Yucca - Filamentosa Adam's Needle

DESCRIPTION: Not for the faint of heart, a succulent cactus-like plant with dark green  spear-like leaves radiating from the center and tall spikes of nodding white flowers in summer; good for dry sites, use in a southwestern landscape theme, surprisingly hardy

BOTANICAL NAME: Yucca filamentosa 'Adam's Needle'
OTHER NAMES: Golden Sword Adam's Needle
AVERAGE MATURE HEIGHT: 90 cm
AVERAGE MATURE SPREAD: 120 cm
SUN EXPOSURE: Full sun
FLOWER COLOUR: White
FLOWERING TIME: Summer
FOLIAGE COLOUR: Thick dark green
COLD HARDINESS: Zone 4 ( Should survive up to -34.4° Celsius ) - Requires sheltered location 
WATER NEEDS: Average or dry - Drought tolerant
OTHER FEATURES: Evergreen, Attractive Foliage, Cut Flower, Deer Resistant, Fragrant

Ornamental Features

Adam's Needle Yucca features bold spikes of creamy white bell-shaped flowers rising above the foliage from mid to late summer. It has attractive gold-variegated green foliage. The sword-like leaves are highly ornamental and remain green throughout the winter. 

Landscape Attributes

Adam's Needle Yucca is a multi-stemmed evergreen plant with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration:

• Spiny

Adam's Needle Yucca is recommended for the following landscape applications:

• Accent
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Adam's Needle Yucca will grow to be about 30 inches tall at maturity extending to 5 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. 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 type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species.

Adam's Needle 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. 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. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception.