Botanical Name: Yucca baccata
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Common Name: Banana or Blue Yucca, Datil  
Plant photo of: Yucca baccata
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Water Saving Tip:

Change spray sprinklers to low-flow bubbler or drip systems. Shrubs and trees are ideal candidates for this type of irrigation because the water is applied directly to the root zones.

  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Broadleaf Evergreen, Shrub

 

Height Range

3-6', 6-12'

 

Flower Color

White

 

Flower Season

Spring, Summer

 

Leaf Color

Blue Green

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

Green, Purple

 

Fruit Season

Summer, Fall

Sun

Full, Half

 

Water

Very Low, Low

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Poor, Well-drained, Dry

 

Soil pH

Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

Thorns/Spines

Design Styles

Formal, Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish

 

Accenting Features

Showy Flowers, Specimen, Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Shrub Border, Foundation, Walls / Fences, With Rocks

 

Special Uses

Hedge, Mass Planting, Naturalizing

 

Attracts Wildlife

Hummingbirds, Butterflies

Information by: Stephanie Duer
Photographer: Mountain States Nursery
  • Description

  • Notes

This clump-forming Yucca grows 4 to 6 feet tall (up to 8 feet when in flower) and 10 feet wide. Clumps will typically have 5 to 20 rosettes, although rare specimens can have as many as 70. Fruit is edible and banana shaped, 5 inches long and 2 inches wide. Flower spikes are often partially enclosed in the leaves from March to April. Leaves are stiff, bluish green, 1 to 2 inches wide and 2 feet long; they are u-shaped and have white threads along the margins. Evergreen.
Grow in full sun (though it will tolerate a bit of shade) and sandy to rocky soil with good drainage. It can survive on rainfall, but will bloom more dependably with a little supplemental irrigation. Requires little maintenance; just removal of spent flower stalks. Hardy to 0F.