Adam's Needle Yucca

Adam's needle yucca is the bold, spiky, architectural perennial that brings a southwestern or Mediterranean drama to the Western Washington garden. The stiff, sword-shaped, evergreen leaves radiate from a central rosette, and curly, thread-like filaments peel from the leaf margins, the 'needle and thread' that give it its common name. In summer, a dramatic flower stalk rises four to six feet above the foliage, carrying hundreds of creamy-white, bell-shaped flowers. Native from the southeastern United States from New Jersey to Florida.

In Western Washington, yucca performs well in full sun with well-drained, lean soil. It handles drought, heat, poor soil, and neglect, the conditions of parking strips, gravel gardens, and south-facing slopes that defeat moisture-loving plants. Wet winter soil is the primary killer, sharp drainage is essential. 'Color Guard' has a gold center stripe and green margins. 'Bright Edge' reverses the pattern. No significant disease or pest concerns are tracked in this region. For a bold, year-round architectural accent that reads as emphatically different from the soft, green, moisture-loving plants that dominate the regional palette, yucca makes a statement.