Everything Looks Like a Yucca!
By Tyson Curtis
Many beautiful yucca plants will thrive in coastal California, and we often have several varieties in stock—along with quite a few yucca lookalikes!—at our San Francisco and Marina del Rey nurseries. Read on to learn more about these tough and lovely plants.
Yuccas grow in vistas across much of North America, commonplace in the baking hot plateaus of the American southwest. Most are also extremely hardy, cruising right through a hard frost. Several species are found thriving in gardens across the Sierra Nevada range, but perhaps more impressive are those with starring roles in the Midwest, where they endure truly brutal winters.
Yucca elephantipes ‘Jewel’
Cream-to-white flowers and sword-like leaves are common to all yuccas, as is their renowned drought tolerance (though most also tolerate regular water, given good drainage). Their form, on the other hand, varies greatly between species. Some have a large treelike stance with many branches, while others are shrubby or grow in trunkless rosettes. Some yuccas prefer to grow low and spread through underground stems.
A yucca will thrive in a decent-sized pot (think a half wine barrel by volume), though some of the larger ones will break that pot eventually.
Yucca elephantipes on our farms in Southern California
Customers in our San Francisco and LA retail stores often ask for “palms” when they are looking for yuccas; other times they ask for “yuccas” when they are looking for something else. With this in mind, here are some of our favorite yuccas and common lookalike plants they are confused with.
Treelike Yuccas
Treelike yuccas begin growing in a rosette shape, but eventually they have a central trunk, usually with at least a few branches.
Yucca rostrata (beaked yucca, below)
Typically solitary and upright, this yucca will occasionally branch after flowering, creating a more treelike form with forked trunks. The dazzling leaves create a large dense orb. It is easier to maintain the beard by pruning off the lowest live leaves than by trying to remove them once they are dried against the trunk. Common cultivars include ‘Blue Velvet’ and ‘Sapphire Skies.’ (Sunset zones 4–24)
Height: 10ft
Breadth: 6–10ft
Hardiness: 10F
Yucca linearifolia (linear-leaf yucca)
Typically solitary, this blue-green yucca has thin leaves that make a striking orb that shimmers in the lightest breeze. Beard is held indefinitely as armature to protect the plant from predation, but can be removed. It is easier to maintain the beard by pruning off the lowest live leaves than by trying to remove them once they are dried against the trunk. (Sunset zones 4–24)
Height: 1–5ft
Breadth: 1–3ft
Hardiness: 10F
Yucca rigida (blue yucca, above)
With a heavy stance and thick, aggressively pointed leaves, Yucca rigida anchors the garden. Generally this plant develops several forked trunks with age, and it retains a beard that may be removed. (Sunset zones 6–24)
Height: 10ft
Breadth: 6–10ft
Hardiness: 10F
Yucca elephantipes (spineless yucca)
This fast-growing yucca develops very thick elephantine trunks and has pliable leaves that are almost limp at times. The plant can be single-trunked, but is more frequently multi-trunked. If a single-trunked form is desired, remove suckers at a young age. Branches easily root when dug into the ground. The beard of this yucca will generally come off on its own with time, but can be removed as well. Tolerates shade much better than other yuccas. This yucca makes a sturdy houseplant in a sunny spot. There are also variegated forms including ‘Jewel’ and ‘Silver Star.’ (Sunset zones 8,9, 11–24)
Max height: 20–30ft
Max crown breadth: 15–20ft
Hardiness: 20F
Yucca filifera (palma china)
Grows into a truly treelike form (imagine a larger Joshua tree) starting with a single upright trunk and then many meandering branches, including secondary branching. Beard sheds with age, but is held at the branch tips. Unusual pendant flower spikes tumble from the crowns of the tree. (Sunset zones 6–9, 11–24)
Max height: 20–30ft
Max crown breadth: 10–15 ft
Hardiness: 15F
Yucca elata (soaptree yucca)
Tall flowers held on thin spikes are a dramatic part of this yucca that often presents with a bushy multi-forked form. Retains a thick, scruffy beard that is best removed early. Crown of thin, aggressively spined leaves. (Sunset zones 3, 6–24)
