Yucca faxoniana is a large imposing plant which mainly grows in western Texas around the Sierra Blanca region and the bordering Mexican States of Coahuile and Chihuahua. Mainly the Big Bend Area, divided by the Rio Grande. Y.faxoniana plants can reach a height of 6-10 m and usually have a single trunk that when trimmed (average diameter of 40-50 cm) shows a dark brown colour with irregular furrows. Sometimes Y.faxoniana branches out after flowering, forming two heads, growing close together. Branched trunks are rarely seen but very impressive. The green leaves are 90-110 cm long and 5 cm in width, but in cultivation they can reach a length of 120-140 cm, forming a symmetrical head. The leaf margin has a brown line from which thin, almost non visible curled white filaments are growing. In its natural habitat it flowers only once every three to four years, producing flower clusters up to 2m tall. The inflorescence alone is 100-120 cm long, and usually towers high above the leaves. The flower stalk is 8-10 cm thick and the greenish white flowers are each 5-9 cm long. Y.faxoniana grows in the Trans-Pecos Region of western Texas, usually on limestone hills, on elevations of 900-1800 m. It is cold hardy from -18°C for longer periods to -23°C for short periods. Some plant importers and nurseries are offering Y.carnerosana from Mexico as Y.faxoniana from the high mountains of Texas, but there are a few differences, like size and filaments, but above all Y.faxioniana is really more frost resistant.

Like all yucca's they like sun and a well drained soil, in wet climates it is better to remove the panicle after a few weeks, as the flowers fall down in the crown and start rotting. The yucca is most vulnerable after flowering as the stalk leaves a hole through which rain water enters the hart which could lead to rot. When the old flower stalk has rotted away, it is better to seal the hole with cement; the new growing spears will push it aside.

In our webshop we have this yucca for sale.

Authors drs C.N. Klijn and R.H. Smeets from Tropical Centre have studied yuccas in the wild and also then thousands of import yucca plants from everywhere in Mexico and the USA. Learn more about yuccas and our yucca background through the website buttons about us, photo-albums and newsletters. If you mention us, as the source you may use our descriptions and pictures.