It shares the same mounded clumps of stiff, sword-shaped leaves with all the other varieties of yucca.
Yucca baccata often grows with sagebrush, pinyon juniper, orponderosa pinein its natural environment.
It is a slow-growing plant that is best planted in the spring.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The banana yucca is non-invasive.
The plants generally remain stemless but can form in large clusters.
Its blue-green leaves, which are concave on top and convex underneath, create a large rosette.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
However, be aware that yucca is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.
Banana Yucca Care
The yucca baccata requires very little water and practically no maintenance.
It can take several years for the plant to bloom, however.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
These plants are probably not the best choice if you have kids or pets.
Light
The banana yucca grows best in either full sun or part shade.
Water
Once they are established, the yucca baccata plant will require only occasional watering.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Although these plants aredrought-tolerant, they will grow best with regular irrigation.
If the leaf tips begin turning brown, cut back on your watering.
The banana yucca will not be able to tolerate soggy conditions.
Fertilizer
Banana yucca plants can be fertilized each spring.
Just be sure to choose a balanced, slow-release fertilizer.
Potting and Repotting
Banana yucca can be planted indoorsor outdoors in a large container with potting soil.
Overwintering
Banana yucca can withstand freezing temperatures up to 15F when planted in the ground.
You should also cut back watering in the fall as you approach the colder weather.
Common Pests
Banana yucca tends to get spider mites.
Thespider mite can be eradicatedby using neem oil or chemical pesticides.
It can take several years for the plant to bloom, and it doesn’t always bloom every year.
Deadhead the flowers at the end of the bloom cycle to help the plant bloom again the following season.
Note that it can take many years for a young plant to bloom.
The yucca baccata plant, with ideal growing conditions, can live around 20 years.
The banana yucca is a slow-growing plant that will reach its maturity in about three years.
It can stay potted in a container for about five years before having to be transplanted.
The roots from yucca baccata can be used for making a natural soap or shampoo.
