Other Names:  Spanish Dagger, Yucca Macrocarpa, Yucca mohavensis

Description:

An evergreen shrub or small tree bearing several stems with spear-like leaves and beautiful spikes of nodding white flowers in spring; good for dry sites, best used in a southwestern landscape theme garden

Ornamental Features

Mojave Yucca features bold spikes of creamy white bell-shaped flowers with violet streaks rising above the foliage from early to mid spring, which emerge from distinctive burgundy flower buds. It has attractive bluish-green foliage with hints of chartreuse. The sword-like leaves are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green throughout the winter. The rough brown bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Mojave 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 bees and butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spiny

Mojave Yucca is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Mojave Yucca will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet 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 approximately 20 years.

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. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America.

Mojave 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.