Plant Profile: Yucca gloriosa var. tristis

Names

Curved-Leaved Spanish-Dagger, Curveleaf Yucca, Pendulous Yucca, Weeping Yucca

  • Photo of Yucca gloriosa var. tristis (Yucca gloriosa var. tristiss)

Phonetic Spelling:YUK-uh glo-ree-OH-suh TRIS-tis

Genus:Yucca

Species:gloriosa

Family:Asparagaceae

The Curved Leafed Yucca is a specific type of Yucca gloriosa, indigenous to the southeastern United States. In its natural environment, it thrives in sandy areas, such as sand dunes and coastal scrub. This plant blooms during the summer and is widely utilized in both indoor and outdoor landscaping, particularly favored in beach resort settings from Maryland to Florida.

Characterized by its flexible, leathery leaves that curve backward and its noticeable stem, this variety serves as an alternative to the Spanish bayonet (Y. aloifolia), which is known for its sharp, rigid tips.

This Yucca variety can produce colonies through branching and suckering.

**Quick Identification**

When handling this plant, caution is advised due to its sharp leaf tips. To prevent root rot, it is essential to ensure good drainage. White grubs can be managed with a regular application of insecticide in the spring. Additionally, stressed plants may be susceptible to attacks from spider mites and Agave borers.

For further details on Yucca gloriosa, additional resources are available.

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Feature Summary

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Image Gallery

Tags

#annual
#drought tolerant
#white flowers
#succulent
#moths
#native shrub
#rabbit resistant
#deer resistant
#nighttime garden
#spines
#pollinator plant
#fantz
#cactus
#evergreen shrub
#poor soils tolerant
#larval host plant
#native
#moth larvae
#problem for cats
#problem for dogs
#problem for horses
#winter wind intolerant

Similar Plants

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis is often confused with:

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Feature Summary

Attributes
On the coasts of NC south to Florida
Larval host for the yucca moth which eats the seeds. Adults pollinate the flowers. Attracts bees, butterflies and birds.
Perennial
Woody
Annual
Fragrance
Attracts Pollinators
Textural
Attractive Flowers
Fruit
The seed capsule will appear after the plant blooms.
Flowers
Two' flower stalk with bell-shaped creamy white flower clusters with purplish markings. Inflorescence is a long-stalked, conical panicle, terminal, to 4.5 m.
Purple/Lavender
White
Leaves
Leaves are in an apical rosette, simple, sword-shaped, recurved slightly above the middle with age, margins entire with narrow light brown strip on younger leaves, pliable, coriaceous, 35 x 2.5 in.
Green
Blue
Linear
Lanceolate
> 6 inches
Leathery
1-3 inches
Stem
Stem is usually unbranched.
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Houseplant
Succulent
Erect
Mounding
Spreading
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Piedmont
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Nighttime Garden
Accent
Small groups
Specimen
Drought
Deer
Pollution
Rabbits
Dry Soil
Container
Patio
Butterflies
Songbirds
Bees
Moths
Problem for Cats
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Spines/Thorns

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Attributes

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Country Or Region Of Origin

Southeastern USA

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Distribution

On the coasts of NC south to Florida

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Wildlife Value

Larval host for the yucca moth which eats the seeds. Adults pollinate the flowers. Attracts bees, butterflies and birds.

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Fruit

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Fruit Description

The seed capsule will appear after the plant blooms.

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Flowers

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Flower Description

Two' flower stalk with bell-shaped creamy white flower clusters with purplish markings. Inflorescence is a long-stalked, conical panicle, terminal, to 4.5 m.

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
White

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Leaves

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Leaf Description

Leaves are in an apical rosette, simple, sword-shaped, recurved slightly above the middle with age, margins entire with narrow light brown strip on younger leaves, pliable, coriaceous, 35 x 2.5 in.

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Leaf Color

spa
Blue
spa
Green

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Stem

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Stem Description

Stem is usually unbranched.

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Whole Plant Traits

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Appendage

Prickles
Spines
Tendrils
Thorns

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Cultural Conditions

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis Landscape

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Yucca gloriosa var. tristis: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy