Other Names:  Bailey's Narrow Leaf Yucca, Navajo Yucca

Description:

This variety features fine, arching gray-green to blue-green leaves with white margins and filaments, on a low trunk; tall spikes of nodding bell flowers in spring; forms tight colonies; great for dry sites, borders, rock gardens and containers

Ornamental Features

Alpine Yucca features bold spikes of white bell-shaped flowers with light green overtones rising above the foliage from late spring to mid summer. It has attractive bluish-green foliage edged in white with hints of grayish green. The spiny narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Alpine Yucca is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Alpine Yucca is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Alpine Yucca will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 5 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America.

Alpine Yucca makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.