Yucca flaccida  Haworth, Suppl. Pl. Succ. 34 (1819)

Synonyms:
Yucca filamentosa sensu J.K. Small, Manual Southeastern Flora 303 (1933) not Linneaus (1753) see Yucca smalliana Fernald.
Yucca flaccida var. aurea-marginata. ( this one could be = ' Bright Edge ' )
Yucca flaccida var. major (Baker) REHDER. Journal. Arnold Arbor. 1: 193 (1920)
Yucca filamentosa var. smalliana (Fernald) AHLES, Journal. Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. 80 (2): 172 (1964) see Yucca smalliana Fernald.
Yucca flaccida var. smalliana
Yucca smalliana FERNALD, Rhodora 46: 8.(1944)
Yucca filamentosa sensu J.K. Small, Manual Southeastern Flora 303 (1933) not Linneaus (1753)
Yucca filamentosa var. flaccida (Haworth) Engelmann, Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 3: 52 (1873)
Yucca filamentosa fa. flaccida (Haworth) Voss, Vilmorin Blumengarten (ed. 3) 1: 1057 (1895)
Yucca glaucescens Haworth, Suppl. Pl. Succ. 34 (1819)
Yucca filamentosa sensu Baker in Saunders Refug. Bot. 5: t.324 (1872)
Yucca flaccida var. glaucescens (Haworth) Trelease, Rept. Mo. Bot. Gard. 13: 51, pl. 12-15, 17 (1902)
Yucca filamentosa fa. glaucescens (Haworth) Voss, Vilmorin Blumengarten (ed. 3) 1: 1057 (1895)
Yucca orchioides var. major Baker, Curtis's Bot. Mag. 103: t.6316 (1887)
Yucca flaccida var. major (Baker) Rehder, Journal. Arnold Arbor. 1: 193 (1920)
Yucca puberula Haworth, Phil. Mag. (ser. 2) 3: 186 (1828)
Yucca filamentosa fa. puberula (Haworth) Voss, Vilmorin Blumengarten (ed. 3) 1: 1057 (1895)
Yucca glauca Sims, Curtis's Bot. Mag. 53: t.2662 (1826) not Nuttall in Fraser (1813)
Yucca flaccida var. integra Trelease, Rept. Mo. Bot. Gard. 13: 51-52 (1902)
Yucca orchioides Carriere, Revue Horticole 1861: 370, fig. 89-90 (1861)
Yucca filamentosa fa. orchioides (Carriere) Voss, Vilmorin Blumengarten (ed. 3) 1: 1057 (1895)
Yucca flaccida fa. orchioides (Carriere) Trelease, Rept. Mo. Bot. Gard. 13: 50-51 (1902)
Yucca filamentosa var. grandiflora Baker in Saunders Refug. Bot. 5: t.325 (1872)
Yucca flaccida var. grandiflora (Baker) Trelease, Rept. Mo. Bot. Gard. 13: 52 (1902)
Yucca flaccida f. lineata
Yucca flaccida f. integra Trelease

Clones and forms:

Yucca flaccida variegata.
Yucca flaccida marginata. ( this one could be = ' Bright Edge ' )
Yucca flaccida ' Bright Edge '
Yucca flaccida ' Golden Sword '
Yucca flaccida 'Blue Sentry'
Yucca flaccida 'Garland Gold' (Plant Delights Nursery, Inc.)
Yucca flaccida ' Ivory '
Yucca flaccida ' Ivory Tower'
Yucca flaccida ' Orchioides '
Yucca flaccida 'New Berlin' (name from tropengarten.de 2003).
Yucca flaccida ' Yellow Sword ' ( this could be a synonym for ' Golden Sword ' )
Yucca flaccida forma glaucescens (I don't know if this combination is legally published!)

Hybrids:

