Yucca aloifolia


Yucca aloifolia Linneaus
Species Plantarum (1 May 1753) 319.

Synonyms:
Yucca aloifolia Torr. in Pacif. Rail. Rep. iv. 147
Yucca aloifolia conspicua (red-green leaves)
Yucca aloifolia var. dragonis (Linne) Engelmann (1873)
Yucca aloifolia rubra
Yucca aloifolia forma arcuata (Haw.) Voss in Vilmorin Vilm. Blumengarten., ed. 3 (ed. 3) 1: 1055. 1895
Yucca aloifolia forma crenulata (Haw.) Voss in Vilmorin Vilm. Blumengarten., ed. 3 (ed. 3) 1: 1055. 1895
Yucca aloifolia forma draconis (L.) Voss in Vilmorin Vilm. Blumengarten., ed. 3 (ed. 3) 1: 1055. 1895
Yucca aloifolia forma genuina Engelm. Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 3: 35. 1873
Yucca aloifolia forma tenuifolia (Haw.) Voss in Vilmorin Vilm. Blumengarten., ed. 3 (ed. 3) 1: 1055. 1895
Yucca aloifolia var. arcuata Trelease.  Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 13: 92. 1902
Yucca aloifolia var. conspicua (Haw.) Engelm.  Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 3: 35. 1873
Yucca aloifolia var. draconis (L.) Engelm. Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 3: 35. 1873
Yucca aloifolia var. menandi Trelease.  Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 13: 93, pl. 50. 1902
Yucca aloifolia var. stenophylla Bommer (1859)
Yucca aloifolia var. tenuifolia Trelease.  Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 13: 93. 1902
Yucca aloifolia var. yucatana (Engelm.) Trelease.  Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 13: 93. 1902
Yucca arcuata Haworth (1819) = Yucca aloifolia
Yucca armata Steudel (1840). = Yucca aloifolia
Yucca conspicua Haw  Synopsis Plantarum  Succulentarum suppl. 32 = Yucca aloifolia
Yucca crenulata Haw  Synopsis Plantarum  Succulentarum suppl. 33 - 34 (1819) = Yucca aloifolia
Yucca parmentieri Hort. ex.  Carriere (1859) =  Yucca aloifolia
Yucca purpurea Hort. ex. Baker (1880) = Yucca aloifolia
Yucca quadricolor, Hort, Baker in Linnean Society Bot. Journ. Vol. Vol 18 (1881) = Yucca aloifolia
Yucca serrulata, HAWORTH, Synopsis Plantarum  Succulentarum suppl. 32:75  (1819)  = Yucca aloifolia
Yucca tenuifolia, Hort, Baker in Linnean Society Bot. Journ. Vol. 18:221 (1881) = Yucca aloifolia
Yucca tricolor Hort. ex Baker  in Journal. Linn. Soc. xviii. (1880) 221 = Yucca aloifolia
Yucca yucatana, Engelmann in Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis, 3:37(1873) = Yucca aloifolia
Yucca yucatana, Baker in Linnean Society Bot. Journal. Vol. 18:221(1881) = Yucca aloifolia

