Put a sharp design point on your garden with these structural showstoppers.
Diana Kirby
Yucca plants add drama wherever they are planted.
These low-maintenance and water-wise plants add texture and form to any garden.
Credit:Diana Kirby
They thrive in full sun, easily embracing heat and drought, and positively shine in a xeric garden.
Plus, they’re evergreen.
Flower stalks emerge from the center of the rosette, and some grow up to 12 feet tall.
Bell-like blooms of creamy white with a range of delicate pastel hues line the panicles.
A common misconception is that yuccas die after blooming, like many agaves.
Most are polycarpic, flowering repeatedly through their life cycle.
Yuccas are also a great source of nectarpollinators, like hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, and bees.
Plant Attributes
Care
Yuccas are heat- and drought-tolerant and content in the hottest summer sun.
These xeric evergreen shrubs are low-maintenance, tolerate various well-draining soils, and require almost no pruning.
Light
Yuccas thrive and perform best in full sun.
Soil
Yuccas grow in rocky, sandy, dry soil in their native habitats.
Water
Yuccas store water in their trunks or bases.
They flourish in drought when most other plants struggle and wilt.
Once established, they are excellent water-wise garden additions.
Temperature and Humidity
Yuccas are tolerant of extreme heat and both dry and humid conditions.
Fertilize
Yuccas are happiest when neglected.
This variety brightens in mid-summer, growing to six feet tall and three feet wide.
Yucca rostrata
Statuesque and graceful, beaked yucca,Yucca rostrata, makes a stunning focal point.
At five to 12 ft. tall, this coveted plant is a slow grower.
Yucca rupicola
Twistleaf yucca is a lighter color than most yuccas.
Twisted around in various directions, this yuccas pale green leaves appear to be moving in the breeze.
A small, softer variety, this plant grows two ft tall by two ft wide.
A large two ft to five-bloom stalk profuse with flowers emerges from this yucca each year.
Do not prune the tips.
Leaves only grow from the stem, not leaf ends.
Trunked yucca leaves will turn brown as the top of the tree grows new leaves.
The top can also be replanted, and it will root.
Spent flower stocks can be cut at that base when they die.
Propagating
Yuccas produce offsetsnew plants along the base or near the base of the mother plant.
They grow from underground rhizomes.
The easiest propagation methods are digging up offsets and root cuttings.
How to Grow from Seed
After blooming, yuccas produce seed pods all along the bloom stem.
To plant the seeds:
Overwintering
No overwintering necessary.
Common Pests and Diseases
Common problems include aphids, mealybugs and scale.
If caught early, these pests may be managed with strong water spray or neem oil.
The most devastating pest affecting yuccas is the yucca weevil,S.
Weevil larvae tunnel into the crown of the plant, killing it.
Once the plant begins to decline and the damage is visible, it will be too late to manage.
Once infested, immediately remove infected plant and nearby soil.
Systemic insecticides can be used before plants are infested to prevent potential issues.
Overwatering or planting in poorly draining soil can lead to fungal disease and root rot.
Common Problems
Yuccas dont like wet feet.
As xeric plants, they need to be planted with other water-wise plants.
Yuccas placed in beds with plants that require more water can lead to decline.
Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Plants of the World Online.Asparagaceae,Yucca
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