Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Adam's Needle Yucca
Adam's Needle is a trunkless yucca that forms a low clump of stiff, sword-shaped leaves edged with curly white threads. In late spring and early summer it sends up stalks 5 to 6 feet tall, hung with creamy white bell flowers. The rosettes stay about 2 to 3 feet tall and the clump widens slowly as new rosettes form around the base. It takes full sun or part shade and handles drought once rooted.
Best for: low borders and dry beds, spots in full sun or part shade, barrier plantings, and flowers for yucca moths, bees and butterflies.
The rosettes stay about 2 to 3 feet tall, and new ones form around the base. Over time the clump fills 3 to 5 feet of a dry bed or border.
It grows in full sun or partial shade, so it can go where a desert yucca would not. It still needs soil that drains well.
The stiff leaves end in sharp points, which makes it useful as a barrier where you want to keep people out. Keep it away from walks and play areas.
Heavy clay and wet soil can rot it. The leaf tips are sharp, and yucca is listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses if eaten.
- Closer group2 ft apart
- Border or group2-3 ft apart
Water new plants more often until they root in, then stretch it out. Once rooted, water deeply about every 2 to 4 weeks in summer and let the soil dry between soakings, with little or none in winter.
Plant it at the same depth it grew in the pot, in soil that drains well. It does not need any fertilizer.
Cut each spent flower stalk as low as you can once it finishes. Pull off dead lower leaves if you like the tidier look.
A snout weevil attacks yuccas, and stressed, overwatered plants are most at risk. If a rosette wilts and collapses, remove it and the soil right around it.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Adam's Needle get?
The rosettes grow about 2 to 3 feet tall, and the clump spreads 3 to 5 feet wide as new rosettes form. The flower stalks rise 5 to 6 feet or more.
What are the white threads on the leaves?
They are curly, thread-like fibers along the leaf edges, a normal trait of this yucca. Leave them in place, since they are part of its look.
When does Adam's Needle bloom?
Mature plants bloom in late spring to early summer, with creamy white bell flowers on tall stalks. Cut the spent stalk low once it finishes, since the plant blooms again in later years.
Can it grow in part shade?
Yes. It grows in full sun or part shade, so it can go in spots that get some afternoon shade. Make sure the soil drains well either way.
How often should I water it?
Water new plants more often until they root in. After that, water deeply and let the soil dry out between soakings, about every 2 to 4 weeks in summer and little or none in winter.
How cold hardy is Adam's Needle?
It is one of the most cold hardy yuccas, rated to about -30°F. A Valley winter will not hurt it, so no frost cover is needed.
Is Adam's Needle toxic to pets?
Yes, yucca is listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses and usually causes vomiting if eaten. The sharp leaf tips can also injure pets, so plant it where they cannot chew on it.
What soil does it need?
Well-drained soil, including poor, sandy or rocky ground. Avoid heavy clay and spots that stay wet, and dig through any caliche so the hole drains.
Does it attract pollinators?
Yes. Yucca moths pollinate the flowers, and bees and butterflies visit too.
How is it different from Color Guard yucca?
Color Guard is a striped variety of this same species, with a bright yellow band down each leaf. Adam's Needle is the plain green form with the same white flowers and curly threads.
Adam's Needle Yucca for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Adam's Needle (Yucca filamentosa) is a trunkless yucca from the southeastern United States, with curly white threads along its leaves. It forms a slowly widening clump and blooms creamy white in late spring. Below: size, sun, water, cold, blooming, pets and where it fits in a Valley yard.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
What is Adam's Needle yucca?
Adam's Needle (Yucca filamentosa) is a trunkless yucca from the southeastern United States. Its sword-shaped leaves carry curly white threads along the edges, and it slowly forms a clump.
How big does Adam's Needle get in Arizona?
The rosettes stay about 2 to 3 feet tall, and the clump spreads 3 to 5 feet wide. Flower stalks rise 5 to 6 feet in late spring.
Does Adam's Needle need full sun?
It grows in full sun or part shade. In either spot it needs soil that drains well.
Watering Adam's Needle in the Valley
Water new plants more often until they root in. Once rooted, water deeply every 2 to 4 weeks in summer and let the soil dry between soakings, with little or none in winter.
Is Adam's Needle toxic to dogs and cats?
Yucca is listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses and usually causes vomiting if eaten. Plant it where pets cannot chew on it.
Adam's Needle vs Color Guard yucca
Color Guard is a yellow-striped variety of the same species. Adam's Needle is the plain green form, with the same white bell flowers and curly leaf threads.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.