Clones and Hybrids:
Yucca aloifolia forma serratifolia
Yucca aloifolia 'marginata' (variegated)
Yucca aloifolia rubra
Yucca aloifolia 'Tricolor' (variegated)
Yucca aloifolia variegata (variegated)
Yucca aloifolia 'Quadricolor' (variegated)
Yucca aloifolia x arkansana, made by Demeter Janakidisz, from Botanical Garden in Budapest, Hungary.
Yucca aloifolia x baileyi, made by Demeter Janakidisz, from Botanical Garden in Budapest, Hungary.
Yucca aloifolia filamentosa, made by Demeter Janakidisz, from Botanical Garden in Budapest, Hungary.
Yucca aloifolia x elata, made by Demeter Janakidisz, from Botanical Garden in Budapest, Hungary.
Yucca aloifolia x glauca ssp. stricta, made by Demeter Janakidiszz, from Botanical Garden in Budapest, Hungary.
Yucca aloifolia x recurvifolia, made by Demeter Janakidisz, from Botanical Garden in Budapest, Hungary.
Yucca aloifolia 'Variegata' x rostrata forma. viridis . Made by Alexander Heim, Germany (in a garden in Greece).
Yucca desmetiana Baker (1870) Is known only from cultivation and might be a hybrid between Yucca aloifolia X Yucca recurvifolia or Yucca filamentosa? or "just" a purpleleaved form of Yucca aloifolia!?
Yucca X Adenophora Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x filamentosa
Yucca X fastuosa Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x filamentosa
Yucca X Ismene Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x filamentosa
Yucca X linearis Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x filamentosa
Yucca X linifolia Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x filamentosa
Yucca X virescens Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x filamentosa
Yucca X Candolleana Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x flaccida
Yucca X columnaris Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x flaccida
Yucca X Oceanus Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x flaccida
Yucca X smaragdina Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x rupicola
Yucca X Europa Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x gloriosa
Yucca X Naudiniana Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x gloriosa
Yucca X vomerensis Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x gloriosa
Yucca X Heliodorus Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia gigantea x recurvifolia
Yucca X Victor Emmanuel II (Vittorio Emanuele II) Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia purpurea x recurvifolia
Yucca X Casertana Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x flexilis
Yucca X Helios Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x flexilis
Yucca X Sieheana Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia x flexilis
Yucca X Titanus Sprenger Hybrid Yucca aloifolia marginata x flexilis
Yucca X Ada  Sprenger Hybrid Yucca filamentosa x aloifolia
Yucca X Alexandrae Sprenger Hybrid Yucca filamentosa x aloifolia
Yucca X Boissieri Sprenger Hybrid Yucca filamentosa x aloifolia
Yucca X Dohrnii Sprenger Hybrid Yucca filamentosa x aloifolia
Yucca X tulipfera Sprenger Hybrid Yucca filamentosa x aloifolia
Yucca 'Washington' Sprenger Hybrid Yucca filamentosa x aloifolia
Yucca X Draco Sprenger Hybrid Yucca flaccida x aloifolia
Yucca X Mariea Sprenger Hybrid Yucca flaccida x aloifolia
Yucca X pygmaea Sprenger Hybrid Yucca flaccida x aloifolia
Yucca X pyramidalis Sprenger Hybrid Yucca flaccida x aloifolia
Yucca X Roland Sprenger Hybrid Yucca flaccida x aloifolia
Yucca X stellaris Sprenger Hybrid Yucca flaccida x aloifolia
Yucca X Theseus Sprenger Hybrid Yucca flaccida x aloifolia
Yucca X tortilis Sprenger Hybrid Yucca flaccida x aloifolia

Type location:
Described from cultivated plant!

Type specimen:
Yucca aloifolia L. Linnean herbarium (S-LINN)

Distribution:
USA: in sand dunes of the coast of AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, occasionally up to 60 km inland, in pine forests. Also found on the margins of brackish marshes. Mexico: plains and slightly sloped area in tropical forests, Veracruz and Yucatán, up to 1800 m.

Short description of the species:
Plant Acaulescent, Single or with several stems, up to 360 cm (12 feet) tall, 120 cm (4 feet). Leaves, Dark green to yellowish green, slightly concave, 30 to 50 cm long, 2,5 to 3,5 cm wide, stiff, with a very sharp thorn at  the leaf tip. Leaf margin, with numerous sharp teeth's. Inflorescens paniculate, 30 to 50 cm tall. Flowers white often with purple or green tinged, 2,5 to 3,2 cm long . Fruit Dark green, 3,8 to 5 cm long. Seeds black, approximately 7 x 6 mm long and wide, 1,5 to 2,5 mm thick.

