Consulta Plantas

Care of the shrub Yucca elephantipes or Giant yucca

The genus Yucca, family Asparagaceae, comprises 50 species of evergreen shrubs native to Mexico, the United States, and the Caribbean. Some species are: Yucca elephantipes, Yucca desmetiana, Yucca carnerosana, Yucca aloifolia, Yucca filifera, Yucca mixtecana, Yucca rostrata, Yucca schidigera, Yucca thompsoniana, Yucca gloriosa, Yucca baccata, Yucca whipplei.

Common names: Giant yucca, Yucca cane, Spineless yucca, Blue-stem yucca, Soft-tip yucca. This species is native to Mexico and Central America.

They are shrubs with a branched woody stem that reach 10 meters (32.8 feet) in height; indoors they reach 2 meters (6.56 feet) in height. They have long leaves (up to 1 meter/3.28 feet) of bright green color, without thorns and in the form of ribbons. The flowers appear in large panicles, are bell-shaped, and are white or cream in color. The petals are edible.

These easy-to-grow plants are used as indoor plants, in bushy groups, in rockery and as isolated specimens. They are ideal for Mediterranean coastal gardens and for cities.

Yucca elephantipes needs full sun exposure outdoors and a well-lit location (at least 3 hours of direct sun) indoors (outside in summer). The ideal annual average temperatures are 18-23 ºC (64-73 ºF).

The soil can be a mixture, in equal parts, of peat, coarse sand, and leaf mulch. Transplant in spring if the roots appear below the pot.

Water frequently in spring and summer; reduce watering the rest of the year so that the soil does not dry out completely.

Fertilize every 15 days with mineral fertilizer during spring and summer.

They are plants very resistant to pests and diseases.

They are propagated from the lateral shoots that the plant produces.

Images of the shrub Yucca elephantipes or Giant yucca