Varieties of garden and indoor yucca with photos and names!

Increasingly, in the “diet” of amateur gardeners one can find exotic plants that have occupied a dense niche among the usual flowers. Today we will talk about yucca, a representative of the agave family, brought to us from North and Central America. There are hardly any flower lovers who do not have this “piece” of exoticism in their greenhouses. Such a wonderful plant can easily grow at home.

Name of varieties, description and photos of varieties

This rather unpretentious beauty has about 40 species. The most common varieties have settled in our apartments.

Evergreen yucca has lanceolate long leaves, the length of which varies depending on the plant variety. The length of the tree-like stem also depends on the type of yucca. Often the trunk is almost invisible, due to the fact that the leaves are located very low.

The most common types:

False elephant

This variety is also called Yucca Elefantis. The plant received this name because its trunk is very similar in structure to an elephant’s leg. At home, false yucca grows in open ground. However, due to our climatic conditions, flower growers recommend this plant as an indoor flower.

At a young age, elephant yucca is represented by bushy development. An adult plant has a thick trunk covered with rough bark. As the lower leaves of the plant dry out (a natural process), the trunk becomes increasingly exposed and increases in size.

The dark green surface of the lance-shaped leaves reaches a length of more than a meter and has needle-like edges.

Yucca Elefanto is characterized by summer flowering, which ends in autumn. White large flowers are collected in inflorescences. Subsequently, they form juicy fruits, the size of which is about 2 cm.

You can watch a review of elephant yucca in this video:

Sadovaya

Despite the fact that yucca came to us from warm countries, it has acclimatized remarkably well in our open areas. This tree-like shrub has long, stiff leaves that grow in a spiral pattern. In season, a long peduncle is formed from a dense rosette, on which there are up to 200 white bells.

Quite unpretentious to moisture and frost, in severe frosts it still needs to be covered. According to gardeners, although the flowering of garden yucca (filamentous) in open ground lasts only 2-3 weeks, the aroma of the flowers has a sweetish exotic smell.

You can watch a review of garden yucca (filamentous) in this video:

Gray

This is one of the most frost-resistant varieties that can withstand cold Russian winters. Gray yucca does not tolerate very waterlogged soil , much less stagnant water. In the garden, it should be planted in a sunny place so that it can fully open up and show its best qualities.

The plant is distinguished by its original gray-green color. The trunk of the gray yucca is almost invisible, since a dense rosette of narrow long leaves starts from the bottom.

In central Russia, it is better to cover such plants with special material for the winter to avoid freezing of the central bud. If the yucca is not covered, then during the winter it can shed leaves, the restoration of which will require a long summer period.

Aloe leaf

Aloe yucca is the most common indoor plant in the agave family. Unlike the gray yucca, this species is quite heat-loving and prefers to move outside exclusively in the summer.

At home, aloe yucca can reach 2 meters in height, however, such growth is observed in rare individuals. This plant has a dense woody stem, the top of which is crowned with a dense rosette of narrow long leaves.

If you have placed this beauty at home, then you need to take care of a large, bright room for her. Yucca loves spacious rooms with good access to fresh air. It should not be placed under scorching sunlight. Give it diffused light and it will delight you with its flowering.

Filamentosis

Yucca filamentosa, also known as filamentosa, gets its name from the thread-like processes along the edges of its narrow leaves.

This is one of the hardiest shrubs that looks exotic both in single plantings and in group plantings.

Yucca filamentosa has basal growth of leaves that reach a length of up to 90 cm. The flower stalks of filamentosa reach a length of about 1 meter.

This type of yucca is undemanding to soil quality and tolerates planting well. In open plantings, thanks to its multiple shoots, it can grow into huge ornamental bushes. In harsh winter conditions, it is better to cover the yucca by tying the bushes together. Later, this practice slowed down due to the lack of such a number of yucca plantations. However, the highest quality jeans still have some yucca cotton.

Shortleaf

This original type of yucca in natural conditions can reach a height of up to 9 meters. Due to its gigantic size, this plant is difficult to place at home .

The short, densely arranged leaves give yucca its originality. Expanded at the base, they resemble a triangle in shape. The crown is usually brownish in color with a lighter shade closer to the edge.

Due to its short vegetation, the flower stalks of short-leaved yucca are also miniature in size with pale yellow flowers.

More photos of yucca

Care

Yucca aloelia and ivory are grown indoors more often than other species. Care depends little on the species. Although this plant is considered to be low maintenance, problems still arise if there is not enough light or the watering schedule is disrupted.

Lighting

All yuccas, especially young ones, love light, but not direct rays of the sun. They can be placed on any window except those located in the north. It is not advisable to be close to a heating radiator. In summer, these plants are taken out onto the terrace, loggia, balcony, or yard. The place must be protected from the wind. Light is needed for 14-16 hours, so backlighting is required from October to spring.

Temperature

From March to September the temperature is +22-26°C, from October to February +18-20°C (15-18°C if there is little light). Temperatures above +30°C in summer and below +8°C in winter are not allowed .
In cold weather, it is advisable to move it from the windowsill to a stand next to the window to prevent hypothermia. Drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations have a negative effect on yucca.

Humidity and watering

Yucca is a succulent, so it stores water in the trunk. Due to weak roots, it does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil. Air humidity up to 40%. Watering is carried out if the substrate in the pot has dried out by 2/3 of the container.

After purchase, small yucca needs to be watered daily. Per liter of soil mixture requires 200 ml of water.

Watering schedule for an adult flower:

• during the growing season: after 8-9 days at a temperature of +18-22°C, after 6-7 days at a temperature of +25-28°C;
• during the rest period: after 12-14 days at a temperature of +22-24°C, after 20-25 days at a temperature of +18-20°C.

In summer, more water is required, but it should not be left in the pan.

Spraying

It is necessary to spray daily if the temperature is above +30°C and the humidity is below 40%. The water should not be hard (softened with lemon juice or acid). Under the shower, the leaves are washed every 20 days.

Top dressing

Liquid fertilizers for cacti and palm trees are used for feeding. In summer, the frequency is 15-20 days ; in winter, there is no need to fertilize for a month after transplantation.

Transfer

Young yucca needs to be replanted every 2 years (preferably in March or April, if the situation is not urgent), then the top layer of the soil mixture is changed annually.
This type of transplantation does not tolerate well, so it is carried out using a transshipment method that allows not to damage the roots. Before planting in a new container, diseased, damaged roots are cut out.

It is important to know that after transplantation, the flower hardly grows for 1-2 months.

Priming

It is important that the acidity of the soil mixture is within the pH range of 5-7, it allows air and water to pass through well (the roots must be ventilated and receive enough nutrients). Store-bought soil is suitable for palm trees if you add sand, humus, and a little charcoal.

When preparing it yourself, use turf and leaf soil, humus, sand or gravel (ratio 2x2x1x2). If the plant is large, humus can be excluded. Drainage layer (clay shards, expanded clay stones) up to 7 cm (at least 1/8 of the height of the pot).

What soil do you prefer to use?

PurchasedI make my own

Pot

The diameter of the new container is 3-4 cm larger than the old one, the depth is up to 2.5 times the diameter of the root system. It is important to remember that the aerial part of yucca is several times heavier than the roots, so you need to ensure sufficient stability. It is better to buy a pot made of strong material (not plastic).

Trimming

Pruning is carried out if:

• yucca is too tall;
• the trunk bent;
• the plant is affected by pests and fungus.

