1.2k gardener saves
Yucca: the varieties gardeners actually grow
We track 45 varieties; these are the ones gardeners actually save and plant, ranked by real saves rather than catalog marketing. Each links to full care, bloom, and live price data.
The 12 most-saved Yucca varieties
Of 45 in the catalog — ordered by how many gardeners actually grow them.
#1 most savedColor Guard Yucca
Yucca flaccida 'Color Guard'
#2 most savedWeak-leaf Yucca
Yucca flaccida 'Hairy'
#3 most savedAdam's Needle
Yucca filamentosa 'Excalibur'
Variegated Adam's Needle
Yucca filamentosa 'Variegata'
Beaked Yucca 'Sapphire Skies'
Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies'
Gold Heart Yucca
Yucca flaccida 'Gold Heart'
Wilder's Wonderful Yucca
Yucca flaccida 'Wilders Wonderful'
Soaptree Yucca
Yucca elata
Adam's Needle
Yucca filamentosa
Narrowleaf Yucca
Yucca angustissima
Recurvifolia Yucca
Yucca x recurvifolia
Gold Edge Yucca
Yucca smalliana 'Gold Edge'
Browse all 45 Yucca varieties →
How to grow Yucca
What the Yucca varieties in our catalog actually agree on — drawn from the care records of the 40 most-grown of them, not from a generic template.
The Yucca year
- PruneJuly and August93% of varieties
Remove the spent flower stalk after blooming; cut off old, dead lower leaves.
- Spring CleanupFebruary and March63% of varieties
Remove any dead or brown lower leaves from the rosette
- PlantMarch, April, September and October60% of varieties
Plant in spring or fall in well-drained, sunny location.
- PropagateMarch and April30% of varieties
Remove and replant offsets (pups) that form around the base.
Do
- Use well-draining soil to prevent waterlogging
- Apply cactus fertilizer in spring
- Prune dead leaves in early spring
- Water deeply during dry periods 🌱
- Apply a balanced fertilizer in spring
Avoid
- Overwater, which can cause root rot ❌
- Plant in heavy clay soil without amendments
- Overwater in winter ❌
- Plant in poorly drained soil ❌
What goes wrong with Yucca
| Problem | What you'll see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Scale insects | Sticky residue on leaves | Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap |
| Mealybugs | White cottony masses on leaves | Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap |
| Yucca moth | Pollination issues leading to poor flowering | Encourage natural pollinators or hand-pollinate |
| Spider mites | Fine webbing and speckled leaves | Use insecticidal soap and maintain humidity |
| Root rot | Wilting and blackened roots | Improve drainage and reduce watering |
| Leaf spot | Brown or black spots on leaves | Remove affected leaves and apply fungicide |
| Root Rot | Wilting, blackened roots | Improve drainage, reduce watering |
Making more Yucca
Seeds
- Sow seeds on moist soil surface
- Keep in warm, bright location for 8-10 weeks
- Maintain soil moisture
- Transplant seedlings when established
Offsets
- Wait for pups to develop at base, approx. 6 weeks after flowering.
- Gently separate pups from parent with clean knife.
- Plant pups in well-draining soil and water lightly.
- Keep in bright, indirect sunlight for initial rooting.
Yucca questions
How many types of Yucca are there?
The Sow catalog tracks 45 distinct Yucca varieties. The most popular — ranked by 1.2k real gardener saves — are shown first above.
What zones does Yucca grow in?
Across its varieties, Yucca covers USDA Zones 4–10. Individual varieties differ — each plant page lists its exact range, and Sow filters the catalog to your zone automatically.
When does Yucca bloom?
Most Yucca varieties bloom in mid-summer, late spring to early summer, early summer. Staggering early, mid, and late varieties extends the genus's season in one bed.
Which Yucca should I choose?
Start from the most-saved varieties above — popularity across thousands of gardens is a strong signal of reliability — then filter by your zone and sun. In the Sow app you can preview any of them in a photo of your actual yard before you buy.
Keep exploring
More on Yucca
Yucca shows up in
By hardiness zone
Design with Yucca in your own yard
Snap a photo of your space and see these varieties planted in it — sized correctly, matched to your zone, with care reminders included.
