navajo (middle photo) (photo growin) Yucca linearifolia (was a variety of Yucca rostrata at one time), Yucca constricata (left photo) Yucca palida (middle photo- by frostweed) Yucca penninsularis (right photo), Yucca rupicola (photo htop) Yucca torreyi Yucca treculeana (photo Xenomorf). It develops a massively wide base over time and eventually branches. neomexicana in second photo). Despite this lack of landscape use, it is one of the more used species in herbal medicines. Before you can pick any yucca flowers to eat, you … These leaves are relatively short, stout, stiff and ‘agave-like', ending in a very sharp thorn. Yucca endlichianas (mature plant in pot, and my own on right showing caudex), Yucca endlichiana in ground older plant in habitat (photo Cactus Jordi) Flowering plant (photo Cactus Jordi). Tour | It is one of the most popular specimen Yuccas in Southern California thanks to the striking blue sphere of flat, subtly variegated leaves. Yuccas are New World plants in the family Agavaceae and are an important genus in terms of ornamental landscaping usage as well as of an economic importance in some areas of its range. Leaves are stiff and dangerously sharp. It is a very slow-growing species with turquoise, stiff curved, grooved leaves that arise off a caudiciform base. Yuccas are drought … It is hardy in Zones 4-11. It is extremely drought-tolerant and survives temperatures down to about -20F or -30C, but seems somewhat intolerant of climates that stay too warm, making it a hard plant to keep alive in my southern California climate. Yucca desmetiana. Indoor yuccas will rarely flower unless they have ample light and grow to be a large enough size. Yucca recurvifolia (Curve-leaf or Pendulous Yucca) This Southeast U.S. native is one of the popular Yuccas in cultivation since it is common, relatively ‘safe' and comes in a variety of tropical looking cultivars. For a more complete coverage on Yuccas, you can view the Yucca listings in PlantFiles or visit this website which is dedicated entirely to Yuccas. Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree) This southwest native literally grows in forests in some areas of California and are one of the classic symbols of the California desert (it is to the California desert as the Saguaro Cactus is to the Arizona desert). Variety jaegeriana seems to be a somewhat smaller version, but how exactly it differs is unclear. I sometime have a hard time telling this from a few species of Agave, though their flowers look nothing alike. Yuccas are widely grown as ornamental plants in gardens. Yucca rigida (Blue or Silver-leaf Yucca) This Mexican species is one of the most beautiful of all the stemmed Yuccas having very stiff, sharp pale blue to blue-green leaves. Yucca brevifolia 'forest' Yucca brevifolia jaegeriana Yucca brevifolia jaegeriana closer up. At around five feet in height, this is one of the smaller Yuccas. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the Davesgarden.com. It is hardy in Zones 4-10. But I have since learned some Yuccas are indeed beautiful plants and definitely worthy of desertscape potential, as well as useful for outdoor pots and planters. The flower begins as a brilliant red spike which is in striking contrast to the bright turquoise to pale green leaves. Most Yuccas are stemmed plants, but quite a few are not. The variegated forms are far more popular in cultivation than the normal green forms. References to yucca root as food often arise from confusion with the similarly pronounced, but botanically unrelated, yuca, also called cassava or manioc (Manihot esculenta). For more information see this Floridata webpage. Yucca aloifolia (Spanish Bayonet, Dagger Plant) This is a U.S. native but also grows in Mexico and the West Indies. This an excellent species for low rainfall and/or high wind zones where so many other plants struggle. Yucca schotti in flower (left) and close up (photo by Xenomorf). Leaves are straight, not floppy, and end in a sharp spine. Outdoor yucca plants do produce flowers every year, but this could be a bit tricky for indoor plants. Most yucca moths have white wings that help them blend in with … Some Yuccas excel in humid climates, but most prefer a dry climate. The leaves have sharp tips but are fairly flexible and not terribly dangerous (watch your eyes, though). Other Yuccas that can be found in cultivation: Yucca angustissima (photo on left) Yucca baileyi var. Though most prefer well draining soils, many obviously tolerate clayey, poorly draining soils as well. Yucca filamentosas normal (photo by kropit) and 'Bright Edge', Yucca filamentosas variegated forms in my garden (second one flowering). Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the Davesgarden.com Terms of Use, Rules, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy. many as 40 species of trees and shrubs found mostly in arid portions of North America Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems): Heat and drought tolerant. It is relatively cold sensitive only surviving temperatures down to about 10F or -12C (zone 8b). It is a short tree Yucca with a reliable branching habit with multiple heads of thin, pale green leaves with distinctive fibers along their margins. It is an excellent and highly ornamental landscape plant however and deserves to be grown more often in areas where it can be given more room. How much water does a yucca plant need? Yucca elata (Soaptree Yucca) This southwest U.S. and Mexican native is one of my favorite species for landscape use. This is probably the largest of the North American Yuccas growing up to fifty feet or more (usually topping out around thirty feet). It has flower spikes that are three- to four- feet long, each completely packed with enormous white flowers. two mature Yucca validas in southern California. Tiger Lilies, Sedum, Rudbeckia, Sage and Yarrow all thrive in similar conditions and bloom at the same time as Yucca. This is a zone 8 to 11 plant. It has long, rubbery leave blades with only mildly sharp tips. This species does not tolerate low light situations well and will usually start growing abnormally short, stunted leaves in shade. Yucca rostratas in garden and desert landscapes, Yucca rostratas at 'ideal size' and trimmed up ornamentally in pot. Yucca gloriosas- (first photo); (second photo Xenomorf); last photo variegated form in my garden. Colorful and low-care, it is studded with a rich variety of striking plants, including aeoniums, aloes, dasylirions or yuccas. Join now and start creating your dream garden! The tepals vary in color from greenish white to creamy white or clear white or even purple. The sepals and the petals are so similar that they are referred to as tepals. Suitable for growing in hot, dry, and coastal regions, it can survive through snowy winters as well. This plant needs very well draining soil and full sun. Tthey were everywhere and were not--to me--an overly ornamental species. Yuccas grow over much of North America; hardiness depends on species. Yucca valida (Datilillo) though not currently a very common landscape species in the U.S., this Mexican native is a nice ornamental growing in tall solitary columns, later branching, and seems to maintain a lot of living green leaves nearly the entire height of the plant. The first two are Agaves (Agave schidigera and Agave mutilfilifera); Last photo is of Yucca elata (photo by Xenomorf), Three more Yucca-like plants: Furcraeas are often stemmed like some Yuccas (Furcracea selloa in first photo and Furcraea macdougallii in second); Dasylirions are also Yucca-like, but most have teeth along the leaf blades which Yuccas never have (Dasylirion wheeleri in last photo on right), Typical Yucca flower (Yucca whipplei) Typical Agave flower (Agave americana) Agave americana marginata flowering, Cordyline australis is another plant often confused withYuccas, particularly with Yucca guatemalensis (see below)- first photo growin; second photo vince, Three more Yucca-look-alikes: Dracaenas (like this Dracaena cinnabari and Dracaena serrulata in first two photos) and Hesperaloe parviflora in the third photo. It is a stemless, neat, compact species about 2 feet tall and wide. Firstly wait for yucca flowers to bloom during its growing season and then remove the flowers at night times. It has a neat habit, though, and makes a nice potted plant or accent for smaller landscape areas. Veterinarian and Exotic Plant Lover... and obsessive, compulsive collector of all oddball tropical and desert plants. This plant eventually forms a short unbranched (usually) trunk up to six feet. Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. At night, yucca flowers emit a fragrance that attracts yucca moths. Advertise | Back to the top Yucca thompsoniana (Thompson's Yucca or Beaked Yucca) This Texan native can sometimes be confused with Yucca rostrata having a densely leaved globe of pale bluish to blue-green leaves. Yucca faxoniana (syn. Some Agaves and Yuccas are hard to tell apart, though Agave and Yucca flowers look very different. (The flowers Yuccas are members of the lily family with blooms of similar form but much different foliage. Larger forms gradually loose the lower leaves to expose a trunk. It is also used fairly commonly as an accent plant, but rarely as a specimen plant (only older, stemmed plants have remarkable specimen potential). Bill Ward was a geologist and a writer from Boerne. Most treelike or shrublike yuccas, like this Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), are unlikely to bloom in gardens outside of arid climates. Featured Companies | It is even useful as a house plant and rivals some of the Cordylines and Dracaenas as one of the most commonly grown palm-like house plants in the U.S. Large plants can grow up to thirty feet and have massive bases with dozens of stems. Stick yucca plants rarely produce any flowers when growing in pots or containers. We use cookies on this website, you can read about them here. Yucca faxonianas in garden, nursery in Southern California desert (not a native there, though). Though the leaves have sharp tips, they are flexible and not one of the more dangerous Yuccas. There are many cultivars of this plant, most variegations and far more popular in cultivation than the normal green form. Yucca rigidas (last photo seedling in my garden). Plants may have a single stem up to 20ft tall, sometimes branching near the top of the stem, often offsetting at the base to form a clump. A soap for washing hair and clothes was made from the roots. However this species has slightly stiffer, rougher leaves and is a reliable branch-former growing into small, ornamental trees about eight to ten feet tall and up to ten branches. The plants form rosettes of spiky sword-like leaves from the center of which rises the flower spires. The plant added appeal, stout, stiff leaves so it is one of the U.S. Southwest Mexico. 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