Yucca Plant

    Yucca Plant - please refer to plant caretag for specific variety information

Yucca gloriosa 'Variegata'

Colour - Rigid blue-green leaves are bordered with gold when new, gradually becoming rich cream. White flower blooms in summer.

Features - Striking when grouped in a low-water garden or spotted in flowering perennial beds for contrasting colour and texture. Evergreen.

Height and width - After several years, the yucca plant develops a trunk and plant becomes 120 to 150cm (4' to 5') tall and wide.

Soil and water - Best in rich (lots of organic material), moist and well drained soil. Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Once established, needs only occasional watering.

Light requirements - Plant in full sun.

Best use - Use in garden beds, borders or containers.

Growing tips - Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. Cold hardiness zones 6 to 11. Easy maintenance plant with moderate growth rate. Deer resistant.

The tropical garden

A tropical garden features tropical plants and requires good rainfall or a decent irrigation or sprinkler system for watering. These gardens typically need fertilizer and heavy mulching.

Tropical gardens are no longer exclusive to tropical areas. Many gardeners in colder climates are adopting the tropical garden design, which is possible through careful choice of plants and flowers. Main features include plants with very large leaves, vegetation that builds in height towards the back of the garden, creating a dense garden. Large plants and small trees hang over the garden, leaving sunlight to hit the ground directly.

The more your local climate differs from the natural habitat of your plants, the more challenging it can be to maintain your tropical garden. Lots of light and lots of water are key elements for success. The large leaves that feature in tropical plants require the soil to be humid at all times, so irrigation is critical depending on the specific varieties in your garden. Although be careful not to over-watering as it will cause the roots to rot.

A tropical plant that is not cold-hardy should be brought indoors during the winter and returned to the garden for the summer.