Description

Yucca – Hesperoyucca –

This genus is made up of about 40-50 slow growing, rosette forming or woody-based perennials (some species monocarpic), evergreen shrub and erect, eventually spreading, evergreen trees within the Agavaceae family.  They naturally occur in hot, dry, places, such as deserts, and dunes, and plains, in North and Central America and the West Indies.  They are grown for their bold, sword shaped, neatly or loosely rosette leaves, and for their erect or rarely, pendent panicles of bell to cup shaped to hemispherical, cream or white flowers.  Use as architectural specimens in a boarder or courtyard, or in containers.  Where not hardy, grow as a houseplant.

Under glass, grow in soil based potting mix in full light.  When in growth, water moderately and apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly.  Water sparingly in winter.  Outdoors, grow in any well-drained soil including poor sandy soil, in full sun.  Remove spent flowering stems.

Prone to  cane borers, scale insects,  and fungal leaf spots.

Yucca whipplei – Our Lord’s Candle – Candle Yucca –This clump forming, monocarpic shrub found naturally occurring in California, Arizona, and New Mexico, grows 3-4’ feet tall and wide.  It forms dense tufts of very narrow, linear, finely toothed, stiff, gray green leaves, to 36” long.  Pendent, bell shaped or hemispherical, fragrant, creamy white, sometimes purple tinged flowers, 1 ½” long are borne in summer in upright panicles to 6’ or more long.  It is very tolerant of dry conditions.

Zones 7-9