Yucca constricta
Buckley's yucca
South-central United States and northern Mexico
Overview
Yucca constricta is an evergreen, clump-forming succulent in the asparagus family, native to Texas and northern Mexico. It grows as a low, often trunkless rosette of narrow, stiff leaves 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) long and about 0.25-0.5 inch (6-12 mm) wide, blue-green to gray-green, with rough margins that peel into curling white fibers. In late spring and early summer it sends up a slender flowering stalk to about 5 feet (1.5 m) tall bearing many nodding, bell-shaped creamy-white flowers, each 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long. The plant grows on limestone outcrops, grasslands, and dry slopes, forming colonies through offsets around the base. Like other yuccas, it depends on yucca moths for pollination; the moths lay eggs in the flowers and carry pollen between them, so seed set is tied to moth activity. It tolerates intense sun, heat, drought, and poor rocky soil but rots in wet or poorly drained ground. The narrow, fiber-edged leaves and constricted leaf bases separate it from broader-leaved yuccas. Foliage stays green year-round, and the sharp leaf tips can puncture skin. It is hardy to about USDA zone 6 in sharply drained soil.
Native Range
Yucca constricta is native to south-central North America, mainly central and western Texas and adjacent northern Mexico. It grows on limestone outcrops, rocky grasslands, and dry slopes in full sun.Suggested Uses
Yucca constricta is used in xeriscapes, rock gardens, and gravel gardens, and as an accent in dry, sunny borders. It is spaced 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) apart to allow for clumping. It also grows in containers with sharp drainage.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 5'
Width/Spread2' - 3'
Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
Blue-green to gray-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Yucca constricta grows in full sun in sharply drained sandy, rocky, or limestone soil with a pH from about 6.5 to 8.0. Once established it needs little or no supplemental water and tolerates extended drought, heat, and poor soil. It rots in wet or heavy, poorly drained ground and declines in prolonged humidity. No fertilizer is needed in lean soils. Offsets can be separated to start new plants, and the spent flower stalk can be cut after bloom. It is hardy to about USDA zone 6 where drainage is sharp.Pruning
Yucca constricta needs little pruning. The dried flower stalk can be cut to the base after flowering, and dead lower leaves can be removed to expose the rosette. The stiff, sharp-tipped leaves make close work around the plant awkward.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons