By Gleedie
United Kingdom 
How can I identify this plant? I'm quite new to gardening and not sure if it is a type of palm or what it is. It has been in my garden now for four years and this year for the first time produced a tall stem with beautiful white flowers on it. Also not sure what to do with the stem now? Hope someone can help. Many thanks
18 Sep, 2010
Answers
American spelling of Colour (Color Guard) as it will have been named and registered in the USA.
18 Sep, 2010
Um, Fractal, looks more like Yucca flaccida 'Golden Sword' to me - I grow these in my garden. Gleedie, if the leaves have festoons of whispy threads or filaments hanging and curling off them, then its the one Fractal suggested - if none, or very few of those, then its Yucca flaccida.
18 Sep, 2010
Yes, could be that?
18 Sep, 2010
It looks more like Yucca flaccida to me, too, Gleedie. The acid test: Y. filamentosa normally loses all of its leaves in the winter; Y. flaccida is usually evergreen, but may lose it's leaves in exceptionally cold winters. I would remove the old flower stem as close to the base as possible, without damaging the leaves.
18 Sep, 2010
Previous question
Its a Yucca, specifically Yucca filamentosa. The yellow middle of the leaf suggests the variety 'Colour Guard'. That old flower spike means that it will produce new "daughter" rosettes or plants around the main one in the centre which will gradually die away.
18 Sep, 2010