Yucca gloriosa

[ahosey01]

In most parts of the country, I understand this is generally treated like a xeric plant.  However - where I am, with all-day, cloud-free desert sun, ~12 inches of rain annually, no humidity and temps above 110 for a good 15-20 days a year, I thought it made more sense to site this in a lawn with sandy soil.  It receives flood irrigation to a depth of 2", twice a week in the summer and once in the winter.  Soil drains FAST.

[SailorBold]

5 hours ago, ahosey01 said:

In most parts of the country, I understand this is generally treated like a xeric plant.  However - where I am, with all-day, cloud-free desert sun, ~12 inches of rain annually, no humidity and temps above 110 for a good 15-20 days a year, I thought it made more sense to site this in a lawn with sandy soil.  It receives flood irrigation to a depth of 2", twice a week in the summer and once in the winter.  Soil drains FAST.

I'm surprised you could get one to grow where you are.. mine have all failed.. my take away was they prefer more acidic soil and more rainfall conditions like they receive on the east coast.. Yucca aloifolia grows fine here but I could never get gloriosa to live fore than a couple years. Are you positive on the ID?  Yours almost looks elephantypey...perhaps lighter green with thinner not as stiff leaves??

[Silas_Sancona]

2 hours ago, SailorBold said:

I'm surprised you could get one to grow where you are.. mine have all failed.. my take away was they prefer more acidic soil and more rainfall conditions like they receive on the east coast.. Yucca aloifolia grows fine here but I could never get gloriosa to live fore than a couple years. Are you positive on the ID?  Yours almost looks elephantypey...perhaps lighter green with thinner not as stiff leaves??

Was thinking the same thing.. That specimen seems quite floppy for Y. g. < After a coupe years of trimming specimens in customer's yards in FL. not the biggest admirer, haha >  A cross of some sort, perhaps..

[SailorBold]

10 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Was thinking the same thing.. That specimen seems quite floppy for Y. g. < After a coupe years of trimming specimens in customer's yards in FL. not the biggest admirer, haha >  A cross of some sort, perhaps..

There is some confusion in the trade between gloriosa and aloifolia.. well they do resemble each other..  but one is called Spanish dagger.. and the other Spanish bayonet...  or perhaps they're interchangeable.. ???? Chopped up to history idk.. but in recent years I've been having a hard time finding a true aloifolia because if it..as the common names suggest tho.. the leaves should still be painful.. !

Edited August 13, 2022 by SailorBold

[Silas_Sancona]

3 hours ago, SailorBold said:

There is some confusion in the trade between gloriosa and aloifolia.. well they do resemble each other..  but one is called Spanish dagger.. and the other Spanish bayonet...  or perhaps they're interchangeable.. ???? Chopped up to history idk.. but in recent years I've been having a hard time finding a true aloifolia because if it..as the common names suggest tho.. the leaves should still be painful.. !

Only Yucca i've found to -not- be painful ( or as painful, lol ) are some of the stem / trunk-less sp like Y. endlichiania, rupicola, pallida.. While short, Y. glauca can stab when trying to clean it up..  small / short Y. baccata draw blood if you happen to walk into one. 

W/ the Spanish Dagger / Bayonet " name ",  have heard it tossed around when referring to desert species, as well as those from the S.E. U.S.  ...and even Y. gigantea / elephantes  so yea, would say it is an over-used,  blanket name / term used for a good % of species.

Both aloifolia and gloriosa can cut ya for sure, though yes, lol.. Y. aloifolia is savage..   that said,  if you've ever been sliced up by a Y. elephantes specimen when trying to trim one, it's a pretty brutal experience itself, even though the leaves are relaxed / flexible.. It's the tiny, razor sharp teeth along the leaf margins that act like white hot razors.

One thing is for sure ..Thank whatever deity you choose that there are no " Spine / Cat claw - covered "  Yucca.. How brutal would that be.

[Chester B]

Don’t forget about recurvifolia, it’s a common one here that can be floppy and gets big. Too me it looks like Yucca gigantea though.  Definitely not gloriosa I have a bunch and they are pretty stabby 

[Axel Amsterdam]

yes gigantea for me as well, the floppy form, this thread shows the different varieties.

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Axel Amsterdam