Max height: 12–20ft
Max crown breadth: 4–6ft
Hardiness: 0F
Yucca brevifolia (Joshua tree)
The iconic Joshua tree is a slow–growing, long–lived plant that grows into a true treelike form, with many thin wandering branches and a crusty beardless trunk. Intolerant of cold weather when combined with wet winter rains, this plant is generally considered fussy outside its native range. (Sunset zones 7, 9–16, 18–23)
Max height: 15–30ft
Max crown breadth: 15–30ft
Hardiness: 0F
Yucca decipiens (Chinese palm)
Generally solitary when young, this plant develops a thick heavy trunk early on with very large stiff leaves. Later in life it becomes more treelike, with typical Joshua tree form, only on a heavier scale. (Sunset zones 11–24)
Max height: 12–20ft
Max crown breadth: 6–15ft
Hardiness: 15F
Yucca gloriosa ‘Bright Star’ (above)
Large heads of thick leaves on a stubby, sparsely branched tree. Looks best with the beard removed. Selections include ‘Bright Star’ and ‘Variegata’; ‘Bright Star’ stays lower, with only a stubby trunk. (Sunset zones 3, 24; H1, H2)
Max height: 6–10ft
Max crown breadth: 3–8ft
Hardiness: -10F
Yucca aloifolia (Spanish bayonet)
Occasionally solitary, especially when young, but usually presents with a multi-trunked, multi-branched upright specimen. Beard can be removed to expose and thin the proportion of the trunks. Often confused with Yucca elephantipes, but never develops the huge base of elephantipes. There is a new cultivar on the market with stiff purple leaves called ‘Magenta Magic.’ (Sunset zones 6–24, H1, H2)
Max height: 2–5ft
Max crown breadth: 2–3ft
Hardiness: 10F
Clustering Yuccas
Clustering yuccas remain lower, growing many heads over time to create a colony.
Yucca flaccida (weak-leaf yucca)
Clusters into dense colonies that have short trunks with age. The common name, “weak-leaf yucca,” refers to the soft leaves that tend to fold and droop. Tall flower spikes heavy with blooms dwarf the plant when in bloom. Edible fruit, flowers and stem. Drought-tolerant, but not as much as other yuccas. Tolerates shade. Extreme cold tolerance. (Sunset zones 1–9, 14–24)
Max height: 1.5–3ft
Max crown breadth: 6–10ft
Hardiness: -25F
Yucca pallida (pale-leaf yucca)
This yucca’s soft, wide, glaucous blue leaves settle into almost any garden design. It may be solitary, but more commonly is seen as a suckering trunkless rosette. Grows in the shade, but is less likely in shade to produce its tall, lovely flower spikes with oversized creamy flowers. Looks best planted in groupings. (Sunset zones 3–24)
Max height: 1–2ft
Max crown breadth: 2–3ft
Hardiness: -10F
Yucca filamentosa (Adam’s needle)
Stemless rosette of soft wide leaves that are at times a bit floppy, especially in shade. Suckers to create a tight clump of heads. Tall flower spikes with heavy blooms make this plant a show-stopper when in bloom. Extreme cold hardiness. ‘Color Guard’ is a festive variegated selection. (Sunset zones 1–24)
Max height: 1–3ft
Max crown breadth: 2–5ft
Hardiness: -20F
Unusual Yucca Forms
Some yuccas just refuse to be categorized!
Yucca desmetiana ‘Blue Boy’ (above)
Branchless, this yucca grows snakelike heads—a single or several—from the base. These trunks will meander along the ground, tumble off rock walls or out of pots. The spineless blue leaves turn purple with sun, often giving the plant a bicolor effect. ‘Blue Boy’ retains its leaves for a long time when well-watered, which is necessary, as this plant isn’t a crusted desert dweller like most other yuccas; it will want water once it dries out. (Sunset zones 6–9, 11–24)
Max height: 4–6ft
Max crown breadth: 3–5ft
Hardiness: 20F
Yucca endlichiana (Patilla yucca)
Thick leaves have movement and filaments along their margins. They arise from an underground caudex that can be raised on mature plants. Eventually this plant will create a colony of densely packed leaves, but it’s very slow growing. Unusual flower spikes, tinted red (a break from yucca tradition) are held low in the colony. (Sunset zones 8–13, 16, 18–24)
Max height: 8–12in
Max crown breadth: 1–2ft
Hardiness: 10F
Beschorneria ‘Flamingo Glow’ (not a yucca!)
Yucca Lookalikes
It seems the yucca’s rosette shape, with strappy leaves terminating in spines, has proven to be an advantageous one, from an evolutionary point of view. That’s why there are so many yucca lookalikes!
