Yucca schidigera

Common Names

Mojave Yucca, Spanish Dagger, Mohave Yucca

Summary

Mojave Yucca is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, forming dense rosettes of sword-shaped leaves 30–150 cm long with margins bearing white filaments and sharp terminal spines, and producing a tall panicle of white to cream bell-shaped flowers that creates a striking, architectural desert silhouette. Pollination is by a yucca moth, a specialized mutualism that supports seed production and wildlife interactions.

Preferring full sun and very well-drained soils, it is extremely drought-tolerant and requires only light, infrequent watering once established; maintenance is minimal, with pruning limited to removing wilted flower stems, and propagation by seed or offsets; it is slow-growing but long-lived and may resprout after fire. Uses include leaf fibers for rope and mats, edible flowers and fruits, and roots used as a soap substitute; modern extracts provide natural surfactants and are used in animal feed, cosmetics, and related products.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3 ft 3 in - 16 ft 5 in

Spread

3-5 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 9-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun (at least 6 hours/day).

Soil Type

Well-drained sandy or rocky soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

6–8

Bloom Color

Cream to white, sometimes purple-tinged

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Yellow-green to blue-green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen needle

Growth Rate

Slow growth; 1–2.6 cm/year

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Root cuttings, Stem cuttings, Division (basal offsets / rhizome-based), Offshoots (vegetative propagation / division), Root-sprouting

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts yucca moths, butterflies, and birds