You cannot prune a yucca whose height is less than half a meter and whose trunk diameter is less than 4 cm. The procedure is carried out in February (the end of the dormant period).
At other times, you can prune if the plant is sick. During planned pruning, the trunk is shortened to the desired height (it will no longer grow upward). When bending, cutting is carried out below the bend. If a diseased plant cannot be saved by pruning, healthy parts are used as cuttings.

Features of care and cultivation

Although yucca is an overseas plant, it is not capricious and not picky in matters of care. Growing mainly requires moderate moisture, properly selected lighting and shelter for the winter if the yucca grows in an open area.

At home, the main requirement for yucca is dosed watering of the plant. It should be done if the top layer of the plant is dry. If water accumulates in the pan, it should be drained to avoid rotting of the root system.

Yucca welcomes spraying with water at room temperature. During winter, this procedure is not necessary. Simply wipe the leaves of the plant with a damp sponge.

Although yucca came to us from a hot climate, it does not tolerate direct sunlight. However, it must be placed on the sunny side, shaded from the sun.

In winter, it is necessary to extend the daylight hours for yucca. This can be done using artificial light sources.

Some types of plants (thread-like yucca) feel great in open areas. For growing in open ground, you need to comply with the same requirements as for growing yucca indoors, the main one of which is moderate watering.

Yucca also responds well to fertilizing. In the spring, during awakening from hibernation, the plant should be fed twice a month. A good fertilizer for yucca is special fertilizers that are sold in the store. Despite its exotic origin, an infusion of mullein or leaf humus is a good option as a top dressing.

Caring for yucca at home

Since the homeland of the described plant is the tropics and subtropics, when growing indoors it is necessary to create conditions for it that are close to natural, namely warmth, high humidity, regular access to fresh air and bright lighting.

Did you know? Some peoples, for example, residents of the Dominican Republic, eat the fruits of wild yucca species along with potatoes. They resemble berries with dense, fleshy pulp and are highly nutritious and have beneficial properties.

Lighting and location of the pot

When keeping the tree in a room, you should choose the brightest place. It is better to place it near a south-facing window, shaded from the midday direct rays of the sun. Shading must be mandatory, otherwise the plant's leaves will begin to dry out and sunburn will occur.

It will also grow well near eastern and southern windows. When grown on the north side, artificial lighting will be required. Additional lighting is also needed in winter. It is better to install fluorescent lamps at a distance of 30–50 cm from the flower. The required length of daylight for yucca is at least 12 hours. If there is not enough light, the leaves of the plant will turn pale and stretch out.

Important! Every 14 days, the yucca pot should be turned 90° so that its ground organs are evenly illuminated. In this way, it will be possible to ensure that the crown is symmetrical.

Temperature

In spring and summer, the plant feels good at temperatures of +23...+25°C. On hot days, it is advisable to take the pot with indoor crops out into the fresh air. In autumn, the temperature must be reduced to provoke the plant to enter a dormant period. It is important to protect the plant from drafts and temperature fluctuations, which can significantly reduce its decorative effect and even destroy it.

Humidity

This indoor crop requires high humidity - 60–70%. The higher the thermometer is, the higher the humidity level should be.

To achieve such conditions, on too hot days and during the heating season, it is necessary to spray the space around the flower with a spray bottle, place the pot on a tray with moistened expanded clay, pebbles, wash it in the shower, or install an air humidifier in the room. At other times, the flower does not require regular spraying. You only need to periodically wipe the sheets with a damp cloth.

Watering

Yucca requires rare but abundant watering. The next moistening should be done when the soil dries 5 cm deep. Watering can be done both from above - under the root, and from below - into the pan. Overwatering and stagnation of moisture are detrimental to the plant, so it is important to ensure that flooding does not occur. If this happens, then you need to dry the soil in a timely manner. The fact that the plant has too much moisture will be indicated by curled leaves and the appearance of brown spots on them.

Moistening the soil must be done with tap water at room temperature, standing for 1–2 days or softened and purified through a filter to remove harmful impurities. Approximately 1 liter of water is required for 5 liters of soil.

Read about ways to propagate yucca at home.

Fertilizing

Yucca does not require frequent feeding. They need to be produced once every 2-3 weeks from spring to September with ready-made universal mineral fertilizers in a reduced dosage. Only feed a healthy tree. A plant with signs of disease or pest damage must first be cured and then, after some time, fertilized. Also, you should not feed a newly transplanted indoor crop - you need to wait for its adaptation to take place.

The soil

Yucca should be planted in universal soil purchased in advance from a specialized store. You can also make your own soil substrate.

It is recommended to make a mixture suitable for yucca from the following ingredients:

• turf soil (2 parts);
• sheet soil (2 parts);
• sand (2 parts);
• humus (1 part).

For mature plants, humus is not needed; the amount of turf soil should be increased to three parts. When compiling the soil yourself, it must be disinfected by calcining it in the oven or microwave, pouring it with a solution of potassium permanganate, boiling water, and holding it over steam.

Transfer

Young plants should be replanted annually. Adults - once every few years. It is recommended to replant in the spring. However, yucca easily adapts even if the procedure is carried out in the summer. For replanting, you should purchase a new pot, 2–3 cm larger and corresponding to the size of the root system. The material of the pot is unimportant - it can be plastic, ceramic or a wooden tub.

Read more about how, when and what to properly replant yucca.

The technology for transplanting yucca is as follows:

1. The day before the planned procedure, it is necessary to moisten the soil well so that the earthen ball with roots can emerge more easily.
2. Place a drainage layer of expanded clay, pebbles, gravel, and brick fragments on the bottom of the pot.
3. Sprinkle a small layer of soil on top.
4. Remove the yucca from the old pot without destroying the earthen ball.
5. Place it in the center of the new container.
6. Fill the voids in the pot with soil, leaving 1.5–2 cm to the edge.
7. Lightly compact.
8. Moisten the soil.

Trimming

Check out

Features of proper pruning of yucca at home This plant definitely needs pruning, which will limit its growth and give the crown the desired shape. It can be produced for the first time when the trunk reaches a diameter of 6 cm.

The procedure is planned for early spring, before the tree begins to actively grow. It is carried out with a well-sharpened knife and disinfected with an alcohol solution.

The trunk is cut so that a tall stump with 2–5 buds remains. The cut area is powdered with activated carbon to avoid the development of rot. In the future, you need to carry out normal care. After 2–3 weeks, the buds left near the cut site should wake up. It is possible to root the cut top and grow a young tree from it.

Features of the rest period

Yucca, like most tropical crops, has a pronounced dormant period, which begins in November and lasts until March. The plant owner needs to take this into account and create all the conditions so that the indoor crop enters winter in a state of “sleep”.

The transition to a period of rest is provoked by two actions:

• a gradual decrease in temperature to +13...+15°C (lowest threshold - +10°C);
• reducing the number and volume of irrigation to a minimum - once every 10 days.

Important! When growing yucca in winter without lowering the temperature, there is a high risk that the leaves will turn yellow and the roots will become rotten.

Starting from October, all fertilizing should be stopped, as this can cause serious harm to the tree. They will need to be resumed only in March or April. In conclusion, we note that yucca is a common indoor crop that requires light, heat, high humidity and simple care. There are several varieties of the tree that differ in size, shape and color of the leaves. The flower looks great when planted alone or in combination with other indoor crops.

