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Yucca filamentosa (Adam’s Needle)

Adam's Needle, Carolina Silk Grass, Needle Palm, Our Lord's Candle, Spoonleaf Yucca, Thready Adam's Needle, Spanish Bayonet

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Yucca Filamentosa, Adam's Needle, Carolina Silk Grass, Needle Palm, Our Lord's Candle, Spoonleaf Yucca, Thready Adam's Needle, evergreen shrub, Spanish Bayonet

Native to the southeastern United States, Yucca filamentosa (Adam’s Needle) is a very ornamental, broadleaf evergreen shrub featuring a basal rosette of rigid, sword-shaped, spine-tipped, deep green leaves edged with curly filaments. They are topped in early to midsummer with a dramatic flowering stalk reaching 5-8 ft. (150-240 cm) and bearing panicles of nodding bell-shaped creamy white flowers about 2.5 in. long (6 cm). Foliage may also be variegated, adding a bright note to the garden year-round.

  • Leaves form a foliage clump to 2-3 ft. tall and wide (60-90 cm).
  • Winner of the 2012 Cary Award, which recognizes plants that are particularly adequate for New England, offer superior landscape appeal, are winter hardy in zone 5 or colder, and are pest resistant.
  • Easily grown in light, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates poor, sandy soils and even a few hours of shade. Drought and salt tolerant.
  • Great for beds and borders, city gardens, coastal gardens, rock gardens, or Mediterranean gardens.
  • Virtually pest and disease free, but watch for aphids or potential leaf spot. Attracts moths and hummingbirds, but this plant is deer and rabbit resistant.
  • Propagate by seed or remove rooted suckers
  • Remove spent flowering stems.
  • Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.
  • Yucca filamentosa is native to southeastern North America.
  • Main Yucca filamentosa cultivars are:
    Color Guard‘ – with a brilliant yellow center to the sword-like leaves tinged with pink and rose during the winter months.
    Gold Sword‘ – similar to ColorGuard but with streaks of gold and green at the center of the leaves
    Gold Edge‘ – rimmed with creamy yellow.

Yucca: Plant Care and Growing Guide


Here are some tips on how to plant and grow yucca successfully

Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 11
Heat Zones 5 - 11
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Cactus & Succulents, Shrubs
Plant Family Asparagaceae
Genus Yucca
Common names Yucca
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late)
Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Winter
Height 3' - 8'
(90cm - 240cm)
Spread 2' - 3'
(60cm - 90cm)
Spacing 24" - 36"
(60cm - 90cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Native Plants United States, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas
Tolerance Drought, Deer, Salt, Rabbit, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil
Attracts Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds And Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Mediterranean Garden, Gravel and Rock Garden, Coastal Garden
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree)
Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’ (Adam’s Needle)
Yucca filamentosa ‘Excalibur’ (Adam’s Needle)
Yucca elata (Soaptree Yucca)
Yucca whipplei (Our Lord’s Candle)
Yucca elephantipes (Spineless Yucca)

Recommended Companion Plants

Anaphalis triplinervis ‘Sommerschnee’ (Pearly Everlasting)
Euphorbia seguieriana subsp. niciciana (Siberian Spurge)
Andropogon ternarius (Splitbeard Bluestem)
Conradina canescens (Wild Rosemary)
Ilex vomitoria (Yaupon)
Vaccinium myrsinites (Evergreen Blueberry)

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A Very Attractive Border Idea for Your Garden
Yucca: Plant Care and Growing Guide
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 11
Heat Zones 5 - 11
Climate Zones 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Cactus & Succulents, Shrubs
Plant Family Asparagaceae
Genus Yucca
Common names Yucca
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid, Late)
Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Winter
Height 3' - 8'
(90cm - 240cm)
Spread 2' - 3'
(60cm - 90cm)
Spacing 24" - 36"
(60cm - 90cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Evergreen
Native Plants United States, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas
Tolerance Drought, Deer, Salt, Rabbit, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil
Attracts Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds And Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Mediterranean Garden, Gravel and Rock Garden, Coastal Garden
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Yucca
Guides with
Yucca
Not sure which Yucca to pick?
Compare Now

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