About Yuccas:

The genus Yucca consists of about 30 species, found from Mexico to Guatemala and 50 species in the USA.
Most species in the colder and northern parts of their range tend to be small and trunkless, but in the tropical and subtropical areas some species may become large branched trees up to 15 meter tall!

Like Agave species, some species of Yucca spread by underground rhizomes to create low colonies. That is one of the reasons that with some species like Y. faxoniana and Y. schidigera, after wildfires or extreme cold, new stems can form from the base even if the stems above the ground are destroyed.

Like all Yuccas and hardy xerophytes, it is important to take care of good water drainage when planting. The bed must be raised and lean to the south, so the plants get as much sun as possible. The best way is to raise the bed above the subsoil. In the bottom of all beds should be a 20 cm thick layer of gravel, and above this a 25 to 40 cm layer of soil, gravely sand mixed with small gravel where the plants shall grow in, depending on the species. On top of the soil you can put a 3-5 cm layer of granite chippings or lavalite , course with a particles size of 1-2 cm. The granite chippings will help to keep the root neck or trunk dry, and prevent the rain from splashing soil on the plants and the trunk to rot as a result of wet soil lying against it.

Though some species are very cold hardy, the plants can be killed after a first wet winter as a result of too much moisture between the leaves at the growing points. After one year outside in the garden the yucca is much hardier against different wether type's, If an extremely severe freeze or rain-snow in cold months is expected, Yuccas can be wrapped with cloth. It is particularly important to protect the growing points on the individual rosettes, verry small plants need to be covered completely.

Tropical Centre b.v.