Yucca gloriosa - Spanish Dagger

Yucca gloriosa, sometimes called Spanish Dagger because of its sword-shaped leaves, is an evergreen bush with slow growth, perfectly adapted to arid conditions, but remarkably tolerant, hardy and strongly imbued with exoticism. At the top of its branches, mature plants bear rosettes of large, stiff and leathery dark green-blue leaves, with pointed and sharp ends. Its summer flowering is spectacular, in the form of a tall stem adorned with numerous bell-shaped white flowers with a pleasant fragrance. It only requires full sun and properly drained soil.

Native to the southeastern United States, growing along the coast and in dune areas, Yucca gloriosa is a rhizomatous plant belonging to the Agave family. When young, Yucca gloriosa forms a shaggy ball, naturally sparsely branched. After many years, it can form a very short trunk with several branches.  It can reach 2 m to 3 m (6.6 ft to 9.8 ft) in all directions when flowering. The foliage measures 1 m (3.3 ft), and is arranged in a rosette of long leaves measuring 70 cm (27.6 in) long and 6 cm (2.4 in) wide. They are rigid, gutter-shaped, lanceolate, with a pointed blade shape and have a brown and fierce spine at their ends. Flowering occurs after 3 to 4 years of cultivation, indicating the death of the rosette which will be replaced by another. Very fragrant and nectar-rich, the flowers resemble bell-shaped flowers. They are white to cream-white in colour, sometimes washed with purple, and their reverse side is spotted with deep pink. The flower buds display different shades of deep pink. They are carried in erect and branched panicles over 2 m (6.6 ft) in height.

Yucca gloriosa, hardy to -15° C (5° F) and easy to grow, will thrive in any properly drained soil, even dry and poor soil. It should be kept away from walkways and young children due to its formidable pointed leaves. This large plant is ideal for structuring a large rock garden or for brilliantly occupying the centre of an exotic border. It can be planted alone or associated on a dry slope with Puya caerulea, Agave americana, prickly pear, Dasylirion, and fairly hardy candelabra cacti (Cleistocactus strausii, Cylindropuntia imbricata) and the robust Nolina. It can also be placed in a very large pot on a terrace, next to a banana tree or a palm tree (Tachicarpus fortunei, Brahea armata, Chamaerops humilis). If growing in a container, choose a sheltered spot in full sun, to recreate a garden reminiscent of those that flourish on the other side of the world.