Perennials > Yucca > Yucca whipplei > Yucca whipplei
Yucca whipplei
Our Lord's Candle, Spanish Bayonet
Origin: Native to the mountains and coast of California south to Mexico. Often found growing in near arid conditions.
| Family |
| Asparagaceae |
| Genus |
| Yucca |
| Species |
| whipplei |
| Category |
| Perennials |
| Type |
| Shrub (evergreen) |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -14 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 6.8 |
| Height |
| 3.5 m (including the flower spike) |
| Spread |
| 1 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
click to expand
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| Cultivation |
| Yucca whipplei must be grown in well drained soil in full sun. |
| Shape |
| Leaves radiating from a central crown forming a 'pin cushion' type shape. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| Habitat |
| Dry, low mountains and coastline in arid conditions. |
| Leaf Description |
| Leaves are lanceolate and about 2 cm wide and up to 1 m in length and may be silvery-blue in colour. |
| Flower Description |
| The plant is monocarpic and hence after flowering the rosette of foliage that the flower spike originated from will die, other rosettes will then come into their own. There are hundreds of individual bell shaped blooms (2.5 cm) that are ivory white to purple tinted on the 3.5 m flower spike. It may take at least five years before the plant will flower. |
| Fruit Description |
| Seed is seldom produced in cultivation since pollination requires the efforts of a particular species of moth. |
| Propagation |
| Spring sown seeds germinated at 20-25 °C usually germinate in about 21 days. Grow on in a well drained medium under cool protection for a year, keeping them on the dry side and pot out the following year. |
top