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Mark Kane
Agavaceae
Yucca flaccida
Needle Palm
The oddly named “needle palm” is not a true palm but a stemless, clump-forming, evergreen Yucca with sword-shaped leaves and upright panicles of fragrant white flowers that appear in summer. This native of the southeastern United States forms spiky rosettes that slowly spread by underground stems, or stolons.
The long, sword-shaped, gray-green to blue-green leaves of needle palm have hairy filaments along the edges. The lower leaves are flaccid, often flopping and resting on the ground, hence the specific epithet, flaccida. Tall spikes of fragrant, pendulous, bell-shaped flowers of ivory are produced in summer. These are pollinated at night by yucca moths, and bulbous seed capsules that turn from green to brown follow.
Needle palm should be given full sun, but tolerates partial sun. It grows best in well-drained, average to rocky soil. It is one yucca that can handle cooler, wetter climates. This is a terrific accent plant for rock gardens. It also looks beautiful planted among other bold summer flowering perennials. Its leaf tips are pointy and sharp, so refrain from planting close to where children play.
Sometimes this species is listed as a variant of Yucca filmentosa.
9 - 5
5 - 9
A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Perennial
Full Sun, Partial Sun
20"-24" / 50.8cm - 61.0cm
3'-5' / 0.9m - 1.5m
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Southeastern United States
Neutral, Alkaline
Well Drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Compaction
Medium
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Clump-Forming
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Showy
White, Ivory
Blue Green, Gray Green
Yes
No
Single
Coarse
Matte
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Birds
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