Yucca Albatros, Carl Sprenger 1920, Hybrids of Yucca flaccida,  Yucca filamentosa,Yucca recurvifolia or Yuccagloriosa
Yucca Astra, Carl Sprenger 1920, Hybrids of Yucca flaccida,  Yucca filamentosa,Yucca recurvifolia or Yuccagloriosa
Yucca Comesii, Carl Sprenger 1920, Hybrid of Yucca flaccida,  Yucca filamentosa,Yucca recurvifolia or Yuccagloriosa
Yucca Delpinoana, Carl Sprenger 1920, Hybrid of Yucca flaccida,  Yucca filamentosa,Yucca recurvifolia or Yuccagloriosa
Yucca 'Eros', Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida glaucescens x Yucca recurvifolia
Yucca falcata, Carl Sprenger 1920, Hybrids of Yucca flaccida,  Yucca filamentosa, Yucca recurvifolia or Yuccagloriosa
Yucca 'Flora', Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida glaucescens x Yucca recurvifolia
Yucca hystrix, Carl Sprenger 1920, Hybrid of Yucca flaccida,  Yucca filamentosa, Yucca recurvifolia or Yuccagloriosa
Yucca 'Karlsruhensis', Hybrid by Graebener 1899, (Yucca flaccida x Yuccaglauca)
Yucca 'Luna', Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida glaucescens x Yucca recurvifolia
Yucca pulchra, Carl Sprenger 1920, Hybrid of Yucca flaccida,  Yucca filamentosa, Yucca recurvifolia or Yuccagloriosa
Yucca X amabilis, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida glaucescens x Yucca recurvifolia
Yucca X amonea, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yuccca rupicola
Yucca X Atropos, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yuccca rupicola
Yucca X Augusta, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flexilis x Yucca filamentosa
Yucca X caelestis, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida glaucescens x Yucca recurvifolia
Yucca X campanulata, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida glaucescens x Yucca recurvifolia
Yucca X columnaris, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca aloifolia x flaccida
Yucca X Draco, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yucca aloifolia
Yucca X Dux Carl Sprenger 1920 Yuccagloriosa robusta x flaccida
Yucca X formosa, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida glaucescens x Yucca gloriosa
Yucca X formosissima, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida glaucescens x Yuccagloriosa
Yucca X Gaea, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x flexilis
Yucca X grasilis, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida glaucescens x Yucca recurvifolia
Yucca X luxurians, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x  Yuccagloriosa longifolia
Yucca X Mariea, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yucca aloifolia
Yucca X nebularis, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida glaucescens x Yuccagloriosa
Yucca X Oceanus, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca aloifolia x flaccida
Yucca X paradoxa, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yuccca rupicola
Yucca X pygmaea, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yucca aloifolia
Yucca X pyramidalis, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yucca aloifolia
Yucca X Roland, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yucca aloifolia
Yucca X stellaris, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yucca aloifolia
Yucca X superba, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flexilis x Yucca recurvifolia
Yucca X Theseus, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yucca aloifolia
Yucca X tortilis, Carl Sprenger 1920, Yucca flaccida x Yucca aloifolia

In the summer of 2003 I tried to pollinate the flowers of one of my Yucca flaccida plants with pollen from a the following Yuccas:

(The number of fruits were counted on August 10th. 2003)

#49 Yucca flaccida X #1465A Yucca filamentosa, 1 flower pollinated = 0 fruits, (1 aborted)
#49 Yucca flaccida X #1578 Yucca filamentosa, 1 flower pollinated = 0 fruits, (1 aborted)
#49 Yucca flaccida X #1582 Yucca 'Ivory', 1 flower pollinated = 1 fruit. (0 aborted)
#49 Yucca flaccida X #1402 Yucca filamentosa (beautiful tall form from Dr. Lorek in Germany), 2 flowers pollinated = 1 fruit, (1 aborted).
#49 Yucca flaccida X #332 Yucca filamentosa, 2 flowers pollinated = 0 fruits 2 aborted
#49 Yucca flaccida X #1461 Yucca glauca, 14 flowers pollinated = 11 fruits (3 aborted) This hybrid will probably be quite like a hybrid made by Graebner in 1899, which is know as Yucca 'Karlsruhensis' and was described in 1903.

I also used the pollen from this plant to pollinate the following:

#1465A Yucca filamentosa X #49 Yucca flaccida, 2 flowers pollinated = 2 aborted!
#1578 Yucca filamentosa X #49 Yucca flaccida, 1 flower pollinated = 0 fruits, (1 aborted.)
#332 Yucca filamentosa X #1461 Yucca glauca, 12 flowers pollinated = 6 fruits. (6 aborted)
#1461 Yucca glauca X #49 Yucca flaccida, 6 flowers pollinated = 1 fruits (5 aborted, four of these were 11 to 12 days before they aborted!?)

If  you want an update on the above hybrids look at the page about Yucca hybrids.

--
Fruits on  #49 Yucca flaccida
August 18th. 2003.
Photo by Benny Moeller Jensen ©2003-2005.

I look very much forward to see the outcome of all the new hybrids, but I do not expect flowers in the new hybrid until 2010 at the earliest!

Type location:
Cult. apud Dom. Vere ante 1816. (based on plants cultivated in England.) (read Steve Jankalski's comments to Hardycacti_etc)

Neo Type:
USA, Georgia, Mt. Arabia, 300 m., 7 nov. 2000, Fritz Hochstätter, fh 1182.16, Boise State University, Idaho, (SRP).

Distribution:
Asherville, North Carolina and Anniston, Alabama, in and near the mountains.

Notes 1:
This species and the species Yucca filamentosa (which it is often confused with) is often naturalized in areas where it didn't original grow. This naturalization is probably already started before Columbus did find the new world, while native americans has probably grow Yuccas near their homes so they have had easy access to the leaves for fibers and to the roots for soap.

