Scientific Name
Yucca aloifolia L.
Common Name(s)
Aloe Yucca, Dagger Plant, Spanish Bayonet, Spanish Dagger
Synonym(s)
Sarcoyucca aloifolia, Yucca aloifolia var. aloifolia, Yucca stokesii
Scientific Classification
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Agavoideae
Genus: Yucca
Description
Yucca aloifolia is a shrubby plant with a single stem or sparsely to densely branched, bearing terminal rosettes of sword-shaped leaves and a terminal panicle of bell-shaped flowers. It can grow up to 26 feet (8 m) tall. The leaves are erect, rigid, dark mossy-green, and measure up to 30 inches (75 cm) long and 2.8 inches (7 cm) wide.
The flowers are creamy-white or purple-tinged and up to 4 inches (10 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 7a to 11b: from 0 °F (−17.8 °C) to 40 °F (+4.4 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Under the right conditions, Yuccas are not difficult plants to grow. They tend to thrive on a little neglect rather than too much attention. They are especially easy to overwater, and soggy stems are a sign of too much water. The best conditions for Yuccas include a sunny corner with relatively low humidity. Although scale can be an issue, they are not prone to many pests. Over time, plants will typically lose their lower leaves (in nature, they droop, forming a skirt around the trunk), giving the plant a pleasant "tree-like" appearance.
Yuccas are relatively slow-growing plants that should only need to be repotted every other year. They do well slightly pot-bound as long as they don't become heavy enough to tip over their containers. Repotting larger plants can be difficult, so larger plants can be refreshed with new potting soil by digging out the top 2 inches (5 cm) of the container and adding new soil. During typical repotting, remove the plant from its container and go up one container size. Always use fresh potting soil.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Yucca.
Origin
Yucca aloifolia is native to the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States. It occurs from southern Virginia south to Florida and west to the Texas Gulf Coast to Mexico along the Yucatán coast and Bermuda and parts of the Caribbean.
Links
- Back to genus Yucca
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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