During the summer months, dense perennials with impressively tall and richly decorated inflorescences can be admired in many gardens. These exotic-looking plants are close relatives of the Yucca palm, which is cultivated as a houseplant. These yuccas or palm lilies are - in contrast to the indoor yucca - hardy and can therefore be placed in the garden without worry.
Which types of Yucca are suitable for the garden?
Winter-hardy yucca species such as the filamentous palm lily (Yucca filamentosa), candle palm lily (Yucca gloriosa), blue palm lily (Yucca baccata), big bend yucca (Yucca rostrata), Yucca thompsoniana and the are suitable for the garden Blue-green palm lily (Yucca glauca). They can tolerate frost down to -20°C to -35°C and thrive well in Central European gardens.
Suitable Yucca species for the garden
The palm lily family is very large and includes around 50 different species and even more subspecies. Many of these are frost hardy up to temperatures of minus 20 °C and more and are therefore ideal for garden cultivation even under Central European conditions. Some of the most beautiful Yucca species for the garden can be found in the following overview:
| Yucca type | Common name | Growth habit | Growth height | can tolerate frost up to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yucca filamentosa | Threaded Palm Lily | tribeless | up to 0.6 meters (without flower) | – 30º C |
| Yucca gloriosa | Candle Palm Lily | Tribe | up to three meters | – 25º C |
| Yucca baccata | Blue Palm Lily | stemless or short trunk | up to one meter | – 30º C |
| Yucca rostrata | Big Bend Yucca | Tribe | up to five meters | – 20º C |
| Yucca thompsoniana | – | Tribe | up to three meters | – 20º C |
| Yucca glauca | Blue-green palm lily | stemless or with a short trunk | up to 1.5 meters | – 35 °C |
Properly care for yuccas in the garden
Once you have planted the yucca in the garden, it does not require too much care. All you should do is note the following:
Location and soil
The Yucca comes from the south of the USA and grows increasingly in the dry regions of the deserts and semi-deserts. That's why you should give your palm lily a full sun, warm and protected location on loose soil rich in nutrients and lime.
Watering and fertilizing
Planted yuccas generally do not need to be watered unless the summer is very hot and dry for a long period of time. The plant generally tolerates little moisture; waterlogging and frequently moist soil are particularly difficult for it. Fertilize the yucca with a little compost at the beginning of each growing season. If necessary, you can also lime the plant.
Cutting and propagating
Yuccas are very tolerant of pruning and can easily be cut back or divided for propagation. After flowering, you should remove the inflorescences, which can be up to three meters high.
Wintering
In very cold winters, light winter protection, for example in the form of mulch (€299.00 on Amazon) and/or a garden fleece, makes sense. Otherwise, you should protect the plant from excessive moisture.
Tip
Even the non-hardy indoor yucca feels very comfortable on the balcony or terrace during the summer months.