Short description of the species:
Acaulescent, spreading by stolons (rhizomes see fig. 1.), sometimes the stolons are 30 cm long or more!
leaves: thin, flexible, the outer almost always recurved, 10 to 40 mm wide (sometimes wider in forma glaucescens!), elongate lanceolate, very gradually long attenuate, mostly plicate, with fine long rather straight thin marginal fibers Panicle: Mostly pubescent, 120 to 200 cm tall (maybe taller I haven't been able to find any information on the height of the inflorescens in the literature!). Occasional simple racemen are produced from smaller rosettes when the main rosette if flowering. Fruit: Maturing capsule dull grayish green, the carpels variously and irregularly flattened in places, as if saved off with a knife; when ripe, broad, usually constricted, and mostly flaring above. The young fruit it has an angular back, 50 to 70 mm long. Seeds: black, rather dull. large 7-8 x 8-10 mm.

Picture of the flower, (86 KB) (each square is 1 x 1 mm.)

Hardiness:
Yucca flaccida is one of the three most hardy species, but the leaves don't like too much wind or they get easily
damaged. In very wet winters I have seen that the center of the rosette is killed, but under normal winters there are rarely any
damages.

Notes 2:

This is the most common species in cultivation in Europe., It's very often confused with Yucca filamentosa which very rarely is cultivated anywhere! Most plants sold in Europe as Yucca filamentosa is Yucca flaccida!!!!!

Fig. 2. (each square is 1 x 1 mm ) part of flower and branch of the panicle of Yucca flaccida.

One of the ways to see if you have a Yucca flaccida or a Yucca filamentosa is to see if the flowers stem is pubescent (with fine hairs, see fig. 2.) or if it's smooth (with out fine hairs), Yucca flaccida is pubescent!

Take a look at Benny's "key" to the Yucca filamentosa & Yucca flaccida complex.
 
 

The most common form cultivated in the US may be the form Yucca flaccida forma glaucescens (fig 3.) i have only recently got seeds of this one an I look forward to sow those, as it's surely a beautiful form.

.

For more pictures look at the pages with my own plants.

My own plants:
# 49. Yucca flaccida.
# 817 Yucca flaccida ' Golden Sword ' This one may be Yucca filamentosa ssp. smalliana 'Golden Sword' ?
# 818, Yucca flaccida 'Bright Edge'. This one may be Yucca filamentosa ssp. smalliana 'Bright Edge' ?
#1364 Yucca sp. (flaccida or filamentosa?) growing in Ohio.
#1413 Yucca flaccida, From Landlyst plantecenter, Hjoerring, Denmark. (bought as Yucca filamentosa) (planted 2000)
#1440 Yucca flaccida, from a friend in Viborg, Denmark (received as Yucca filamentosa) (planted 2000)
#1334 Yucca flaccida forma glaucescens, sown 2000, seeds collected in a garden in Ashland Illinois.
#1468 Yucca flaccida forma glaucescens, from a garden in Virginia. (received as seeds 2000, will be sown in 2002)
#1338 Yucca flaccida, Pennsylvania, Pockono Mts., fh 1180.87, sown 2000, this one should be native to Pockono mts.?

