Plant Finder

Other Names:  Rigid Blue Yucca

Description:

This slow growing, trunk producing variety bears sharp pointed, gray-green sword-like leaves with powder blue overtones; tall spikes of cream bell flowers rise above the foliage in late spring; good for dry sites and tolerates poor soil

Ornamental Features

Blue Yucca features bold panicles of creamy white bell-shaped flowers rising above the foliage from late spring to early summer. It has attractive grayish green foliage with hints of powder blue. The spiny sword-like leaves are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Yucca is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spiny

Blue Yucca is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Blue Yucca will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity extending to 12 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for sandy, alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Blue Yucca makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.