About

Yucca flaccida variegated is a variegated form of Yucca that forms a stemless basal rosette of sword-like leaves. The cultivar keeps the compact habit, typically under 0.6 m tall with a spreading outline to about 1.5 m. In summer it sends up tall panicles of bell-shaped, creamy white flowers. Its origins lie in south‑central and southeastern North America where it grows in open, sandy places.

Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0Yucca flaccida

About the genus

Yucca is both the scientific name and common name for a genus native to North America from Panama to southern Canada. It contains 50 accepted species. In addition to yucca, they are also known as Adam's needle or Spanish-bayonet.

Wikipedia contributors, "Yucca", CC BY-SA 4.0Yucca

In the garden

Yucca flaccida variegated is a variegated form of the North American species that produces a dense, stemless rosette of long, sword-shaped leaves and dramatic flowering spikes. In its native range it favours sandy, open woodlands and fields, so in cultivation it performs best in free‑draining soils and an open, sunny position where the rosette can be seen clearly. The plant remains relatively low-growing at around 0.55 m tall with a spread to about 1.5 m, while individual leaves can reach roughly 0.55 m in length. Plant into a gritty, well-drained mix on a slight mound if your soil is clayey, as prolonged wet at the roots invites decline. Allow plenty of room for the rosette to open; light pruning of old inner leaves keeps the clump tidy. Expect tall flower panicles to rise above the foliage in June to August, carrying numerous bell-shaped, creamy-white blooms. Use the variegated form as a focal point in a gravel bed, drought-tolerant border or sheltered sunny bank where its architectural rosette and seasonally prominent flower spikes will be visible from close range.

More in the Yucca genus

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