it was just a leaf, having countless scars myself from agaves and cactus.
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Caught your attention, though! I didn’t want to put anything too gruesome up.
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They do appear dangerous! I’ve never grown Yuccas in my garden, but Y. filamentosa is common and native around here. I wonder if plants feel pain? Now you’ll have me contemplating it as I dig up their roots and move them around. :0)
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Just speak to them gently and kindly as you yank them out. 🙂
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Ouch! This is an example of why I don’t grow succulents.
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Truth be told, Jason, I’m not part of the spiky plant fan club. I do like agave and yucca in pots though–they sail through our droughty and hot summers like real champs. I have some native and non-native yucca planted in the ground in my gardens but none of the *ginormous* agave that so many southwestern gardeners like. Not for me–I don’t want to be injured by plants!
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I avoid stabby plants, with the exception of a few roses. I need plants that are much cuddlier!
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My only other exception to thorny dudes are blackberries–they’re worth the prickles!
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I can appreciate the turk’s cap’s pain. I was once working near a yucca and got poked in the forehead. The whole time I was gardening I could feel a trickle of what I THOUGHT was sweat running down my face. hahahaha It wasn’t sweat. The vision in the mirror when I went inside to clean up was quite funny in a gruesome kind of way.
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Wince, wince! Cringe, cringe! How horrible! That’s much worse than getting stuck in the bum, or through the leaf!
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