Master Plant Descriptions

PLANT DATABASE This information is for everyone to use to promote dissemination of what we believe to be correct.
We do not grow everything on these lists all of the time but are providing information often difficult to find.
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Mountain Man will show you scales of plants denotes plants usually in production

Becomes a large sprawling plant 10' x 10'. Growth is slow. Stiff dense leaves are medium green with sharp points. It tends to bloom when under drought stress situations.Leaves are 2 1/2' long & 2" wide. Native Caribbean, Mx and SE USA. More tolerant of cold than Y. gloriosa. Cold weather can turn leaves purple. Leaf margins are smooth. Weevils can damage.

This varies from the species in htat there are yellow and white center stripes often tinged red.

An arborescent or tree-like yucca that may reach large dimensions so be sure to allow ample room for this giant. Some reports indicate that this species may reach heights of 30 feet and have a five foot diameter trunk. The rigid leaves are olive green to 20 inches long with fibrous margins that may curl off the edges. The flower stalk is unusual in that it is pendulous or the entire stalk hangs in a downward manner, emerging from the foliage. The large flowers are creamy white. This yucca is of the Chihuahua Desert occurring in the states of Coahuuila and Nuevo Leon and into Hildago. There is much confusion regarding many of the tree-like yuccas and this species may be similar or identical to Y. decipiens, Y. filifera and Y. valida.

Banana Yucca This relatively small yucca has a large range occurring over most of the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. Yucca baccata may be found as a single trunk specimen or in clumps of up to ten trunks. Among the various subspecies one may find plants that reach up to 8 feet tall with several trunks or others that are relatively short with a dense cluster of leaves. Foliage color may vary considerably as well, from gray-green to blue-green. The leaves are 16"-32" long and 1"-2" wide, and have curly filaments on the margins giving a distinctive appearance. The flowers occur in late spring and early summer. White to cream bell shaped flowers, some with reddish fringes, occur on 3 foot tall spikes. The fleshy fruit that follows is edible and was a food source for Native Americans. This plant is very tough and durable, capable of withstanding extremes in heat and cold and will withstand drought for long periods, although some supplemental water provides superior performance. Plant in full sun or partial shade with good drainage. Hardy to at least -20°F. USDA Zone 5.

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This Yucca exhibits slow growth to a height of 10'. It has sharp, pointed leaves that are 2 1/2" long and 2" wide, with dark green coloring. Zone 8.

Joshua Tree Slowly to 30', but can reach 60' in nature. Develops a distinctive trunk to almost 3' wide. Terminal clusters of stiff short gray green leaves. Older leaves persist on trunk pointing down. Thick, fleshy greenish white flowers to 1". Late winter into spring. Native to Arizona, California and Nevada @ 2-5000' on dry mesas and gravely slopes. Full sun. Drought resistant. Good drainage. Can be a massive treelike plant. Slow. Extremely drought tolerant.

Also known as Yucca faxoniana. Tree species, upright, trunk-forming yucca 6-20' tall, some individuals reach 30'. Most plants are single-trunk, some form clumps with trunks of different heights. Great yucca as a specimen plant in any desert landscape. Has a massive trunk about 1' in diameter. Found only in Brewster County in Trans Pecos on limestone soil at 3-5000'. Flowers only once every 3-4 years producing clusters to 7' well above leaves. Very drought tolerant and soil adaptable if well drained. Zone 7.

This short, clumping yucca is native to south central Texas, west Texas, and into adjacent Mexico. At its largest, Yucca constricta might develop a 1-foot-tall trunk, forming a low-growing clump with up to 20 heads. Its flexible, pale green leaves are about 2 feet long by 1 inch wide, with white threads along the margins. Flowering occurs from spring through the summer. The top half of the spectacular 5-10 foot tall flower spike is covered with large greenish-white blossoms. It should be hardy to 0º F. USDA Zone 7.

Palma China This slow-growing yucca has the potential to form a highly-branched specimen to 30 feet tall, with a 20-25 foot crown. It looks almost tree-like, with a single trunk near the ground, branching out above to form a broad canopy. In a landscape situation you could realistically expect it to grow to 15 feet tall, with a small crown. Yucca decipiens has 2-inch-wide, 2-foot-long, stiff green leaves with white marginal threads. Be aware that the tips of the leaves are very sharp. Plant Palma china in full sun, in soils with good drainage, and provide supplemental summer irrigation. It is hardy to 15º F. USDA Zone 8.

