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Yucca rostrata, the Blue Beaked, Big Bend Yucca, Old Man
Yucca, is truly the most spectacular of the desert Yuccas
for the garden, and certainly one of the most hardy of
the trunk-forming species. It is from Texas and New
Mexico and grows to 4-5 meters tall. In 5 years, expect a
8' trunked specimen.
This tree is grown for foliage. Extremely beautiful and
architectural plant with a dense crown of narrow blue-green
leaves. The narrow powder blue foliage radiates out from
the head of the central stalk. The leaves are 25-60 cm
long, 1 to 1,5 cm wide, with margin of the leaves yellow
with short sharp teeth. In general Yucca rostrata is a
single-trunked species, but sometimes forms several heads
of leaves.
Beaked Yucca flowers are white and form flower stalks
that rise above the plant. The panicle is about 60 cm
long. The flowers are bell-shaped, 3.8 cm wide; with 3
petals and 3 sepals, and appear in June to September.
The species name rostrata refers to the fruit, which
truly resembles the beak of a bird. Yucca fruit can be
cooked and eaten after the seeds are removed; the large
petals are used in salads.
Hardiness zones 5-11, (-26°C/-15°F, 4°C/40°F) in
Winter. In the Winter established plants will only need
water once a month and will need a heavy weekly soaking
during the Summer. It will branch with age and much
faster in alkaline soils. Yuccas are very drought
tolerant and do well in outdoor container even without
supplementary irrigation. Plants will do best in a full
sun location.
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