Yucca

( YUCK - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of evergreen trees, shrubs and perennials needs full sun and little to moderate water. These plants are native to the Caribbean and the Americas, and all have rosettes of sword-shaped leaves and large clusters of bell-shaped flowers. They have wonderful silhouettes and pair well with cacti, agaves, and succulents. Keep species with pointed leaves away from high-traffic areas where garden visitors could get poked or cut accidentally. Plant Yucca with other water-wise plants in a mixed bed, or as architectural accent plants. 

Yucca Species and Varietals

The genus Yucca includes between 40 and 50 species, and is a member of the Asparagus family (Asparagaceae). The best growing zones for Yucca vary depending on the species grown. For more information, see the following descriptions. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Yucca aloifolia (Spanish Bayonet)
Best in zones 7-24, H1 and H2 and native to the southern United States and Mexico. Reaches 10 feet tall and 5 feet wide, with a single or branching trunk. White (sometimes purple) flowers bloom in late spring and summertime. Varieties include 'Variegata' (with foliage marked with yellow-white), and 'Purpurea' (with powder-purple leaves when planted in full sun).

Yucca baccata (Banana Yucca)
This species is best in zones 1-3, 7, 9-14 and 18-24, and is native to southwestern United States and Mexico. It forms a foliage clump 3 feet tall and 5 feet wide, with light blue-green or yellowish-green leaves that sharp at the tips. Edges have fibers. Flowers bloom from spring through summer and are reddish-brown outside and white inside. Fruits are bananalike and edible.

​Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree)
Best in zones 7, 9-16, and 18-23 and native to the deserts of Southern California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. This plant reaches 15-30 feet tall and 30 feet wide, with grey-green tips with terminal spines. Flowers are green-white and bloom in late winter and springtime. These plants are great in well-draining soil in desert gardens, and are a bit difficult to grow under regular garden conditions.

Yucca elata (Soaptree Yucca)
Best in zones 7-24, this species is native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. Slowly reaches 6-20 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide with a single or branched trunk. Leaves are light green and pointed at the tips, Flowers are white and bloom from late spring through summer, though blooms don't always appear every season.

​Yucca elephantipes (Yucca gigantea) (Giant Yucca)
Best in zones 12, 13, 16, 17, 19-24, H1 and H2 and native to Mexico and Central America, this fast-growing species reaches 15-30 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Multi-trunked and deep green leaves, and has white to cream flowers that bloom in springtime. Does best in well draining, rich soil with moderate to regular water. Varieties include 'Marginata' (with white-edged leaves), and 'Variegata' (With wide, creamy white stripes).

Yucca filamentosa (Adam's Needle)
Best in zones 1-24 and native to the southeastern United States; to 2.5 feet tall and 5 feet wide. Flowers in late spring and summer with white-yellow blooms on stalks that rise up 4-7 feet or taller. Needs regular water. Hardy, widely planted species in cooler regions. Varieties include 'Bright Edge' (with yellow-striped foliage) and 'Color Guard' (with leaves striped in white and cream).

Yucca flaccida
Best in zones 1-9 and 14-24, native to the southeastern United States. Leaves are not as rigid as other species, and flowers are yellow-white. This species needs regular water. Varieties include 'Golden Sword' (with yellow-variegated foliage) and 'Ivory Tower' (with outward-facing flowers).

Yucca gloriosa (Spanish Dagger, Soft-Tip Yucca)
This species grows well in zones 7-9, 12-24, H1 and H2, and is native to the southeastern United States. Reaches 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide, with multiple trunks (in cooler climates it is usually a small, stemless plant). Leaves are soft-tipped and green, and these plants need moderate to regular water. Flowers bloom in summertime. Variety 'Bright Star' has leaves edged in yellow.

​Yucca pallida (Pale-Leaf Yucca)
Zones 3-24; native to north-central Texas. Trunkless species to 1-2 feet tall and 1-3 feet wide, with light bluish-green foliage that has light serration along the edges. Flowers are pure white and bloom in springtime; great for smaller areas.

​Yucca recurvifolia (Yucca pendula)
Grows well in zones 7-10 and 12-24; native to the southeastern United States. Reaches 6-10 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide, with with an unbranched trunk. Spreads by offsets to form colonies. Leaves are blue-grey and soft-tipped. Flowers are white and bloom in spring to early summer on 3-5 foot tall clusters. Needs moderate to regular water, and easy to grow under regular garden conditions.

​Yucca rostrata
Zones 7-24; native to southwestern Texas and the Chihuahuan Desert. It reaches 12 feet tall and 9 feet wide, with a soft, grey, fuzzy trunk and needle-pointed leaves. Flowers are white and bloom in late spring on 2 foot tall clustered spikes. Variety 'Sapphire Skies' has fine-textured light blue leaves.

