Yucca

(Yucca filamentosa)

August 1996

Summary:

Foliage: Evergreen broadleaf
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Spread: 2 to 3 feet
Shape: Upright

This low, durable shrub forms a mound of stiff, sword-shaped leaves. Large cluster of white flowers bloom from on a 4 foot stalk in summer.

Plant Needs:

Zone: 5 to 10
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Moisture: Wet, moist, or dry
Soil Type: Sandy, loam, or clay
pH Range: 3.7 to 7.3

Functions:

Suggested uses for this plant include massing, border, and specimen plant.

Planting Notes:

Easy to transplant; easy to propagate.
Best suited to hot, dry locations. Direct sunlight enhances both foliage color and flower development.
Tolerates wide range of soil conditions as long as soil is not too wet.

Care:

Little maintenance required. Reported to be the most durable broadleaf evergreen shrub available.
Can be mulched with sand or stones.
Remove flower stalk after blooming.
Can be cut off at ground level.

Problems:

A very hardy, durable plant.
Black aphids on flower stalks ruin the flowers.
Susceptible to leaf spot or blight during wet periods.

Alternatives:

Consult local sources, including historic or public gardens and arboreta, regarding cultivars and related species that grow well in your area.
Cultivars:

`Variegata' and `Bright Edge' are cultivars with yellow variegated leaves.

Comments:

Frequently used in parking lots where intense heat and light prohibits many other plants from growing.
The sword-shaped, pointed tip of the long rigid leaves can be very sharp.
A popular accent plant, Yucca is best suited to hot, dry situations.
Candelabra of blossoms is very showy.

Additional Materials:

The following Extension publications are available through your local Extension office or directly from: Virginia Tech Extension Distribution Center 112 Landsdowne St. Blacksburg, VA 24061
#426-500 "Winter Injury to Trees and Shrubs"
#426-609 "Selecting Landscape Plants - Ground Covers"

This material was developed by Carol Ness as part of the Interactive Design and Development Project funded by the Kellogg Foundation. Mary Miller, Project Director. Diane Relf, Content Specialist, Horticulture. Copyright 1989 by VCE.

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