Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Soft Leaf Yucca
Soft leaf yucca forms a loose fountain of long, flexible blue-green leaves that bend down toward the ground. It usually stays about 4 to 6 feet tall and wide, so it fits pool areas, raised planters, entries and large pots. In late spring and early summer it sends up stalks of creamy white, bell-shaped flowers. It takes full sun or light shade and gets by on modest water once rooted.
Best for: planting beside pools and fountains, raised planters and entries, and large containers on a patio.
The long leaves arch toward the ground, so the tips point down instead of out at people. It is a common pick for a tropical look around pools, fountains and ponds.
At about 4 to 6 feet tall and wide, it fills a raised planter, a foundation bed or the side of an entry without taking over. It works alone or in small groups.
It is a good container plant for a patio. Use a fast-draining mix and don't let it sit wet.
Too much water or poorly drained soil leads to root rot, the main way to lose one. In Valley heat, light or part shade suits it better than bare, all-day sun. The leaves still end in a point, so keep that in mind by seating.
- Closer group4 ft apart
- Small groups4-6 ft apart
Keep the root area slightly damp until a new plant roots in. Once rooted, water deeply every few weeks in summer and less in winter. It needs more water than the desert yuccas, and leaves can yellow when kept too dry. Let the soil dry between soakings.
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 into a shaggy skirt, and removing them is optional. Cut each spent flower stalk low after it finishes. It blooms again in later years.
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 15 to 20°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 soft leaf yucca get?
Most plants stay about 4 to 6 feet tall and wide. Older plants can reach 6 to 10 feet tall on short trunks, and some branch or form small clumps at the base.
How fast does soft leaf yucca grow?
It grows at a moderate to fast pace for a yucca. Extra water in summer keeps it looking fresh.
Are the leaves sharp? Can I plant it by the pool?
The leaves are flexible and bend downward, so the tips point down rather than out. Each leaf still ends in a point. It is a common choice for planting around pools, fountains and ponds.
Does soft leaf yucca need full sun in the Valley?
It takes full sun or light shade. In the Valley's summer heat, light or part shade suits it best.
How often should I water soft leaf yucca?
Water more often until it roots in. After that, water about once or twice a month in well-drained soil, with extra during the hottest summer weeks. It does not like to be overwatered.
Is soft leaf yucca cold hardy?
Yes. It is rated hardy to about 15 to 20°F, so a normal Valley winter does not hurt it.
What soil does soft leaf yucca need?
Plant it in fast-draining soil. It should never sit in soggy ground. If you hit caliche, dig through it so the planting hole drains.
When does soft leaf yucca bloom?
It blooms in late spring to early summer, with creamy white, bell-shaped flowers on stalks about 2 to 5 feet tall. It does not die after blooming. Cut the spent stalk low once the flowers fade.
Can soft leaf yucca grow in a pot?
Yes. It is a good container plant. Use a fast-draining mix and don't let it sit wet.
Is soft leaf yucca toxic to pets?
Yucca is listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. In dogs and cats, chewing it usually causes vomiting. The pointed leaf tips can also poke a curious pet.
Why is my soft leaf yucca rotting or collapsing?
The usual cause is too much water in soil that drains poorly. A snout weevil can also bore into the base of yuccas and cause sudden collapse. Remove a collapsed plant and the soil around it.
Is soft leaf yucca the same as Yucca pendula or Yucca recurvifolia?
Yes. Soft leaf, pendulous and curve-leaf yucca are all names for the same plant. Its current botanical name is Yucca gloriosa variety tristis.
Soft Leaf Yucca for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Soft leaf yucca, also sold as Yucca recurvifolia or Yucca pendula, is a mid-size yucca with flexible leaves that arch downward. People plant it by pools, in raised planters and in pots. Below are the questions Valley homeowners ask most about growing it.
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Yuccas for around a pool in Phoenix
Soft leaf yucca is one of the yuccas people plant by pools. Its flexible leaves bend down, so the tips point toward the ground instead of out at swimmers. It gives a tropical look on modest water.
How big soft leaf yucca gets
Plan for about 4 to 6 feet tall and wide. Older plants can reach 6 to 10 feet tall on short trunks, and some branch at the base over time.
Watering soft leaf yucca in the Valley
Water more often until it roots in. Then water about once or twice a month, with extra in the hottest summer weeks. Soggy, poorly drained soil is what kills it.
Sun or shade for soft leaf yucca
It grows in full sun or light shade. In Valley summers, light or part shade suits it best.
Soft leaf yucca in pots
It is a good container plant for patios and pool decks. Give it a fast-draining mix and don't let it sit wet.
Other names for soft leaf yucca
You will see it sold as Yucca recurvifolia, Yucca pendula, pendulous yucca and curve-leaf yucca. Its current botanical name is Yucca gloriosa variety tristis. It comes from the southeastern United States.
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