Spanish Dagger Yucca Yucca gloriosa
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- YUK-ah glo-ree-OH-sah
- Description
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Spanish Dagger is a native evergreen yucca in the SE USA on the coasts of NC south to Florida. It grows as a shrub or small tree and can grow up to 16 feet tall but is relatively slow-growing. The leaves are in a basal rosette on younger plants and are sword-shaped with sharp tips. Eventually, it will develop a woody trunk with a more tree-like form. The plant is heat, humidity, drought and salt tolerant and can tolerate some cold and snow. The large panicles of white bell-shaped flowers are a show-stopper and occur late spring to mid-summer.
It prefers well-drained sandy soils in full sun but tolerates most soils if they are well-drained and some shade. It is often used as a container plant and can be grown as a house plant. It can be used for naturalizing coastal areas, as a barrier, specimen or accent plant. Perfect for the rock or drought-tolerant garden.
Attracts the yucca moth (Tegeticula yuccasella)for pollination as well as the larva feeding on the seeds. Also, bees and hummingbirds visit the flowers.
Habitat: Dunes, shell middens, also regularly cultivated and often persistent or weakly escaped around old homesites inland.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Variegata'
Variegated leaves
var. tristis
Giant, tall, conical panicles of cream-colored flowers - 'Variegata'
- 'Variegata', var. tristis
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Variegata'
Variegated leaves
var. tristis
Giant, tall, conical panicles of cream-colored flowers - 'Variegata'
- 'Variegata', var. tristis
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Yucca
- Species:
- gloriosa
- Family:
- Asparagaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Ropes, cloth, baskets, and mats are made from a fiber obtained from the leaves. Roots are sometimes used as a soap substitute.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE USA
- Distribution:
- AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts the yucca moth for pollination as well as the larva feeding on the seeds. Also, bees and hummingbirds visit the flowers.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heat and drought tolerant.
- Edibility:
- Flowers, fruits, roots, and stems are edible. Flowers are tasty raw or cooked, and the stems can be used like asparagus. The roots can be cooked or dried and ground into a powder that can be used to make bread
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 16 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Succulent
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
- Appendage:
- Spines
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a 6-lobed leathery, elongate berry up to 6 inches long from November to December.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Flower Size:
- 3-6 inches
- Flower Description:
- 4 in. bell-shaped, pendulous, creamy white flowers tinged red or purple on erect 3 to 8-foot panicle bloom from April to October.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Stiff, straight 1.5 to 2 ft. long by 2.5 inches wide sword-like glaucous green sharp-tipped leaves
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Thick, succulent, green flower stems. Leaf stems thick, green, turning woody
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Barrier
- Border
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Rabbits
- Salt
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
