Pronounciation: YUC-ka schi-di-GER-a

Hardiness zones
Sunset 11-24
USDA 8-11

Landscape Use: Strong accent, focal point, barrier plant, large desert gardens and xeric landscape design themes.

Form & Character: Upright, rigid, erect, stout, imposing, arid.

Growth Habit: Evergreen, succulent and fibrous perennial, polycarpic, slow rowth rate to 15-feet tall, occassionally branched.

Foliage/Texture: Leaves 12- to 50-inches long, strap-shaped, broadest at the base, concavo-convex, thick, rigid, yellow-green to glaucous blue-green, margins with filaments; coarse texture.

A special warning: Like other arid zone yuccas, Mojave yucca leaf tips are dangerously rigid and sharp and can cause injury to humans and inflatible sports balls.

Flowers & Fruits: Flowers white with tinges of purple, bell shaped and segmented into 6 parts, arranged in terminal clusters to 36-inches long; fruits are elongated berries, 4-inches long, seeds are black.

Seasonal Color: White with tinges of purple from flowers in mid to later spring.

Temperature: No temperature issues in Phoenix. Heat tolerant, and very cold tolerant to 10^oF.

Light: Full sun.

Soil: Well-drained soils are required.

Watering: Only occassional supplemental water during summer if monsoon rains are deficient.

Pruning: Removal of senescent leaves for aesthetic reasons only.

Propagation: Seed

Disease and Pests: Root rot if soil is wet.

Additional comments: Because of its visual dominance (strong coarse texture) and ultimate larger size in the landscape, Mojave yucca should be used with discretion. Mojave yucca is able to readily hybridize with Yucca baccata. Mojave yucca has a myriad of uses!

Ethnobotanical and medicinal uses: Leaf fibers were used by native Americans to make rope, cloth, thread, and sandals. Flowers and fruit were eaten raw or roasted, and seeds were ground into a flour. Root extracts were used to make soap. As a medicinal plant, Mojave yucca has anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic properties.

Bioindustrial uses: Mojave yucca has beneficial anti-microbial and digestive effects on ruminant and non-ruminant animals and is a common additive to pet food.