Varieties of yucca and their characteristics and remarkable qualities

The attention of flower growers and gardeners to the crop was attracted by such valuable qualities of the plant as:

• amazing undemandingness regarding both conditions for planting and subsequent care;
• consistency of appearance throughout the year;
• spectacular shape, different in different species;
• lush flowering;
• the presence of variegated varieties with leaves in yellow, white and purple tones.

The usefulness of the plant was noticed by the American Indians long before gardeners and landscape designers. The roots of Yucca elata or soap tree are rich in saponins, and their decoction served as a kind of shampoo. Dried yucca leaves, the fiber obtained from the stems, were used to make fire and cover roofs.

In rural Appalachia, the Yucca filamentosa pictured here served as a “meat hanger.” Carcasses or pieces of game were pinned onto sharp, hard leaf plates, which were tied and hung for salting, smoking or drying.

Until now, in Mexico and other regions where yucca grows, the petals are used in cooking. Having previously removed the pistil and the bitter base of the corolla, the flowers are blanched for about 5 minutes and then stewed with tomato, chili pepper and onion.

Diseases and pests of yucca

Yucca is turning yellow. If the lower leaves turn yellow, then this is what should happen - green leaves are only in the upper part of the yucca. The reason Yucca looks like this is because it sheds its lower leaves.

Yucca leaves are falling. If a plant has dropped some of its leaves after replanting or after purchasing yucca and delivering it home, this is a normal reaction to a change in usual conditions. If the leaves are shed en masse, this may be due to drafts or the yucca has become too cold.

The tips of the yucca leaves dry out and turn brown. Due to dry air, the tips and edges of the leaves may take on a brownish tint. Other reasons may be lack of watering and drafts.

Brown spots on yucca leaves. If brown spots appear on the leaves, this indicates a lack of moisture in the soil - the earthen ball should not dry out completely.

Yucca leaves curl. Due to low air temperatures, the edges of the leaves turn brown and the leaves themselves curl. In delicate species, this can occur if they are not removed from the windowsill and the night is cold.

Spots on yucca leaves. Excess sun can cause dry, light spots to appear on the leaves.

• Watering, fertilizing and replanting philodendron

Yucca pests. Yucca is most often affected by the following pests: whitefly, spider mites, scale insects and mealybugs.

Territory of growth and adaptability of yucca

Adaptability, combined with the ability to accumulate moisture and protect itself from the harmful effects of the external environment, allows yuccas to grow where other plants in most cases do not survive.

Representatives of the genus can be found on the Caribbean islands and in Guatemala, where the local species Yucca guatemalensis has settled. In the dry subtropical zone, the range includes the Gulf of Mexico and coastal areas of the South Atlantic, where Yucca filamentosa with spiny linear leaves and characteristic threads on the rosette, which gave the species its name, is easy to see on barren wastelands.

Most of the plant's habitats are southern, tropical, and subtropical regions. But several species can be grown outdoors in temperate climates. These are Yucca filamentosa, flaccid, gloriosa and recurvifolia. The variety of yucca shown in the photo with the name gray is recognized as the northernmost. Not only is it not afraid of drought, but it also survives in the Canadian, far from tropical climate.

All representatives of the genus were able to adapt to such diverse climatic conditions:

• thick roots that accumulate moisture;
• durable wax coating on the leaves, preventing water evaporation and wilting;
• dead leaves that do not fall, covering the trunk like a skirt and protecting it from the sun;
• high density wood, which quickly resists even fire and allows yuccas to quickly recover in extreme situations such as fires.

In temperate climates, these features help yuccas withstand cold snaps, short-term frosts and even snow, like the Schotta or large-fruited yucca.

Appearance and structure of different types of yucca

The smallest, low-growing varieties of yucca are grown in pots as a houseplant. Such specimens have a shortened or almost invisible trunk, and the leaves rarely grow longer than 40–60 cm. In nature, representatives of this genus can be real giants. At the same time, all small and large plants have common features - these are:

• strong thickened trunk, simple or branching;
• crowning the stems are apical rosettes of pointed, hard leaves;
• a spectacular peduncle that appears during flowering, covered with tens and hundreds of bell flowers of white, cream, yellowish or pinkish colors.

Due to the dried leaves that descend to the stem, the lush rosette of foliage at the top, and resistance to heat and drought, yuccas are called false palms. And the amazing flowering gave the plant another name - desert lily. Some species have their own popular nicknames, dictated by the appearance or properties of the plant. For example, Joshua tree, Adam's needle, Spanish dagger.

Despite its unpretentiousness and amazing adaptability, not all varieties of yucca can be grown in Russia. Most often, filamentous yucca is included in the collection of exotic plant lovers.

It tolerates the hardships of a temperate climate well, and breeding work has made it possible to obtain varieties with bluish leaves, as well as spectacular variegated forms. There are other yuccas in Russian flowerbeds, for example, gray and glorious.

On the windowsill inside the house, specimens of the elephant yucca and the aloel yucca shown in the photo often take root. They were chosen for their decorative properties and slow growth, which prevents the plants from turning into real trees in a year or two. Descriptions of species and images of plants will help you understand their diversity and introduce you to the characteristic features and appearance of amazing “American women”.

Yucca aloifolia (Y. aloifolia)

One of the most famous species, Yucca aloelia, is native to dry regions in the United States and Mexico.
Today this plant is also found in Bermuda and Jamaica. At the same time, yucca can be found not only in its characteristic corners, open to the sun and not distinguished by the richness of the soil, but also in park areas. Young plants have the appearance of a bush. Their stem is practically not developed. An adult specimen, reaching a height of 6–8 m, takes the form of a weakly branching tree with dense rosettes of hard leaves, reminiscent of the greenery of another drought-resistant perennial - aloe. The edges of the elongated lanceolate leaf blades are covered with teeth. The tip is crowned with a larger thorn, noticeable at first glance, which makes the yucca prickly and requiring careful handling.

The foliage that fades over time does not fall off, but falls down and remains to cover the stem. In nature, this helps the plant retain moisture and protect itself from high temperatures in the desert.

Representatives of the Yucca aloifolia species bloom spectacularly. In summer, a tall peduncle appears above the leaf rosette, ending in an inflorescence up to half a meter long. The flowers, white on the inside and creamy-purple on the outside, are up to 3 cm long and resemble a bell or lily in shape. After pollination by insects, fruits and berries with many brown or almost black seeds begin to grow in place of the flowers.

Flower growers especially value aloel yucca due to its variegated forms, which allow you to diversify your home collection or garden bed.

The yucca variety Y. aloifolia purpurea has purple or violet-gray leaves. The unusual coloring becomes most noticeable on young leaf blades. At the bottom of the rosette the leaves are dark green.

On the leaves of Y. aloifolia variegata, rich green tones alternate with yellowish or almost white. A contrasting colored border runs along the very edge of the leaf plate.

Choosing the optimal variety

When encountering yucca for the first time, it is extremely easy to get confused in its varieties. It looks completely different depending on what type it is. Photos of yucca species and varieties will help you navigate this diversity and choose the best option for yourself. But its description will allow you to learn more about the selected shrub.