Hardiness:
Here in Northern Denmark is it not hardy, but I have read that it can handle -10°C in the mildest area in southern England. I grow my plants of Yucca aloifolia in large pots that are outside in the summer, in late September I move them inside my unheated greenhouse, here the plants stay until it starts freezing then the plants are moved inside a frost free garage for the winter, in late April I move the plants out into the greenhouse again, and when there are no frost again they are moved outside, at first in a shade place, and then they are slowly introduced to direct sunlight.

In the winter of 2001-2002, have I had the plants under the benches inside one of the unheated greenhouses, but this will be the last time I have done so, there are leaf burn on all the plants specially the form Yucca aloifolia 'Tricolor' were very damaged and the rosette died, fortunately the rhizomes survived!

Pictures:
 
 
Yucca aloifolia.
At Budapest Botanical garden
©2003 Demeter Janakidisz
Yucca aloifolia.
At Budapest Botanical garden
©2003 Demeter Janakidisz
Yucca aloifolia.
At Budapest Botanical garden
©2003 Demeter Janakidisz
Yucca aloifolia.
At Budapest Botanical garden
©2003 Demeter Janakidisz
Yucca aloifolia.
At Budapest Botanical garden
©2003 Demeter Janakidisz
Yucca aloifolia.
Algiers, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Note the large Cycas behind the Yucca plants.
©2003 "Tejas Medicineman, CASI"
Yucca aloifolia.
Algiers, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Note the large Cycas behind the Yucca plants.
©2003 "Tejas Medicineman, CASI"
Yucca aloifolia.
Grown in Alexander Heim's garden in Greece. Copyright 2007 Alexander Heim.
Yucca aloifolia.
Grown in Alexander Heim's garden in Greece. Copyright 2007 Alexander Heim.
Yucca aloifolia.
Grown in Alexander Heim's garden in Greece. Copyright 2007 Alexander Heim.
Yucca aloifolia.
Grown in Alexander Heim's garden in Greece. Copyright 2007 Alexander Heim.
Yucca aloifolia.
Grown in Alexander Heim's garden in Greece. Copyright 2007 Alexander Heim.
Yucca aloifolia variegata
Grown in Alexander Heim's garden in Greece. Copyright 2007 Alexander Heim.
Yucca aloifolia variegata
Grown in Alexander Heim's garden in Greece. Copyright 2007 Alexander Heim.
Yucca aloifolia. forma purpurea
Grown in Alexander Heim's garden in Greece. Copyright 2007 Alexander Heim.
Yucca de-smetiana
Grown in Alexander Heim's garden in Greece. Copyright 2007 Alexander Heim.

My own Yucca aloifolia:
 
#1520 Yucca aliofolia
North Carolina, Oak Grove.
fh1182.20, sown 2004.
Photo from 2006
#1521 Yucca aloifolia
Georgetown, South Carolina
fh 1182.21, sown 2003.
Received as Yucca gloriosa but looks very much like a Yucca aloifolia or a hybrid with this species!
#1107 Yucca aloifolia
3 month old seedlings. 
Seed from Arno Sprangers, seeds collected in Spain on a Yucca aloifolia f. marginata. (variegated)
#833 Yucca aloifolia 'Tricolor' #820 Yucca aloifolia f. marginata #820 Yucca aloifolia f. marginata #1752 Yucca aloifolia, plant from P.C.O.  received in 2003.

 

Reference:
BAKER (Gard. Chron. 30 (3): 1217 (1870))

SPRENGER, Carl., Mitteilungen Deutschen Dendrol. Gesell. 29: 96-138 + pls.: 21-22. (1920) Mitteilungen über meine Yucca-Hybriden und -Formen, gezüchtet in den Jahren 1897-1907.

THIEDE, J. (2001) Illustrated handbook of succulent plants vol. 1. (Monocotyledons (Eggli ed.)): 88.

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