​Yucca schidigera (Yucca mohavensis)
Zones 7-16 and 18-24; native to the deserts of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Baja California. This species has a short stem and reaches 3-12 feet tall and 3 feet wide, with sharp-tipped, medium-green leaves and purple-tinted white flowers that bloom in springtime.

​Yucca whipplei (Our Lord's Candle)
Best in zones 2-24 and native to the California coast, Southern California mountain ranges, and Baja California. It forms a dense rosette 3 feet tall and 6 feet wide, and has grey-green leaves with sharp edges. Blossoms are creamy white, and the entire plant dies to the ground after flowering. New plants will be produced from seeds or offsets.

Caring for and pruning Yucca shrubs

Yucca shrubs are best in full sun in well-draining soil. These shrubs are adapted to arid, hot environments and can not tolerate soggy roots. A sand/loam mix is ideal for Yucca; they prefer soil to have a pH of between 5.5 and 6.5. These shrubs are drought-tolerant, and after getting established in the landscape will not need formal irrigation. Allow soil to dry out fully between waterings; some of the most common issues with this plant stem from overwatering. During winter, these shrub do not usually need any supplemental water. Yuccas are also not heavy feeders. If necessary due to plant decline, fertilize sparingly. Avoid applying fertilizer in the fall and wintertime when the plant is more dormant.

Yuccas can be grown either in-ground or in containers. If growing a Yucca in a pot, ensure that soil is light and drains quickly, and that the pot has enough drainage holes on the bottom. Yuccas planted in containers will need more frequent waterings than those grown in-ground. Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Prune to remove dead, yellowing, or damaged leaves; this will improve the plant's appearance. If growing a Yucca plant indoors, situate its container in an area that receives a good amount of sun. Rotate the plant's container occasionally to ensure even growth. These plants love being in the direct sun, so if they seem to be struggling indoors, it may help to move the plant outside from time to time so that it can receive direct sunlight.

Propagation

Yucca plants can be easily propagated in a few ways: through offsets or by seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the offset method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Yucca, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Yucca by Offset
  1. Locate a plant that has a few offsets around it. Reference the photographs below in this section for a good idea of what these can look like. Ensure the plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will increase the chances of success. 
  2. Using a sharp knife or hori hori knife, cut the offset from the parent plant, and place it to the side. Repeat this with as many offsets as you would like, if more are available. Lay the cuttings out for a few days so that they can heal a bit.
  3. Plant your offsets in individual pots filled with potting medium. A good potting soil for Yucca is a cactus or succulent potting mix. Water your newly planted Yucca and keep the soil moist while it gets established. 
  4. Store the pot in a shaded spot that gets lots of indirect light. Offsets may need to be supported to stay up while their root systems form. Provide with regular waterings, and roots should form in about four weeks.

Propagating Yucca by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows. 
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed pods are very large, and are left behind on the flower spikes after flowers have faded. Wait until the seed pods are dried on the plant and look like they are getting ready to open up and release their contents. Cut the entire stalk off of the shrub, and set it on a work table. Crack open the pods and take out the seeds, and store them in a cool, dark, dry place over the winter. The seeds will stay viable for up to 5 years if stored properly.
  3. In spring, take out your seeds so you can work with them. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover the seeds with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Yucca pups, or offsets, can be removed from the parent plant and replanted to propagate these shrubs.
Offsets can occur right at the base of the plant, or, depending on how large the root system is, a few feet away.
Yucca seed pods contain many seeds.
Yucca seeds are large, flat and black.

Problems and Pests

Yucca plants suffer from the following pests and diseases:
  • Yucca Weevil
  • Yucca Plant Bug
  • Mealybugs
  • Adelgids
  • Black Vine Weevil
  • Bronze Birch Borer
  • Brown Soft Scale
  • Buffalo Treehopper
  • Calico Scale
  • Cicadas
To learn more about these problems, including how to solve them, see the following links:
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Gallery

Yucca aloifolia 'Purpurea' has powdery-purple foliage.
Plant these architectural shrubs in spots where they will take center stage.
Yucca shrubs do well in rock gardens.
Yucca provides great shape and color to mixed planting beds.
Yuccas produce tall spikes of flowers.
In this front yard, the homeowners have used Yucca shrubs as a hedge.

Videos

Learn about all the different types of Yucca.
All about pruning and potting Yucca plants.
How to clean up a tired Yucca plant.
How to prune a Yucca plant.

Resources

Yucca Plants
How to Grow and Care for Yucca Plants
How to Plant and Grow Yucca
Wikipedia: Yucca​
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 657 - 658, Yucca
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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