Soaptree Yucca If you've driven through the grasslands of southeastern Arizona, you've no doubt seen this graceful yucca. It also ranges east through New Mexico into west Texas, and south into Mexico. This treelike yucca can grow to 6-20 feet tall, with 2 to 5 branches. A spherical head of narrow, flexible leaves crowns each branch. The leaves measure from 1 to 3 feet long, with white margins and white marginal fibers. The showy flower spikes can reach up to 15 feet tall, producing masses of waxy white flowers in the late spring. Plant Soaptree yucca in full sun and well-drained soil. Hardy to -10º F, Yucca elata is a great choice for colder locations. USDA Zone 6.

Chihuahuan desert native. Among the larges of the yuccas. Does well in low desert. Cold tolerant to 10f. Grows to 25'. Leaves are pointed, rigid and olive green in color. White bloom inflorescence in spring. Low water use, very drought tolerant. Full sun is best.

Stemless. Rosette is 4' overall. Bluish leaves are about 1 1/2; long and 1" wide, thin and flexible and not usually recurving. There are many marginal filaments. There are many horticultural selections. The flowering stalk is held above the foliage and consists of white to cream colored flowers. Native in SE USA and grows over most of the USA. Likes moderately rich well drained soil, full sun, part shade. Very cold hard to -20F. One of the oldest collected of the yuccas.

Soapweed is a trunkless or short-trunked species that can grow to about 3' tall by 6' wide. This is perhaps the most adaptable yucca, since it can withstand full sun and reflected heat, as well as cold down to -35f. Leaves are stiff, narrow, sword like and evergreen. Flowers are greenish white and borne on long narrow spikes to 4'. Fibers from leaves used in making baskets and rope. NW Tx, Ok, NM to Canada. Zone 3.

Slow to moderate growth rate to 10'. Fleshy soft pointed leaves 2-3'. Often several erect stems that become thick and woody. White bellshaped flowers in late summer. Southeastern USA. Full sun to part shade but no reflected sun. Drought tolerant. Best with well drained soil. Extreme sun exposure in the desert can lead to yellowing and sunburning.

This is a fairly small yucca native to northern Arizona and New Mexico, southern Utah and Colorado at elevations from 7500 to 8500 feet. Typically stemless, this plant forms a rosette of leaves and may reach a height ranging from a diminutive 5 inches to 22 inches. The leaves may also vary widely in length and color: four inches for shorter plants and 18 inches for larger specimens; in hues of yellow to blue-green. The leaves have a brownish stripe along the margins from which arise white filaments. Greenish-white flowers occur on a short stalk mid-summer. Obviously this is an extremely cold hardy yucca capable of surviving temperatures of at least -20F. USDA Zone 5.

Paleleaf Yucca Native to north-central Texas, this trunkless yucca is a good choice for locations where a low-growing form is required. It can eventually form wide clumps with up to 30 heads. Its flexible, pale blue-green leaves, measure 1 inch wide by 1 foot long. The yellowish leaf margins are finely serrated. USDA Zone 7.

Moderate grower to 6'. Usually with a single trunk. Leaves are dense, gray green sometimes bluish. The leaves are flexible, 2-3' long and 2-3" wide curving downward. Flower stalks large white in late spring early summer perhaps fall. Native in SE USA. Has a tropical appearance. Full sun or deep shade. Drought resistant but happier with some additional moisture. Good drainage. Removal of older leaves can improve appearance. Presents a soft form.

Blue Yucca Another trunk-forming yucca, Blue yucca grows to 12 feet tall, with minimal branching near the top. Its distinctive, powder blue leaves are fairly rigid, with yellow margins. These blue leaves are about 3 feet long by 1 inch wide, and have a nasty spine at the tip. In the summer the blue foliage is complemented by a showy 5 to 6 foot stalk of white flowers. For best growth, provide supplemental water in the summer, and plant in well-drained soils. Blue yucca can be planted in full sun or very light filtered shade, and is hardy to 5º F. USDA Zone 7.

