Spineless or giant yucca is true to both its names: Its leaves are pliable and lack the sharp spines on the tips that are so characteristic of most yuccas, and this is one big yucca, getting up to 30 ft (9.1 m) tall. With age the trunk becomes rough and thick, and when mature it develops a swollen base and often branches a few feet off the ground. The leaves, which grow in a spiral rosette are shiny green, to 4 ft (1.2 m) long and about 3 in (7.6 cm) wide with serrated margins. Like other yuccas, this one has white bell shaped flowers borne on tall stalks above the foliage in summer. This yucca, ‘Variegata,’ has leaves with creamy yellow margins.
Spineless yucca is the tallest of the yuccas, and is often used as a framing specimen at the side of a building or along a walkway. It makes a striking presence in large landscapes, but may be too much for a small yard. Since they lack the sharp spines of other yuccas, spineless yuccas are harmless and can be used where most others cannot. They are grown in containers and sometimes seen in indoor malls. Use this handsome tropical looking yucca as an accent in a gravelly succulent garden, but realize it will get large. The flower petals are edible.
This individual yucca is growing in the South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes, California. I took this vertical panorama picture during our stroll through the cactus garden on Saturday. Click on the picture for a giant view.