For home gardening, it is recommended to choose from the following list:

1. Filamentous yucca looks like a bush, as it does not have one distinct stem. Due to root shoots, it grows over the entire width of the allotted space. The leaves of the plant can reach up to half a meter in length, have a rich green color and wedge-shaped shape. A pleasant addition is the extraordinary flowering. Exotic greenery shoots out an arrow on which large inflorescences of white color with a yellowish tint bloom in a panicle.
2. Elephant yucca. It got its name due to its thickened main stem, which is very similar to an elephant’s leg. It looks more like a palm tree than a bush and does not take up much space in the apartment. This exotic can also please the gardener with beautiful flowers that look like a panicle, decorated with a huge number of medium-sized white flowers.
3. Aloe leaf yucca. It resembles a lush bush consisting of large wedge-shaped stems. Over the years, the lower leaves dry out, exposing the tree-like trunk, and it begins to look more and more like a palm tree.

Recommendations! Despite their different characteristics, caring for yucca is carried out according to the general recommendations for them. Flower growers will not have to take into account their needs and characteristics separately.

Yucca (Y. gloriosa)

On the southeastern coast of the United States, in the zone of subtropical dunes, yucca is found, popularly deserving of several names. Thanks to its magnificent flowering, Yucca gloriousa is called the Roman candle. For its long, narrow, pointed leaves, the plant has long been compared to the Spanish dagger or bayonet.

Connoisseurs of ornamental plants value the species for its low growth rate, unpretentiousness and compactness. Specimens used for landscaping most often have the shape of a spherical bush or tree with one or several stems. Plants are not afraid of lack of water and frosts down to –20 °C.

Yucca (Y. glauca)

Bear grass, Spanish bayonet or Great Plains yucca. This is how the gray yucca depicted in the photo is called by residents of several regions, from the Canadian prairies in Alberta to Texas and New Mexico.

An evergreen plant with hard, glaucous or bluish-green leaves has a height of 50 cm to 2 m. At the edges of the foliage, flaking fibers are visible, like tangled leaves up to 60 cm long. Yucca blooms annually, forming a meter-long peduncle strewn with drooping, greenish or white flowers about 5 cm long.

Local Indians use crushed yucca root for washing and washing; the strong fibrous leaves are an excellent material for wicker mats, ropes and baskets. And the green seed pods are edible.

Elephant yucca (Y. elephantipes)

Not all yucca species are native to North America. From Mexico to Nicaragua and even Ecuador, you can find the elephant or giant yucca shown in the photo.

The variety, discovered in the 19th century, has several important differences from the plants described above. This:

• a trunk thickened at the bottom, reminiscent of an elephant's leg;
• belt-shaped, non-thorny leaves up to 120 cm long.

Plants, which in nature reach a height of 6–9 meters, grow and become powerful trees. In indoor conditions, due to its slow growth, gardeners manage to keep yucca at a more modest size, although Yucca elephantipes plants practically do not bloom.

Paniculate inflorescences appear only on adult specimens. White flowers that open in summer after pollination turn into oval, fleshy fruits 2 to 3 m long.

For lovers of exotic species, several varieties of elephant yucca have been created, among which there are variegated plants of the “Silver Star” variety. Their leaves have a yellowish or whitish border along the edge.

Southern flowers: trees, shrubs and perennials

Hibiscus Hibiscus

Most often, it is hibiscus that attracts the attention of a botanist-tourist photographer. Huge flowers are visible from afar, and it is simply impossible to pass by!

Hibiscus are evergreen trees or shrubs with large single or double flowers of various colors. They can have flowers of white, yellow, orange, lilac, and all shades of pink. There are also two-color varieties.

Most often you can find one of two types: Chinese hibiscus or Syrian hibiscus.

Chinese hibiscus, Chinese rose, Chinese rose, swamp mallow, "flower of fair ladies", Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Shrub or tree, in nature up to 4–5 m tall, variegated forms are found. Flowers are up to 10–12 cm in diameter, white, yellow, pink, red or purple. The peculiarity of flowers is that they live only for a day. However, the plant can bloom throughout the year.

Chinese hibiscus or Chinese rose flower. Photo taken in Israel.

Syrian hibiscus, or ketmia, or Syrian rose, Hibiscus syriacus

Shrub up to 4 m in height, native to China and India. Flowers up to 10 cm in diameter, color from white to crimson and even lilac with a burgundy center, simple and double. There are variegated varieties.

Syrian hibiscus blooming. Photos were taken in Israel in early June.

Common oleander, Nerium oleander

Unless the lazy one has never photographed the huge caps of oleander flowers. This evergreen, upright shrub in nature can reach a height of 2–3 m. Flowers of various colors (white, orange, pink and red) can be simple or double.

Almost all parts of the plant are poisonous, so you should handle it very carefully.

Common olendra flowering. Photo taken in Greece.

Pomegranate, Punica

Trees and shrubs with narrow elliptical or lanceolate leaves and numerous bright red small flowers are pomegranates. The Pomegranate family itself is represented by only one genus, in which there are only two species - the common pomegranate and the Socotran pomegranate. The most common pomegranate is the common pomegranate, and its Nana form can be grown even indoors.

Flowering of the common pomegranate. The photo was taken in May in Egypt.

Yucca Yucca

A plant with a short trunk and a crown of long leathery or sword-shaped leaves of various colors, including variegated ones. Yucca is native to the humid subtropical forests of the United States and Mexico. The most common cultivated species is elephant yucca (Yucca elephantipes), its sword-shaped leaves reach a length of 50–100 cm. You can also find glorious yucca (Yucca gloriosa). This species is distinguished by a shorter trunk and sword-shaped, spiny-pointed leaves.

Yuccas are unique for their flowers: white with a reddish tint, up to 7 cm long, collected in large pyramidal inflorescences. In cultivation, yuccas bloom very rarely, but in nature the flowering is magnificent.

Another interesting thing about yucca: its fragrant petals are edible. The Indians used them in cooking: they collected the petals and added them to vegetables.

Yucca flowering. Photo taken in Morocco.

Jacquaranda, fern tree, violet tree or rose tree, Jacaranda

Trees with huge purple inflorescences are, of course, jaccaranda! A plant of the Bignoniaceae family, native to South America. The name comes from the Guarani language and means “fragrant”: the aroma of jaccranda flowers is reminiscent of honey.

Jacquaranda can reach a height of 30 meters. Blooms twice a year.

The bark of the tree is also interesting: its color varies from red to chocolate with a purple tint.

Flowering jacquaranda. The photo was taken in France in June.

Callistemon, Callistemon

If you see a plant with red brush flowers, then this is a callistemon, an evergreen plant with narrow long leaves. The flowers have greatly reduced petals, but have many bright red stamens, which form such unusual inflorescences.

Callistemon can be grown indoors and in greenhouses.

Callistemon flowering. Photo taken in Australia.

Royal Delonix, or fire tree, Delonix regia

Fire tree - delonix - is native to Madagascar. The height of delonix is ​​relatively small, up to 10 m. Most often it is planted in parks or squares, making bright alleys out of it, which during the flowering period simply blaze with scarlet fire.

The plant has an interesting feature: its leaves fold at night.

Blooming delonix magnificent. The photo was taken in Israel in early June.

Plumeria

You have come across a flower that you have definitely seen somewhere before. Perhaps in American films, in the hair of girls vacationing in Cuba?! Then you've seen plumeria! This plant has long won the love of southern beauties thanks to its large fragrant flowers. There are several basic color shades: white with a yellow center, yellow, red and multi-color.

In general, plumeria is a large shrub with leathery leaves, native to Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles.

Plumerias are poisonous!

Plumeria blooming. Photo taken in Tunisia.