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Beaked Yucca The blue leaves, tall narrow trunk, and spectacular summer display of creamy white flowers all combine to make this one of the finest yuccas for ornamental landscapes. Yucca rostrata forms a trunk to about 10' tall. Young plants are usually unbranched, but older plants may develop a few branches near the top. The narrow blue leaves are up to 2' long by ½ '' wide, and end in a sharp terminal spine. Young plants are similar in appearance to Yucca rigida, but their mature forms are quite different. Beaked yucca grows taller, with a narrower form, while Yucca rigida is shorter, with a bulkier crown. Yucca rostrata prefers full sun or very light filtered shade, and a rocky, well-drained soil without supplemental organic matter. As with other yuccas, roots are susceptible to attack by the grubs of a desert beetle. A good program is to treat plants with an approved insecticide once in the spring, and once in the summer. Check with your county agent to determine the best product to use. Yucca rostrata is hardy to -20° F. USDA Zone 5.

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Twisted Leaf Yucca is ideal for small spaces. This petite, stemless yucca forms a clump to about 2 feet tall by 2 to 3 feet wide. Its contorted bright green leaves twist and turn, giving this plant a distinctive form. In the summer it produces 5-foot-tall, open spikes of creamy white flowers. Native to central Texas, this yucca is often found growing under the broken shade of mesquites and oaks. Twisted leaf yucca thrives in full sun to part shade, provided that the soil is well-drained. Yucca rupicola hybridizes readily with Yucca pallida, resulting in seedlings with gray-blue, twisted leaves. Twisted leaf yucca is hardy to 0º F. USDA Zone 7.

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Trunk-forming species 4-20' tall. Can sometimes form small clumps with branched trunks. Probably one of the most drought tolerant of yuccas, requiring only intermittent watering even in most arid climates. Dense clusters of purple tinted white flowers in spring followed by fleshy green fruit. Native in Mojave & parts of Sonoran desert. Full sun. Needs good drainage. Tough gray green leaves with curling fibers on edges. Sharp point. Birds love seeds.

Mountain Yucca grows naturally in open or shaded spots in oak woodland and pine-oak forests, between 4000 and 5000 foot elevations. It is one of the few yuccas that can tolerate the shade of trees or buildings. In the low desert, it appreciates some protection from the summer sun. Young plants of Mountain yucca have a single, unbranched trunk to about 12 feet tall, while older plants may have more than one trunk from the base. The dense rosette is made up of stiff blue-green leaves that measure 2.5 feet long by 2 inches wide. In early summer it sends up a spike of creamy white blossoms. Yucca schottii is hardy to -10° F, and is an excellent accent plant for middle and high elevations. USDA Zone 6

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Thompson's Yucca One of the smaller trunk-forming species, Yucca thompsoniana grows to 6' tall, often with 3 branches or more. In youth, it can be confused with Yucca rigida, due to its stiff powder blue leaves with yellow margins. However, the leaves of Thompson's yucca are shorter, to only 12'', and have serrated margins. It would be a great substitute for Yucca rigida if that species were not available! In the late spring, it sends up 3 to 5' tall flower spikes. This plant is native to rocky slopes in west Texas and adjacent northern Mexico. It is probably hardy to 15º F. USDA Zone 8b.

Slow growth to 10', but can eventually reach 24'. Sharp, pointed leaves 2 1/2" long & 2" wide with dark green coloring. Resembles Yucca baccata. Succulent white flowers are abundant on terminal spikes in spring above foliage. New Mexico & Texas into Mexico. Sun. Drought tolerant but needs good drainage. Dramatic large clumping yucca. A Brewster County Texas native at 2000'. It is tree like, has a rigid spiky asymmetrical untidy appearance. Leaves usually yellowish green but some blue green.

Stemless, it produces dense clusters of rigid, gray-green lvs 12-18" long. Its drooping, bell-shaped flowers appear on large, branched spikes 3-6'. Plants die after blooming, much like agaves, but only individual rosettes will die off, others in in clump will continue to live & eventually bloom. Overall plant grows 3' x 6'. Native Calif. into Baja usually in chaparral 1-4000'. Prefers well drained soil. Drought tolerant but will lose lower leaves with extended drought. Great accent. Sharp