The Yucca gloriosa or candle palm lily is also often referred to as the outdoor yucca. It is a woody plant that forms a trunk as it ages and can grow up to 2.50 m high.
What characterizes the candle palm lily?
The candle palm lily (Yucca gloriosa) is an evergreen plant with gray-green to blue-green sword-shaped leaves that can grow up to 2.50 m tall. It is frost hardy down to around -20°C, blooms in late summer or autumn and requires little water.
The leaves of the evergreen candle palm lily are gray-green to blue-green in color and sword-shaped. The edges of the leaves can be quite sharp, so you should cut off the wilted leaves and not tear them. A young candle palm lily does not bloom and does not yet have a trunk. It only develops over the years and then branches out more and more.
Very decorative garden plant
If your candle palm lily is a few years old, it will also bloom. Their flowers exude a pleasant scent. The inflorescences grow up to 1.40 m long and resemble oversized lilies of the valley, a quite impressive picture.
The candle palm lily does not require a lot of water and should be watered sparingly. It cannot tolerate waterlogging or too much rain. A location near the house or against a wall is therefore recommended. Please note, however, that the palm lily can reach a considerable size, with the corresponding girth. The candle palm lily is not very suitable for a very rainy area.
The candle palm lily in winter
Despite its origins in the rather dry southeastern United States or Mexico, the candle palm lily is hardy. It tolerates frost quite well down to around -20 °C. However, it should be kept as dry as possible, especially in winter. If there are long-lasting frosts or in a particularly cold area, you should protect the roots of the candle palm lily from the cold. A thick layer of mulch or leaves is recommended.
The most important thing about the palm lily:
- evergreen
- Leaves slightly grayish
- up to about 2.50 m tall
- frost hardy up to approx. – 20 °C
- blooms in late summer or autumn
- Inflorescence up to 1, 40 m long
- white, cream or greenish bell-shaped flowers
Tips & Tricks
The candle palm lily is frost hardy and is ideal as a garden plant. However, it should be protected from excessive rain.
