Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Spanish Bayonet
Spanish bayonet is an upright yucca with stiff, dark green, sword-shaped leaves on thick stems that branch into clumps over time. It usually grows 5 to 10 feet tall and can reach 15. Planted in a row it makes a dense border or screen, and a single plant works as a bold accent. In spring and summer it sends up clusters of creamy white, bell-shaped flowers.
Best for: a dense living border or screen, a tall green accent, and large containers.
Planted in a group or a row, the stiff, sharp leaves make a border that is hard to walk through. People plant it under windows and as a living fence.
A single plant grows 5 to 10 feet tall on thick stems, and older plants can reach 15. It works as a background plant or a textural accent.
It grows in a large container, and it can be kept much shorter than its full height. Fill the pot with a fast-draining cactus mix.
The leaf tips are needle-sharp and can pierce clothing, so keep it well away from walkways, pools and play areas. In Phoenix it does better with shade from the western sun, and soggy soil leads to rot.
- Tight screen3 ft apart
- Border or screen3-5 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.
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, and skip the fertilizer, since it does not need any.
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 pest to watch for on 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 10-15°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 Spanish bayonet get?
It usually grows 5 to 10 feet tall and can reach 15. A single plant spreads about 3 to 5 feet, and clumps widen as new stems come up from the base.
How fast does Spanish bayonet grow?
It grows at a slow to moderate pace. Buy a larger size if you want height sooner.
Can Spanish bayonet be used as a barrier?
Yes. Planted in a row or group, the stiff, sharp leaves make a border or screen that is hard to get through. People plant it under windows and as a living fence.
Are the leaves sharp?
Yes. The tips are needle-sharp and can pierce clothing. Keep it well away from walkways, pool edges and play areas.
Can Spanish bayonet take full sun in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun or part shade. In Phoenix it does best with some shade from the western sun.
How often should I water Spanish bayonet?
Water more often until it roots in. After that, about once a month is enough most of the year, with more during summer.
Is Spanish bayonet cold hardy?
Yes. It is rated hardy to about 10 to 15°F.
Why is my Spanish bayonet leaning over?
Older stems can lean or flop over from their own weight. New growth keeps turning upward.
When does Spanish bayonet bloom?
In spring into early summer, with large clusters of creamy white, bell-shaped flowers on top of the stems. It does not die after blooming.
Does Spanish bayonet spread?
It sends up new stems from the roots and lower trunk, so it forms a clump over time.
Is Spanish bayonet toxic to pets?
Yucca is listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. In dogs and cats, chewing it usually causes vomiting. The sharp tips can also injure a pet.
What soil does it need?
It needs well-drained soil and should never sit in soggy ground. If you hit caliche, dig through it so the hole drains.
Spanish Bayonet for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Spanish bayonet is a tall, dark green yucca that forms clumps of upright stems. People plant it as a bold accent, a living border or a screen, and in large pots. Below are the questions Valley homeowners ask most before planting one.
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Spanish bayonet as a living fence
Planted about 3 to 5 feet apart, it grows into a stiff, sharp border that people avoid walking through. It is used under windows and as a living fence.
How tall does Spanish bayonet get?
Plan for 5 to 10 feet, with older plants reaching 15. It grows slowly to moderately and forms clumps of upright stems.
Spanish bayonet in Phoenix sun
It grows in full sun or part shade. In Phoenix, shade from the western sun keeps it looking best.
Watering Spanish bayonet in the Valley
Water more often until it roots in, then about monthly, with more in summer. Soggy, poorly drained soil causes rot.
Spanish bayonet flowers
In spring and early summer, it sends up clusters of creamy white bells from the tops of the stems. The plant keeps growing after it blooms.
Spanish bayonet in pots
It grows in large containers and can be kept much shorter than its full height. Fill the pot with a fast-draining cactus mix.
Where Spanish bayonet comes from
It is native to the southeastern United States, Mexico's Yucatan and the Caribbean. It handles heat and dry spells once rooted.
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