Reference:
BAKER, Saunders Refug. Bot. 5: t.324 (1872) (Yucca filamentosa sensu Baker)  = Yucca flaccida
BAKER, Saunders Refug. Bot. 5: t.325 (1872) (Yucca filamentosa var. grandiflora) = Yucca flaccida
BAKER, Curtis's Bot. Mag. 103: t.6316 (1887) (Yucca orchioidesvar. major)  = Yucca flaccida
BAKER, J. G., Linnean Society Bot. Journal. Vol. 18:228 (1881) (Yucca filamentosa var. glaucescens Haw.)  = Yucca flaccida
BAKER, J. G., Linnean Society Bot. Journal. Vol. 18:228 (1881) (Yucca filamentosa var. flaccida Haw.)  = Yucca flaccida
BAKER, J. G., Linnean Society Bot. Journal. Vol. 18:228 (1881) (Yucca filamentosa var. laevigata Engelm.)
BAKER, J. G., Linnean Society Bot. Journal. Vol. 18:228 (1881) (Yucca filamentosa var. orchioides Carr) = Yucca flaccida
BAKER, J. G., Linnean Society Bot. Journal. Vol. 18:228 (1881) (Yucca filamentosa var. flaccida Haw.) = Yucca flaccida
BAKER, J. G., Linnean Society Bot. Journal. Vol. 18:228 (1881) (Yucca filamentosa var. puberula Haw.)  = Yucca flaccida
CARRIERE, Revue Horticole 8:555, fig. 119,120. (Yucca filamentosa var. flaccida Haw.) = Yucca flaccida
CARRIERE, Revue Horticole :369 fig 89 -90 (1861) (Yucca filamentosa var. orchioides Carriere)  = Yucca flaccida
CARRIERE, Revue Horticole :370, fig. 89-90 (1861) (Yucca orchioides)  = Yucca flaccida
Engelmann, Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 3: 52 (1873), (Yucca filamentosa var. flaccida)
FERNALD, Rhodora 46: 5-8. plate 808, 809 (1944). (Yucca filamentosa Linn. = Yucca flaccida )
FERNALD, M. L., Rhodora 46(541): 1-21, (1944), (description, p. 8, photo fig. 1) = Yucca smalliana
HOCHSTAETTER, F., Kaktusbluete 18 :11 (2001) (Yucca filamentosa ssp. smalliana)
HOCHSTAETTER, F., Kaktusbluete 18 :11-12 (2001) (Yucca flaccida)
Haworth, Suppl. Pl. Succ. 34 (1819) (Yucca flaccida)
Haworth, Suppl. Pl. Succ. 34 (1819) (Yucca glaucescens)  = Yucca flaccida
Haworth, Phil. Mag. (ser. 2) 3: 186 (1828) (Yucca puberula)  = Yucca flaccida
HAWORTH, Phil. Mag (ser. 2) 3:186 (1828) (Yucca filamentosa var. puberula Haw.)  = Yucca flaccida
HAWORTH, Synopsis Plantarum  Succulentarum suppl. 34: (1819) (Yucca filamentosa var. flaccida Haw. )  = Yucca flaccida
HAWORTH, Synopsis Plantarum  Succulentarum suppl. 35: (1819) (Yucca filamentosa var. glaucescens Haw.)  = Yucca flaccida
Jankalski, Steve, Email to Hardycacti_etc Wed, 24 Nov. 1999 13:11:30 -0800 (PST):
LINDLEY, Edward's Botanical Register 22: t.1895 (1836) (Yucca filamentosa var. flaccida Haw)   = Yucca flaccida
McDaniel, J.C. (1975) (Cact. & Succ. Journal. Amer. 47 (3): 110-111, 2 figs.)
Rehder, Journal. Arnold Arbor. 1: 193 (1920) (Yucca flaccida var. major )  = Yucca flaccida
Sims, Curtis's Bot. Mag. 53: t.2662 (1826) (Yucca glauca Sims not Nuttall in Fraser (1813) )
SWEET, Brit. Flow. Gard. T. 21 (Yucca filamentosa var. puberula Haw.)  = Yucca flaccida
TRELEASE, Rept. Mo. Bot. Gard. 13: 52 (1902) (Yucca flaccida var. grandiflora)  = Yucca flaccida
TRELEASE, Rept. Mo. Bot. Gard. 13: 50-51 (1902) (Yucca flaccida fa. orchioides)  = Yucca flaccida
TRELEASE,  Rept. Mo. Bot. Gard. 13: 50-51, pl. 12-15, 17 (1902) (Yucca filamentosa var. glaucescens Trelease)   = Yucca flaccida
TRELEASE, Rept. Mo. Bot. Gard. 13: 51-52 (1902) )Yucca flaccida var. integra)  = Yucca flaccida
TRELEASE, Rept. Mo. Bot. Gard. 13: 52 (1902) (Yucca flaccida var. grandiflora)  = Yucca flaccida
Voss, Vilmorin Blumengarten (ed. 3) 1: 1057 (1895) (Yucca filamentosa fa. flaccida)  = Yucca flaccida
Voss, Vilmorin Blumengarten (ed. 3) 1: 1057 (1895) (Yucca filamentosa fa. glaucescens)  = Yucca flaccida
Voss, Vilmorin Blumengarten (ed. 3) 1: 1057 (1895) (Yucca filamentosa fa. puberula)  = Yucca flaccida
Voss, Vilmorin Blumengarten (ed. 3) 1: 1057 (1895) (Yucca filamentosa fa. orchioides)  = Yucca flaccida
 

From an Email by Steve Jankalski to Hardycacti_etc Wed, 24 Nov. 1999 13:11:30 -0800 (PST):

"Yucca flaccida Haworth, Supplementarum Plantarum Succulentarum 34 (1819) Type: Cult. apud Dom. Vere ante 1816. (based on plants cultivated in England.) icones: Lindley in Edward's Botanical Register 22: t.1895 (1836) Haworth distinguished it from Y. filamentosa L. with the following statement: " A precedentibus differt, foliis omnino flaccidis debilibus, planioribus, mollioribus, a tactu solum facillime distniguitur." Lindley (1836) states: "Native country unknown. It was first noticed in the garden of Mr. Vere, of Kensington Gore, where it had probably been raised from North American seed." Although Lindley (1836) describes the inflorescence of Y. flaccida Haworth as being glabrous, Baker (1870) cites the illustration under species and describes the inflorescence as being pubescent ."

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