White plumeria (Plumeria alba) is suitable for growing in greenhouse and indoor conditions, blooming with white flowers with a strong aroma of almonds.

Calliandra, Calliandra

What many tourists mistake for acacia or mimosa, in fact most often turns out to be calliandra! In nature, calliandra grows in the tropical forests of South America, Africa and India. Its leaves are carved and pinnate, reminiscent of the leaves of an ordinary rowan.

Due to the stamens, the flowers look like fluffy pompoms. It is because of them that the plant got its name, which is translated from Greek as “beautiful stamens.”

Calliander flowering. Photo taken in Spain

Brachychiton, Brachychiton

Most often, the imagination of travelers is struck by the maple-leaved brachychiton (Brachychiton acerifolius), which grows naturally on the east coast of Australia. Brachychiton maplefolia is an evergreen tree up to 30-35 m tall. Its leaves resemble maple leaves: leathery, up to 20 cm in length.

Brachychiton maple-leaved is also known as the “tree of happiness.” Feng Shui experts recommend growing it at home to attract good luck.

Flowering of Brachychiton maplefolia. The photo was taken in Israel in early June.

Carissa, Carissa

A shrub with white fragrant flowers is interesting for photography. This is carissa, a plant native to the tropical regions of Africa and Asia. In decorative landscaping of hotels located on the seashore, large-flowered carissa (Carissa grandiflora) or large-fruited carissa (Carissa macrocarpa) are most often used.

All parts of the plant, with the exception of the fruits, are poisonous. Carissa fruits are edible when fully ripe.

Fruits and flowers of Carissa largefruited. Photos were taken in North Africa.

Cassia, senna, Cassia

The yellow flowers, collected in racemes and immediately attracting attention, most likely belong to cassia. These are shrubs or subshrubs with pinnate leaves, blooming with bright yellow flowers.

Cassia is native to the tropical regions of America.

Flowering of cassia and senna in July. Photo taken in Italy.

Lantana

Lantana grows almost everywhere in the south, its homeland is tropical America. In the southern regions it can be found in almost any park or square. It is also very popular as a container crop.

Lantana is an evergreen shrub with small flowers of various colors (usually yellow or pink), collected in dense axillary umbels.

The most commonly grown plant is lantana camara, or spiny lantana (Lantana camara), which blooms profusely throughout almost the entire season. The inflorescences come in white, pink, yellow, red, purple and even two-tone colors. During the flowering process, most flowers change color.

Lantana blooming. Photo taken in Cyprus.

Indian lilac, or lagerstroemia, Lagerstroemia indica

If while traveling around the Mediterranean you saw lilacs, then you became acquainted with lagestremia. In open ground, Indian or southern lilac can reach 10 m. Its flowers are larger than our lilacs and can be white, pink, crimson or purple.

By the way, despite its name “Indian”, this plant comes from China.

Blooming lagerstroemia, or southern lilac. The photo was taken in May in Italy.

Buddleja, Buddleja Buddleja

Strictly speaking, buddleia is not so southern - it is quite capable of growing in central Russia and in the Moscow region. But, unfortunately, in our country it will never reach that size and will not bloom as spectacularly as in the south, where it can grow up to 4 m in height!

Buddleia has a wonderful scent, is pollinated by large butterflies, and is often called a “butterfly magnet.” In addition, during flowering, buddleia somewhat resembles lilac, for which it is called “autumn lilac.”

Buddleia is native to tropical and subtropical regions of America, Asia and South Africa. In southern ornamental gardening, about 10 species are used; in temperate climates, the only species is Buddleja Davidii, or Buddleja davidii. In culture since 1890. White-flowered forms are available. The most resistant varieties are those with purple flowers.

Blooming Buddleia David. The photo was taken in May in France.

Agapanthus, Agapanthus

Synonyms: agapanthos, Nile or African lily, “Abyssinian beauty”.

A beautifully flowering bulbous plant with strong, ribbon-shaped leaves. Bell-shaped flowers. The color of the flowers varies from light blue to dark blue, sometimes with a purple tint; white agapanthus are also found.

Most agapanthus have a long flowering period from July to September. Agapanthus campanulatus hybrids, also known as Headboume, can be grown in pots at home.

Agapanthus in a flower garden. Photo taken in Montenegro

Heliconia, Heliconia

Heliconia is a perennial herbaceous plant with large leathery leaves and multi-tiered spike-shaped inflorescences. Most often, tourists like to photograph Heliconia rostrata, better known as the “crab claw” or “lobster claw”. The names were assigned to the plant of this variety because of the bright red inflorescence with yellow-green tips and the regular, classic shape of the bract. In fact, heliconia has become the “face” of the family. In addition, it is one of the largest heliconias. The plant reaches a height of 3–6 m.

Less often the attention of tourists is attracted by:

• Parrot heliconia (Heliconia psittacorum) - vertical inflorescence, flowers with black tips. Bracteas are bright orange to red. The height of the plant does not exceed 1.8 m.
• Heliconia stricta is a heliconia with a straight inflorescence, the plants themselves are from 30 cm to 1.5 m high. The inflorescence looks a little like a bird spreading its wings - sharp, oblong bracts of bright red color.
• Indian heliconia (Heliconia indica) blooms in small, cascading inflorescences (usually green).
• Heliconia bicolor grows up to 1 meter. The flowers are white, arranged in 2 rows, the covering leaves are red and other types.

Heliconia parrot and Heliconia rostral, or "lobster claw", photos taken in India.

Yucca shortleaf (Y. brevifolia)

In the states of Nevada, California, Utah and Arizona, Yucca shortifolia grows, which has become a kind of living symbol in these arid regions. Thousands of nature lovers come to Joshua Trees National Park to admire:

• powerful intricately branched trunks;
• evergreen leaves;
• appearing in spring in dense panicle inflorescences with greenish or white flowers.

The tree-like yucca grows only a few centimeters per year, with the most outstanding specimens having a height of 15 meters and a trunk diameter of about half a meter.

Yucca Treculeana (Y. treculeana)

The large Yucca Trekulya, reaching 10 meters in height, is native to Texas and New Mexico. Like other varieties, the plant grows slowly. And having matured, it takes on majestic forms and blooms spectacularly. The bell-shaped flowers collected in a paniculate inflorescence can be white, pinkish or purple on the outside of the corollas.

Thanks to the pointed bluish-green leaves about a meter long, the plant received the unofficial names “Spanish dagger” or “Don Quixote’s spear.”

Yucca filamentosa (Y. filamentosa)

The homeland of this species is Texas, as well as the territories from Virginia to Florida. However, today the plant can be seen far from the North American continent. For example, in Italy, Turkey and France. Thanks to its unpretentiousness and cold resistance, the filamentous yucca shown in the photo was naturalized. It has taken root well in southern Europe, the Middle East and even further north.

Compared to its tree-like relatives, the plant is quite small. An evergreen shrub with a shortened, sometimes inconspicuous trunk and blue-green strap-shaped leaves reaches a height of 70–80 cm. Such dimensions, combined with a powerful root that goes deep into the soil, help yucca survive cold snaps and short-term frosts down to –20° C.

Yucca filamentosa variety Excalibur

A characteristic feature of this variety, which gives yucca its specific name, is thin white threads along the edge of the leaf blades. For a relatively small plant, in early summer, yucca forms an impressive flower stalk up to three meters long. It is crowned with an inflorescence-panicle of white or slightly yellowish bells.

