Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Soaptree Yucca
Soaptree yucca is an Arizona native that slowly grows into a tall, tree-like yucca, with round heads of narrow, flexible leaves on one or more trunks. In late spring and early summer it sends up tall stalks of creamy white, bell-shaped flowers. It thrives in full sun and reflected heat, and once rooted it gets by on very little water. It is rated to about 0°F and makes a low-care native accent for desert yards across the Valley.
Best for: a tall native accent in gravel yards and entry beds, hot spots with reflected heat, and low-water native plantings.
Over many years it grows 6 to 15 feet tall on several trunks, each topped with a round head of narrow leaves. It adds height and year-round form to a gravel yard or entry bed.
It wants full sun and handles reflected heat off walls, driveways and paving. Once rooted, a deep soak about every 2 to 4 weeks in summer is enough.
It grows wild across Arizona and the Southwest, so it fits native beds on a dry watering schedule. Small yucca moths pollinate its flowers.
Soggy or poorly drained soil causes root rot, the most common way to lose one. A snout weevil can bore into the base and cause sudden collapse. The leaf tips are sharp, so keep it back from walkways, pools and play areas. It grows about an inch a year without extra water, so buy the size you want to see.
- Plant to plant6-10 ft apart
- Open grouping6-12 ft apart
Keep the root area slightly damp until a new plant roots in, then stretch the time between waterings. Once rooted, soak it deeply about every 2 to 4 weeks in summer, less in spring and fall, and little or none in winter. Let the soil dry between soakings. Older plants can get by on rain for much of the year.
Plant it at the same depth it grew and keep the same side facing south. Shade a new plant with shade cloth until new growth shows. It does not need any fertilizer.
Old leaves fold down against the trunk into a shaggy skirt. Leaving it shades the trunk from sunburn, and removing it is optional. Cut each spent flower stalk low after bloom.
Snout weevils are the main insect pest of yuccas. Leaves wilt or lean, the base goes soft, and the plant collapses. Good drainage and little water once rooted keep it healthy. Remove a collapsed plant and the soil around it so grubs do not spread.
It is rated to about 0°F. Keep the soil on the dry side in winter, since wet, cool soil leads to rot.
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 soaptree yucca get?
It slowly grows 6 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide, and very old plants can reach about 20 feet. Most plants form several trunks, each topped with a round head of leaves.
How fast does soaptree yucca grow?
It grows very slowly, about an inch a year without extra water. Regular deep watering speeds it up, but it stays a slow plant.
How often should I water soaptree yucca?
Water more often at first, until it roots in. After that, soak it deeply about every 2 to 4 weeks in summer, less in spring and fall, and little or none in winter. Older plants can get by on rain for much of the year.
Can soaptree yucca take full sun and reflected heat?
Yes. It wants full sun and handles reflected heat off walls, driveways and paving.
Is soaptree yucca cold hardy?
Yes. It is rated hardy to about 0°F, so it needs no frost cover in the Valley.
What soil does soaptree yucca need?
Plant it in fast-draining soil. Dry, sandy, rocky or alkaline native soil is fine, but it should never sit in soggy ground. If you hit caliche, dig through it so the hole drains.
How do I plant soaptree yucca?
Plant it at the same depth it grew in the pot, with the same side facing south. A piece of shade cloth over it until new growth shows helps prevent sunburn. It does not need any fertilizer.
Should I trim the old leaves off the trunk?
Trimming the old leaves is optional. Old leaves fold down into a shaggy skirt, and leaving them shades the trunk from sunburn. Either way, cut off spent flower stalks.
When does soaptree yucca bloom?
It blooms in late spring to early summer, with creamy white, bell-shaped flowers on stalks that rise 4 to 6 feet above the leaves. Unlike an agave, it does not die after blooming and can bloom again. Cut the spent stalk low once the flowers fade.
Are the leaves sharp?
Yes. Each leaf ends in a sharp tip that can pierce skin. Plant it well back from walkways, pool edges, seating and play areas.
Is soaptree yucca toxic to pets?
Yucca is listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. In dogs and cats, chewing it usually causes vomiting. The sharp leaf tips can also injure a pet.
Why did my soaptree yucca suddenly collapse?
The usual causes are root rot from soggy soil and a snout weevil whose grubs bore into the base. Wilting or leaning leaves and a soft base are warning signs. Remove a collapsed plant and the soil around it so grubs don't move to nearby yuccas and agaves.
Soaptree Yucca for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Soaptree yucca is a slow, tree-like yucca native to Arizona and the Southwest. It gives a desert yard height and year-round form on very little water, with tall white flower stalks in late spring. Below are the questions Valley homeowners ask most about growing it.
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How big soaptree yucca gets
Plan for 6 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide over many years, with very old plants reaching about 20 feet. Most form several trunks, each with a round head of narrow leaves.
Watering soaptree yucca in the Valley
Water more often until it roots in. Then soak deeply about every 2 to 4 weeks in summer, less in spring and fall, and little or none in winter. Soggy soil is the main thing that kills it.
Soaptree yucca growth rate
It grows about an inch a year without extra water. Deep summer watering speeds it up a little, but a bigger container size is the only real shortcut.
Is soaptree yucca native to Arizona?
Yes. It grows wild in Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas and northern Mexico. Its flowers are pollinated by small yucca moths.
Soaptree yucca vs beaked yucca
Beaked yucca forms a dense, round blue crown, often on a single trunk. Soaptree has looser heads of narrow, flexible leaves and usually several trunks. Both grow slowly and need fast-draining soil.
Why it's called soaptree
The roots and trunk hold a soapy substance that was used to make soap and shampoo. That is where the common name comes from.
Trimming soaptree yucca
Leave the skirt of old leaves to shade the trunk, or remove it for a cleaner look. Cut spent flower stalks low after bloom. No other pruning is needed.
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