1 / 10

Yucca rupicola

twisted-leaf yucca

Asparagaceae Central Texas (Edwards Plateau)

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterVery Low · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 7–10

Overview

Yucca rupicola is an evergreen, stemless succulent in the asparagus family, forming a low rosette 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) tall and 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) wide. The leaves are stiff but twist and curl as they age, 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) long and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide, green to blue-green with pale, finely toothed, often reddish margins. Mature rosettes send up a flowering stalk 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 m) tall in late spring to summer, carrying many nodding, bell-shaped white to cream flowers. The fruit is a dry capsule. It grows on thin, rocky limestone soils of the Edwards Plateau in central Texas, in full sun to light shade. The rosette spreads slowly by offsets to form small clumps. The leaf tips are sharp, so the plant is set back from paths and seating, and it declines in wet or poorly drained soil.

Native Range

Yucca rupicola is native to central Texas, mainly the Edwards Plateau, where it grows on thin, rocky limestone soils, bluffs, and open woodland.

Suggested Uses

Used in rock gardens, xeriscapes, gravel beds, and dry borders on well-drained soil. The flower stalks draw bees and night-flying moths. The sharp leaf tips suit it to spots away from paths and seating; space plants 2-3 feet (60-90 cm) apart.

How to Identify

Recognize Yucca rupicola by its low, stemless rosette of stiff leaves that twist and curl with age, green to blue-green with pale, finely toothed reddish margins. In late spring to summer a tall stalk of nodding white to cream bell flowers rises 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 m) above the rosette. The twisting leaves separate it from straighter-leaved yuccas.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'

Width/Spread2' - 3'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring Summer

A tall flowering stalk of nodding white to cream bell-shaped flowers rises in late spring to summer, generally May to July. The bloom lasts about 2-4 weeks. Only mature rosettes flower, and an individual rosette may skip years between blooms.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

white to cream

Foliage Description

green to blue-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

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

Soil Requirements

pH Range7.0 - 8.5(Alkaline)

357912

Soil Types

rocky sand chalk loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Very Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun to light shade on thin, rocky, sharply drained soil with a pH near 7.0-8.5, and tolerates heat, drought, and alkaline ground. It needs little to no supplemental water once established and no routine feeding. Wet or poorly drained soil causes root and crown rot, the main cause of failure. It is hardy to about 0F (-18C) in well-drained sites. The rosette spreads slowly by offsets, which can be separated to make new plants.

Pruning

Remove the spent flower stalk after bloom by cutting it near the base. Dead lower leaves can be trimmed to tidy the rosette. No other pruning is needed.

Container Growing

✓ Suitable for container growing

Minimum container size: 3 gallons

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Toxic to pets