This type of yucca is native to the Southwest United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and the Death Valley area of California) as well as northern Mexico. It shares the same mounded clumps of stiff, sword-shaped leaves with all the other varieties of yucca. Yucca baccata often grows with sagebrush, pinyon juniper, or ponderosa pine in its natural environment. The banana yucca will grow tall spikes of creamy, often purple-tinged bell-shaped flowers that are densely arranged in the spring. They may not bloom every year, as these plants need to recuperate and rebuild a healthy store of carbohydrates before blooming again. The plants generally remain stemless but can form in large clusters. Its blue-green leaves, which are concave on top and convex underneath, create a large rosette. Unlike many other varieties of both yucca and agave, the Yucca baccata’s flowers grow on a short stalk that will either remain level with the top of the plant or rise slightly above. Along with its seedpods being consumed as food, yucca leaves also have a variety of uses, including being woven into baskets or used to make brushes. However, be aware that yucca is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. These plants are probably not the best choice if you have kids or pets. The banana yucca’s leaf blades are incredibly sharp and as stated previously, this plant is toxic to pets.
Light
The banana yucca grows best in either full sun or part shade.
Water
Once they are established, the yucca baccata plant will require only occasional watering. Although these plants are drought-tolerant, they will grow best with regular irrigation. However, try to stick to one watering per week during warm weather, as you won’t want to overwater. If the leaf tips begin turning brown, cut back on your watering.
Soil
Yucca varieties of all types prefer dry, sandy soil, however, they can adapt to any well-drained soil. The banana yucca will not be able to tolerate soggy conditions.
Temperature and Humidity
Although banana yucca is a desert plant that grows in the Southwestern US and Mexico, it is a surprisingly hardy succulent and can tolerate the cold.
Fertilizer
Banana yucca plants can be fertilized each spring. Just be sure to choose a balanced, slow-release fertilizer.
Types of Yucca
There are many types of yucca plants, including:
Soapweed Yucca: Southwestern variety with spikes and large white flowersBeargrass Yucca: A yucca variety with softer leaves. The beautiful, vibrant flowers produce a strong fragranceFaxon Yucca: also known as Spanish dagger. A yucca variety with spiked leaves and ivory bell-shaped flowers.
Pruning
You can remove the banana yucca’s old flower stalks before its new growth emerges in the early spring. Just be sure to protect yourself from its spiky stalks and razor-sharp leaf blades with gloves and a long-sleeved shirt.
Propagating Yucca Baccata
Yucca baccata can be divided as an offset from an established plant, or it can also be propagated by cuttings, as yucca leaves root fairly easily. Here’s how: By Offset: By Cuttings:
Growing Banana Yucca From Seeds
While you can grow yucca from seeds, it is so easy to divide or use a cutting from a mature plant. Growing from seeds, with the germination process typically taking about three to four weeks, is a bit of a gamble with this plant.
Potting and Repotting
Banana yucca can be planted indoors or outdoors in a large container with potting soil. These plants are slow growing, so can be enjoyed for a while in a container before becoming too large. Pet owners and people with children should be careful with this plant due to its toxicity for pets and its leaves very sharp points, which could be harmful to a child (and yourself).
Common Pests
Banana yucca tends to get spider mites. This very small pest can be noticed by the silky fine webs they spin on the plant and the damage they do by sucking the juice out of the leaves. The spider mite can be eradicated by using neem oil or chemical pesticides.