Yucca variety Golden Sword

The species is pollinated by the butterfly Tegeticula yuccasella, found only in North America. In other regions, viable seeds can be obtained through artificial pollination.

However, more often filamentous yucca is propagated using root suckers. When planting in open ground, you need to take into account that it will not be so easy to plant the plant. Parts of a deep-lying root are capable of producing young shoots for many years.

Filamentous Yucca Color Guard

The variegated yucca shown in the photo belongs to the Color Guard variety, the leaves of which are decorated with wide yellow stripes in summer. In winter, purple, pink, and violet tones appear in the color.

Yucca yellow variety Bright Edge

Plants with variegated or colored leaves are of particular interest to gardeners and botanists. The bright leaf rosette of the British Award of Garden Merit variety Bright Edge makes the yucca pictured yellow. The unusual coloring is most noticeable on young leaves; as they mature, the green stripes become wider.

Yucca filamentosa cultivar Ivory Tower

Another unusual yucca is the Ivory Tower variety. Named for the wide white stripes on the leaves and stunning creamy white flowers. A photo of a colored yucca gives a clear idea of ​​the richness of the palette and decorativeness of the plant.

Yucca garden: types for open ground

Yucca is one of the most exotic plants in garden design, extremely attractive when in bloom. Yucca is quite frost-resistant and relatively easy to care for. Beginners and experienced gardeners can bring subtropical color and flowering splendor to their garden.

Yucca filamentosa ( Yucca filamentosa ) is a perennial evergreen palm-like plant with a short underground, recumbent or slightly erect woody stem with a dense rosette of leaves at the top. The stem can branch, giving the plant a bushy shape. The height of the plant reaches 2 m, taking into account the leaves, the length of which reaches 90 cm and the width up to 4 cm. The root system is well developed, very deep, and can form shoots (which distinguishes yucca from dracaena). The leaves are linear, hard with a sharp tip, blue-green in color, often with a bluish tint. Curly threads hang along the edge of the leaf (hence the name), from a distance they look like a cobweb. An adult plant looks tropical, very exotic, but the most impressive thing about yucca is its flowering. Huge, up to 4 m high (usually 1-1.5 m), erect peduncle with large bell-shaped flowers up to 8 cm each! The paniculate inflorescence looks like a giant lily of the valley and bears up to 200 buds. The flowers are white with a creamy, yellow or green tint, with 6 petals. Flowering lasts from late May to early July, 1.5-2 months, and is a truly charming sight. Some young gardeners, when they first see a blooming yucca, fall into a daze and their hearts skip a beat, because yucca flowers also smell nice. It is interesting that yucca will bloom only under conditions of winter dormancy with lower temperatures, only in this case flower buds are formed (yuccas usually do not bloom in room conditions). The fruits are in the form of a box up to 5 cm with black seeds up to 6 mm. But outside their range, yuccas do not produce seeds due to the lack of a specific pollinator – the yucca moth. Yucca pollen is sticky, viscous and ordinary butterflies; bees do not collect it. And the yucca moth rolls pollen into balls and presses it into the pestle. Although in the middle zone fruits can be obtained through artificial pollination. A plant grown from seeds in open ground lives for more than 40 years.

Puddin Tain / Flickr.com
All yuccas come from the steppes and deserts of America, and filamentous yucca has the highest frost resistance, tolerates down to -33°C in windless weather, and can withstand short-term frosts down to -20°C without problems. Therefore, it became the ancestor of many hybrid varietal forms, which are collectively called “garden yucca.” There are 20 species and more than a dozen variegated varieties of yucca:

"Gold Heart" up to 50 cm tall, has a yellowish-white stripe in the middle of the leaf, turns pink in autumn, pinkish-white flowers.

"Bright Edge" has yellow stripes along the edges of the leaves, white flowers, peduncle up to 1 m.

"Color Guard" is up to 70 cm high with striped foliage in green, yellow, white tones and creamy white flowers. All these varieties are very winter-hardy.

Gray yucca ( Yucca glauca ) differs from filamentous in smaller size, up to 1 m tall, of which the trunk is up to 40 cm. The leaves are thin, very narrow, about 1 cm wide, up to 70 cm long, dove-blue, with curly threads along the edges. Peduncle up to 3 m (usually up to 1 m), the inflorescence is usually dense, spike-shaped, but in some varieties it is branched and spreading. Flowers up to 7 cm, white with a greenish or yellowish tint. The fruits are larger than those of Yucca filamentosa, up to 9 cm, and the seeds are up to 12 mm long. Yucca glaucosa is the most common species in America, occupying different climatic zones, has high ecological plasticity, which can be advantageously used for the Middle Zone. With winter shelter it can be grown even in Altai and Kamchatka. Without flowering, the gray yucca is highly decorative only if it has a large number of leaves, and it becomes similar to a sea urchin. It blooms in the second half of summer, at 3-4 years of age, like all yuccas. Gray yucca is very decorative after the first frost, becoming covered with frost. Moreover, it is considered the second most frost-resistant, withstanding frosts down to -30°C.

Matt Lavin / Flickr.com

Yucca gloriosa is a larger plant that grows as a tree up to 2.5 m tall in warm climates . It often bushes or forms branches on the trunk. The leaves are more lanceolate than those of Yucca filamentous, gradually expanding in the middle, reaching a width of 6 cm and a length of 1 m, often curved, spiny at the top, often finely serrated along the edge. The color of the foliage is dark green with a blue tint, along the edge there is a thin yellow-brown edging, without threads. Peduncle up to 1.5 m tall, spreading, flowers white with a crimson spot at the base. Fruit capsule up to 8 cm, seeds up to 8 mm in diameter. Yucca glorious is more thermophilic and can withstand frosts down to -23°C. It is usually grown in the southern regions, where it is popular due to its bushier crown than that of Yucca filamentosa.

Roger W/Flickr.com

Yucca aloifolia is a large evergreen tree-like plant up to 8 m tall, with a thick, often branching trunk . The leaves are wide (up to 6 cm), up to only 0.5 m long, straight, dagger-shaped, dark green, abundantly covering the trunk - from a distance the plant looks like a pineapple. Like other species, the old dying foliage dries out and, hanging down, covers the trunk like a fur coat, which increases the plant’s frost and drought resistance. The peduncle is up to 60 cm tall, at the top of the trunk, crowned with white bells of flowers. The flower reaches 10 cm in length and 5 cm in width. The fruits are juicy, berry-shaped, up to 5 cm, purple-darkening, do not crack like previous species, inedible, seeds up to 7 mm, black. Yucca aloefolia has two forms: marginata with a creamy yellow border along the edge of the leaf and tricolor with a pink or yellow-white stripe in the middle of the leaf. Since Yucca aloelia can withstand temperatures around -18°C, it is grown only in the very south of Russia. Here it branches strongly and reaches a height of more than 3 m.

Gertjan van Noord / Flickr.com

So, if you want a subtropical miracle with huge inflorescences, evergreen foliage that will take up little space to appear in your garden, plant a yucca. How will you surprise all your guests and neighbors into a pleasant numbness?

Yucca beak-shaped (Y. rostrata)

One of the hardiest representatives of the genus is Yucca rostrata or beak-shaped. A plant with a powerful trunk up to 4.5 meters high and narrow leaves, only 1 cm wide. It is native to Texas and a number of Mexican states. The plant is valued for its ability to tolerate high and low temperatures. It reacts calmly to lack of moisture and excess solar radiation and is often used for landscaping.

Adult specimens bloom, forming a meter-long peduncle with a lush inflorescence consisting of hundreds of white drooping bell flowers.

Southern Yucca (Y. australis)

Europeans discovered the plant in the mid-19th century. Since ancient times, the local population has used the leaves to make roofs and strong fiber. Baskets, mats and other utensils were woven from it.

As an indigenous inhabitant of Mexico's Chihuahuan Desert, Yucca filamentosa is well adapted to the harsh, hot and dry climate. Hard leaves up to half a meter long almost do not evaporate moisture. A powerful trunk is hidden behind a skirt of dry leaves. In early spring, when there is moisture in the soil, hanging clusters of creamy white flowers appear on the tops of leaf rosettes.

Yucca in the garden - video

Yucca is considered one of the spectacular and interesting plants grown in the garden. It is noteworthy that it can be planted not only in open areas, but also at home; the main thing is to create a comfortable microclimate and select a spacious flowerpot. The second name of the perennial and evergreen plant is the tree of happiness. There are over 40 varieties of yucca, each different in both shape and color.

When to replant

Transplanting yucca is a special ritual that requires compliance with a number of mandatory conditions. Let's start with the fact that transplantation should be done in two cases:

• After purchasing to change the pot from a transport pot to a permanent one.
• If necessary, expand the space for growing shrubs.

To plant a palm tree, you will need to stock up on a special nutrient substrate. Light and loose soil allows the tree to thrive, maintaining its health and promoting growth.

Any drainage material is placed at the bottom of the pot. Then, using the transshipment method, the flower is transferred to the prepared pot and covered with earth.

Recommendation! Be careful not to cover more than three centimeters of the palm trunk. Exceeding the permitted level will lead to gradual rotting and death of the yucca.

Transplanting and watering are not separate concepts. As soon as the work of transferring it into a new pot is completed, it is necessary to moisten the soil abundantly and place it in a bright place without drafts.

Yucca in the garden and at home: advantages and disadvantages of the flower

Among the positive characteristics of yucca, experienced gardeners highlight:

• high decorative qualities;
• does not lose its attractive appearance throughout the year;
• possibility of use for landscape design, landscaping of offices, living rooms;
• beneficial effect on the indoor atmosphere;
• beneficial properties (used both in folk medicine and in industry);
• lush flowering;
• unpretentiousness to growing conditions;
• does not require special skills.

The best varieties with descriptions and characteristics

The following varieties of evergreen yucca are very popular among gardeners:

Schidigera schidigera

A distinctive feature of the bush is its voluminous rosette, consisting of long leaf plates. White bell-shaped flowers are placed on a powerful shoot-peduncle. The color of the sword-shaped leaves is dark green, they are quite hard, and on adult bushes they are found only at the top.

Yucca Schidigera does not have an intensive growth rate; it is actively used as a raw material for the manufacture of medications. Thanks to its beneficial components, the plant normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and improves immunity. .

Gray

This representative of the yucca reaches a height of two meters. The plant is native to the west coast of the United States. The length of the bluish-green leaf blades is 35-65 centimeters, the color on the edges is either white or gray; the fibers that peel off over time make the bush even more attractive. The leaves are collected in dense rosettes.

The flowering phase of yucca occurs in the summer, the color of the bell-shaped flowers is white-green, but there are also specimens with a yellow color.

Ivory or Elephantis

Yucca is a fairly popular species for home keeping; in addition, it is widely used in alternative medicine. Its juice is especially valued and is used as a raw material for the production of hormonal products. And rigid sheet plates are used to produce strong ropes.

Yucca Elephant has a tree-like stem, at the top of which a strong branching of fibrous leaf plates of light green color is formed. Yucca pleases with white flowers with an interesting yellow border.

Radiant (Y. radiosa)

In a natural environment, the height of the tree reaches 6-7 meters, in indoor conditions - up to 1.5 meters. The exotic plant attracts attention with its long leaf plates (50-60 centimeters), collected in a dense bunch. Their width is only 1 centimeter.

Radiant yucca does not require special conditions for growth; rare watering and infrequent feeding procedures are enough for it. The only thing is that it cannot be placed in direct sunlight; it is better to place the pot on the windowsill of a window with an eastern or western orientation.

High

This relatively small perennial plant can be presented as a shrub or tree 1.2-4.5 meters high. The length of thin leaf plates is 25-95 centimeters, and their width is only 0.2-1.3 centimeters. Over time, they lose their natural color and become yellow and drooping.

The height of the peduncle is 1-2 meters, the color of the bell-shaped flowers is creamy-white with a green or pink tint. The dimensions of dry boxes are 4-8 centimeters in length. Yucca grows in the southern United States and northern Mexico.

Glorious

This type of yucca is positioned as relatively low, growing up to three meters. Its growth rate is quite slow. Narrow leaf blades with a leathery surface are distinguished by their green color and curved shape along the central vein. The leaf rosette turns out to be very lush. In young plants, a rosette of leaves forms near the root, and already mature specimens form a strong trunk.

Shortleaf

The tree-like yucca is distinguished by its gigantic size and grows in Arizona and southern California. Its height reaches 9 meters, the trunk in diameter is 50 centimeters. Branching of the plant begins closer to the top.

The leaves are short, only 3 centimeters, with thorns and teeth along the edges. Yucca Shortleaf is not suitable for home cultivation due to its tall growth. It prefers to grow in well-lit clearings; it does not need frequent and abundant watering. Blooms with pale yellow flowers.

Aloe leaf

Yucca of this variety is in particular demand among flower growers; it has no side shoots, all energy is directed towards a powerful trunk. The plant is found in the south of North America, Jamaica, Bermuda, where it can exist without frequent watering and is not afraid of dry weather. In nature, the height of yucca reaches 8 meters.

The ornamental plant is distinguished by its tree-like shape and spherical crown. The leaf blades are hard, dark green, and the rosette forms dense and beautiful. There are teeth on the edges and one spike at the tip. In summer, yucca surprises with creamy white flowers with a purple tint.

Trekulya

The South American guest has tree-like stems that are almost not prone to branching, but the crown is quite lush due to dense rosettes of leaf plates. They are colored bluish-green, have pointed ends, and a leathery surface. The shape of the leaves is triangular, there is a curve in their thin part.

The inflorescences consist of creamy-white flowers. Yucca Trekulya fits perfectly into any flower arrangement. But it is best to grow it indoors; in addition, it has healing properties.

filamentous

The distribution area of ​​yucca filamentosa is the south of Russia, Crimea and the Caucasus. It grows in open areas and can winter without additional shelter. If you plant it in central Russia, then it needs protection for the winter.

The plant has no stem and grows as a bush. Yucca attracts attention with its bluish-green leaf plates; white or yellow stripes are also clearly visible on them. The plates reach 70 centimeters in length and 4 centimeters in width. There are numerous white threads along the edges. On a peduncle, the height of which is 1 meter, yellowish-white flowers are formed.

Coracoid

This variety of yucca is also known as Rostrata. This rather spectacular tree forms a thick palm-shaped trunk; traces of dead leaf plates are clearly visible on it. At its top a very beautiful rosette of elongated lanceolate leaves is formed.

Yucca Beak-shaped is especially good for decorating a spacious living room or winter garden, where it takes pride of place. If the cultivation takes place in the winter garden, the paniculate inflorescences will contain many white bells .

South

This tall plant can reach 8-10 meters, its upper part is highly branched, the trunk can be 1 meter in diameter (in adult specimens). The leaf plates are located very close to each other, they are short (up to 30 centimeters in length and 2-3 centimeters in width). Their color is dark green, there are threads along the edges.

The inflorescences consist of a large number of cream-colored flowers. They are quite branched and hanging, 1-2 meters long. The homeland of this amazing plant is Mexico.

Glorious

Yucca grows in the southeastern United States. This spherical bush grows up to two meters in height. The stem is tree-like, there are few lateral branches, but there are also single specimens. The lanceolate leaf blades have a leathery surface, bluish-green color, and are 60 centimeters long. There is a sharp thorn at the end of the leaf and teeth along the edges.

In summer, mature plantings form a rosette with a panicle-shaped inflorescence, which reaches a height of almost 250 centimeters. Flowers are produced in large numbers, their size is 5 centimeters, the color is cream with a purple tint.

Copstack

The variety is compact in size, its height is 1.5 meters, the color of the drooping leaf blades is bright green. Unlike other varieties, they are not as tough. The rosette that forms near the root is not very splendid. The leaves completely cover the trunk, they die off from below.

The plant does not require watering or air humidity levels; it can be propagated by root division or by apical cuttings.

Yucca is an amazing luxurious plant. It can be grown in open areas and indoors without any problems. .

The main thing is to choose the right variety; even a novice gardener can handle the plant, given its unpretentiousness in planting and care.

• Author: Maria Sukhorukikh
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Types of indoor yucca

Two types of false palm are most often bred indoors: aloel palm and elephant palm. Both exotics are highly decorative and are popular with gardeners.

Attention. An adult yucca grown in a house often reaches 2-3 meters by the age of 10–15 years, so it is more suitable for a winter garden or decorating hallways and large rooms with high ceilings.

Specimens with a branched stem, forming several rosettes, look especially beautiful. Plants can be planted individually or grouped, creating unique compositions.

Yucca aloifolia (Y. aloifolia)

This variety of yucca is often found in city apartments and offices. The slow-growing exotic came to us from the arid regions of Central America and Bermuda. With age, the bush gradually takes on a spherical shape or takes the form of a low tree with a rounded crown.

Advice. Yucca aloe vera loves the sun and fresh air, so take it outside in the summer. As a last resort, place the tub with the plant on a balcony or loggia, covering it from the wind.

Each stem of the highly branched trunk ends in a rosette of hard, pointed leaves with jagged edges. The leaf blade has a long spine at the end. All this gives the flower an exotic and unusual look.

Yucca aloefolia has several variegated varieties that are rarely found on sale:

• Yucca aloifolia purpurea - a rosette of leaves of a bright purple hue;
• Yucca aloifoliavariegata is a variegated variety of exotic.

Elephant yucca (Y. elephantipes)

One of the most popular species grown indoors. Yucca got its name from its trunk, which looks like an elephant’s leg. Under natural conditions, it grows into a huge tree, reaching 10 meters with a trunk diameter of 4.5–5 meters.

A lot of interesting things about elephant yucca.

Yucca Whipple (Y. whipplei)

It is a slow-growing, fairly compact bush. The exotic has practically no trunk, but the huge leaves, collected in a thick and lush rosette, reach a diameter of 1 meter.

Yucca Vippla is completely unpretentious and can withstand light shading, infrequent watering and drafts.

The genus Yucca whipplei has one rare feature - the plant blooms only once, in the fifth year of life, after which it dies. In this case, several shoots appear at the base of the trunk. They can be separated and planted in separate pots. Thus, instead of one indoor palm tree, you will get a whole garden.

Yucca Whippla forms a lush rosette of leaves

Yucca shortleaf (Y. brevifolia)

This variety of yucca is also called tree-like or giant. This very unusual and interesting plant is distinguished by a tall trunk, often reaching 15 meters in natural conditions, and shorter foliage compared to other yuccas.

This is interesting. In England, the short-leaved false palm received another name - “Joshua tree”. Ancient legends say that the Mormons, crossing the Colorado River and first entering the desert, were captivated by the appearance of the plant.

The leaf blades, no more than 30 cm long, have the shape of a triangle, attached with the wide side to the trunk. There is a light green border along the edges. The short peduncle consists of small yellow buds.

Joshua tree resembles hands raised in prayer

Yucca radiata (Y. radiosa)

The tree, which grows up to 6–7 meters in natural conditions, barely reaches 1.5 meters in the room. It is distinguished by an abundance of leaves, collected in a thick and dense bunch. With a leaf blade length of 50–60 cm, the width does not exceed 1 cm. Thus, the beautiful yucca fully justifies its specific name - radiant.

The plant is very unpretentious, content with infrequent watering and rare fertilizing. Does not like direct sun, feels better a little distance from a south window. Prefers eastern or western diffused light.

Yucca Schidigera (Y. Schidigera)

An amazing and rare species of yucca growing in the vicinity of San Diego, USA. Local residents use it as a medicine. In addition, the plant is added to animal and poultry feed, and is used for the treatment and prevention of arthritis in veterinary medicine.

Yucca beak-shaped (Y. rostrata)

Another representative of the Asparagus family, in nature reaching 3–5 meters. The exotic has a thick, branching trunk at the top with a cap of leathery, elongated leaves. The leaf blade is narrow, very straight.

It is rarely grown indoors because it requires a spacious, bright room. More suitable for halls and shopping centers.

Often bright house plants that are undemanding in terms of watering and lighting are planted in the same container with Yucca coracata.

Yucca rostrata is a large plant that requires large spaces

Yucca Treculeana (Y. treculeana)

Another variety of indoor false palms. It is not often found in culture, although it grows slowly and is undemanding to living conditions.

In nature it reaches 5–6 meters, the diameter of the trunk of an adult tree exceeds 60 cm. The shape and color of the foliage does not differ from other yuccas. Under natural conditions, it blooms annually with white, bell-shaped flowers with a carmine tint.

Yucca Schotti (Y. schottii)

This plant from the arid regions of Southern Arizona is also called Yucca macrocarpa. It grows on sandy soils, forming a weakly branched trunk with a cap of bluish-green leaves.

The leaf blade is smooth, without serrations or thorns, and is covered with thin threads at the base.

Yucca Schotta loves warmth, bright diffused light and frequent spraying. It is better to prepare the soil for it with a high content of sand or fine gravel. In winter, illuminate the plant, otherwise the leaves will grow frail and anemic. In summer, it is advisable to take the tree outside.

Tip: If the ends of the leaves have dried out and turned brown, increase the humidity and make sure that the palm tree is not in a draft. Yellowing and wilting of the lower leaves is a completely normal phenomenon for Yucca Schotta, so do not try to increase watering and fertilizing.

Yucca southern or filamentous (Y. filifera Chabaud)

A species of tree yucca native to Mexico. It is a powerful and strong plant 9–10 meters high with a wide and dense crown. The leaf blade often reaches a length of 120 cm with a width of 8–10 cm. It is rarely grown indoors.

Today in flower shops you can find many potted yuccas imported from Holland. It is believed that they are sufficiently adapted for keeping at home and are created specifically for these purposes.

However, like most greenhouse cultivars, such plants are very capricious and often die if agricultural practices are not followed.

On the other hand, for exotic lovers living in the northern latitudes of Russia, this is the only chance to grow a palm tree in the room, albeit a fake one.