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Yucca treculiana

Spanish dagger

Asparagaceae

Southern Texas and northeastern Mexico

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterVery Low · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 7–10

Overview

Yucca treculiana is a tree-like evergreen in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), forming a stout, usually single or sparingly branched trunk that reaches 6-15 feet (1.8-4.5 m) tall, occasionally to 25 feet (7.5 m). The trunk is topped with a dense rosette of stiff, rigid, sword-shaped leaves 24-48 inches (60-120 cm) long and 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) wide, blue-green to dark green, with sharp, spine-tipped ends and fibrous margins. In spring it sends up a stout, erect flower stalk 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) tall bearing a dense panicle of waxy, bell-shaped creamy white flowers, sometimes flushed purple outside. The fruit is a fleshy, cylindrical capsule 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) long. Like other yuccas, it depends on yucca moths for pollination, the moths laying eggs in the flowers while transferring pollen. The rigid, dagger-pointed leaves are hazardous at eye level, which is a limitation in small or high-traffic gardens.

Native Range

Yucca treculiana is native to southern Texas and northeastern Mexico, where it grows in dry brushland, thornscrub, grassland, and rocky slopes. It is common across the Rio Grande plains and the Tamaulipan scrub.

Suggested Uses

This species is grown in xeriscapes, desert and gravel gardens, and as a structural specimen in hot, dry landscapes. Its spring flowers draw yucca moths and other insects, and the flowers and fruit have a history of food use in its native range. The bold rosette and trunk give vertical structure to arid plantings.

How to Identify

Identification rests on a thick trunk topped by a dense rosette of long, stiff, blue-green sword-shaped leaves that end in sharp spines and carry fibrous, fraying margins. In spring a stout upright stalk holds a dense cluster of waxy creamy white bell-shaped flowers. The single trunk and rigid, dagger-like leaves separate it from soft-leaved or stemless yuccas.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6' - 15'

Width/Spread4' - 8'

Colors

Flower Colors

white

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs in spring, mainly March through May, when the tall panicle of creamy white flowers rises above the leaf rosette. Each panicle blooms for several weeks. Fruit set depends on visits from yucca moths and follows in early summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

blue-green to dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

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 Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Very Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

5-10 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Yucca treculiana grows in full sun in well-drained sandy, gravelly, or rocky soil and tolerates intense heat and prolonged drought once established. It withstands poor, alkaline soils and needs no supplemental water in its native climate, while wet or poorly drained ground leads to root rot. It is hardy to about 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit (around minus 9 to minus 12 Celsius), suited to warm-temperate and subtropical regions. Plants are slow-growing and long-lived, gradually forming a trunk over many years. No fertilizer is needed in lean soils. Older plants are difficult to transplant because of their deep root systems.

Pruning

Pruning is limited to removing spent flower stalks and dead lower leaves. Old leaves can be cut close to the trunk to expose its form, though the cut leaf bases often persist. No other shaping is needed.