Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Variegated Soft Leaf Yucca
Variegated soft leaf yucca is the striped form of soft leaf yucca, with arching leaves marked in cream to yellow. The flexible leaves droop toward the ground, which makes it a common pick for pool decks, planters and pots. It stays mid-size, about 4 to 6 feet tall and wide, and sends up creamy white bell flowers from late spring into summer. It is happy in sun or light shade on modest water.
Best for: color beside pool decks, a bright accent in raised planters, and patio containers.
The leaves arch and hang down, so tips aim at the ground rather than at legs. The stripes add color next to the water on modest water.
Plant one in a raised planter or by the front door as a single accent. For a small group, set two or three about 4 to 6 feet apart.
Soft leaf yucca grows well in containers. Use a fast-draining mix, and don't let the pot sit in water.
Heavy watering in soil that holds water leads to root rot. The leaves bend down but still end in a point, so give it a little room from chairs. It prefers light shade over bare, all-day Valley sun.
- Closer group4 ft apart
- Group of two or three4-6 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, 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 15°F, with published ratings from about 10 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.
What does variegated soft leaf yucca look like?
It has the same arching, flexible leaves as soft leaf yucca, marked with cream to yellow stripes or edges. The exact pattern depends on the variety.
How big does it get?
Plan for about 4 to 6 feet tall and wide. It grows at a moderate pace, so give it that room from the start.
Is it a good yucca for a pool deck?
Yes, it is a common pick near pools, fountains and ponds. The leaves droop downward, so the pointed tips face the ground rather than out.
Sun or shade for a variegated soft leaf yucca?
It grows in sun to part sun. In the Valley's summer heat, light or part shade suits soft leaf yucca best.
How much water does it need?
Keep the soil a little damp until it roots in. Then water about once or twice a month, with more during the hottest part of summer. Overwatering is the most common mistake.
How cold can it take?
Soft leaf yucca is rated to about 15°F, with published ratings from about 10 to 20°F. A normal Valley winter does not hurt it, so it needs no frost cover.
When does it flower?
From late spring into early summer, it sends up a stalk of creamy white bells. The plant keeps growing after it blooms. Cut the old stalk off near the base.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. Soft leaf yucca is a good container plant. Use a fast-draining mix and don't leave the pot sitting in water.
Does it need fertilizer or pruning?
No fertilizer is needed. The only regular trim is cutting spent flower stalks.
Is it safe for dogs and cats?
No. Yucca is listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and chewing it usually causes vomiting in dogs and cats. The pointed tips can also poke a pet.
What makes a yucca suddenly rot or fall over?
Usually soggy soil that does not drain, or a snout weevil boring into the base. Pull out a collapsed plant along with the soil around it so grubs do not spread.
Variegated Soft Leaf Yucca for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
This is the striped form of soft leaf yucca, the arching yucca often sold as Yucca recurvifolia or Yucca pendula. It adds color and a soft, tropical look to pool decks, planters and pots. Here is what Valley homeowners want to know before planting one.
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Variegated yucca for a Phoenix pool deck
Its leaves bend down toward the ground, so the tips aim away from people. The cream to yellow stripes add color by the water on a modest watering schedule.
Variegated soft leaf yucca vs plain soft leaf yucca
They are the same plant, with the same arching form, size and care. The variegated form adds cream to yellow striping on the leaves.
How tall does variegated soft leaf yucca get?
Expect about 4 to 6 feet tall and about as wide. It grows at a moderate pace.
Watering a variegated yucca in the Valley
Water more often until it roots in, then about once or twice a month. Add a little more in peak summer. Soil that stays wet leads to rot.
Variegated yucca in containers
It grows well in a pot on a patio or pool deck. Use a fast-draining mix and don't let the pot sit in water.
Cold hardiness of soft leaf yucca
Soft leaf yucca is rated to about 15°F, with published ratings from about 10 to 20°F. The variegated form shares the same care.
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