Unrelated plants that look similar are caused by convergent evolution, which is defined as "the process whereby organisms, not closely related, independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches." Admittedly, the way botanists define and categorize plants can be a bit tedious and confusing (though definitely necessary!), so we’re happy to help customers in our SF and LA retail stores puzzle out plant names to find what they’re looking for, whether it’s a yucca or some other fun yucca lookalike.
Some genuses we often see confused with yuccas are Cordyline, Beaucarnea, Dracaena, Beschorneria, Furcraea, Agave, Hesperaloe, Hesperoyucca, Dasylirion, and Nolina. Customers often come into our San Francisco nursery asking for a “purple yucca,” and after some sleuthing we realize they are looking for a purple Cordyline australis selection such as ‘Purpurea.’ Other commonly confused plants include beschornerias like Beschorneria albiflos and Beschorneria yuccoides.
The following plants, some of which are described in more detail below, are often confused for yuccas: Cordyline australis, Cordyline stricta, Cordyline glauca, Baeocarnea recurvata, Beaucarnea stricta, Beaucarnea guatemalensis, Dracaena draco, Dracaena cinnabari, Dracaena arborea, Beschorneria queretaro, Beschorneria albiflora, Beschorneria yuccoides, Furcraea macdougalii, Furcraea parmentieri, Furcraea foetida, Furcraea selloa, Agave geminiflora, Agave attenuata, Hesperaloe parviflora, Dasylirion longissimum, Dasylerion wheeleri, Dasylirion acrotrichum, Nolina nelsonii, Nolina texana, and Nolina parryi.
Cordyline australis (cabbage tree, above)
Typically this tree is green-leafed, but there are many colorful selections, and if someone comes in asking for a “purple yucca tree,” it’s almost always a purple cordyline. Develops a thick rough trunk over time, with many primary and secondary branches. Drought-tolerant, but tends to look best with consistent summer water and does best where it’s relatively close to the coast. (Sunset zones 5, 8 – 9, 14–24)
Max height: 20–30ft
Max crown breadth: 15–20ft
Hardiness: 15F
Hesperaloe parviflora (red yucca, above)
Included here because—well, it’s known as the “red yucca,” despite not being a yucca at all. This plant makes tight clusters of thin upright leaves, which are stiff like most yucca. Where the “red yucca” differs is in the flowers, which are generally red (with this species) and smaller than a typical yucca flower. (Sunset zones 2b, 3, 7–24)
Max height: 1–5ft
Max crown breadth: 3–6ft
Hardiness: -10F
Beschorneria yuccoides ‘Flamingo Glow’ (Mexican lily)
The suffix “-oides” on a species name means “looks like,” which gives us a hint at this beschorneria’s appearance. Yucc-oides = yucca lookalike! However, the difference is apparent once this beschorneria blooms, sending up a thick succulent pink flower stalk with green flowers, lending it the common name “Mexican lily.” A clustering plant that creates large soft undulating colonies. (Sunset zones 5–9, 14–24)
Max height: 6ft
Max crown breadth: 3–6ft
Hardiness: 12F
Hesperoyucca whipplei (chaparral yucca)
This is our local California native (as far north as Big Sur) and is commonly called just “yucca” in areas where people live among them. Trunkless, this Hesperoyucca makes a mesmerizing orb of perfect powder–blue spines. Don’t look too close, though—they are very stiff and needle-sharp! The sides of the leaves are also knifelike, so this is a great plant for home defense. Unlike true yuccas, this plant is monocarpic: It will send out a spectacular 10-foot flower spike covered in dozens of fragrant flowers and fade and then die. They are solitary and never sucker. The flowers and flower spikes are edible, though soapy, perhaps hinting at a better use of this plant: The fibrous leaves (a perfect loofah!) can be crushed under water, making a lathering green soap. (Sunset zones 4–24)
Max height: 1–5ft
Max crown breadth: 1–3ft
Hardiness: 10F
Nolina nelsonii (blue nolina)
Another plant easily mistaken for a yucca. This one has that same shimmering orb of leaves, but on a stout trunk. Leaves are lightly serrated on the margins, but overall the plant is unarmed. Lower leaves can be pruned to keep the trunk clean or left as a beard. Once the blue nolina blooms, the difference from yuccas is apparent; it has a thick flower spike of hundreds upon hundreds of tiny white flowers. (Sunset zones 6–24)
Max height: 1–8ft
Max crown breadth: 3–6ft
Hardiness: 0F
Come see us soon in SF or LA, and choose your favorite yucca (or yucca lookalike!) to plant in your own garden.
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