Choose a hardy Adam's needle, a spineless indoor cane, or a Spanish dagger first.
Choose a hardy Adam's needle, a spineless indoor cane, or a Spanish dagger
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| A returning hardy clump | Adam's needle | Do not treat a spineless cane as winter-hardy |
| A houseplant or patio cane | Spineless indoor cane | Do not expect a hardy needle indoors |
| A trunked, stiff screen | Spanish dagger or bayonet | Do not plant a sharp kind on a walk |
Know your USDA hardiness zone before you pick a type of yucca that will take your winter. Type your ZIP below.
2023 USDA ZIP listings (PRISM / USDA-ARS). Find Your USDA Hardiness Zone · Official USDA map.
Read the tag and match the habit you want: a hardy clump, a spineless cane, or a trunked dagger. [1] Adam's needle comes back in cold winters if the soil drains. [2] giant yucca is the indoor cane — keep it on Yucca in Pots. [3] Sun and drain for the genus are on How to Grow Yucca. Sharp kinds need a path setback on Planting Yucca.
Which yucca should I plant?
Start with hardy Adam's needle for a returning clump. Choose a spineless cane for a bright window. Choose a Spanish dagger if you want a trunked, stiff screen off the walk.
Is spineless yucca hardy outdoors?
No. The spineless cane is tender. Bring the pot in before cold nights. Hardy Adam's needle stays in the ground if the soil drains.
Browse by kind
These are the kinds in this catalog. [4] Match the habit first: hardy clump, indoor cane, or trunked dagger. Do not buy on a shop nickname alone when winter-hardiness also changes what you get.
Hardy Adam's needle
Adam's needle is the returning clump with curly threads on the leaf edge. Color Guard sits in that same hardy group, with a gold stripe.
Spanish dagger and bayonet
Spanish dagger and Spanish bayonet are trunked, stiff swords. Bright Star is a variegated dagger in the same group. Keep sharp kinds off the walk.
Spineless indoor cane
giant yucca is the spineless indoor cane. It is a houseplant, not a hardy needle you leave out in a freeze.
Beaked and tree yuccas
beaked yucca is a dry-garden tree with a blue head. Joshua tree is a desert native, not a houseplant cane.
Our Lord's Candle
Our Lord's Candle often dies after that rosette flowers. Offsets may take over the spot.
Red yucca is not a yucca
redflower false yucca is Hesperaloe. Grass-like leaves and coral tubes, not a white yucca panicle.
If the tag says only yucca, check the habit — hardy clump, indoor cane, or trunked dagger.
FAQ
Do you list banana yucca?
No. Banana yucca is Yucca baccata. We do not hold that card. Do not buy it for a grocery-root harvest.
How many kinds of yucca are there?
Shops list dozens of names. This catalog sorts by habit: hardy needle, dagger, indoor cane, tree, Our Lord's Candle, and red yucca, which is not a yucca.
Can I grow a Joshua tree indoors?
No. Joshua tree is a desert native. It is not a houseplant cane. Use spineless yucca indoors.
Is Bright Edge a separate kind?
No. Bright Edge is an Adam's needle cultivar we do not list as its own card. It sits with hardy needles, not with indoor canes.
Related guides
References
- [1] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/yucca-filamentosa/ - [2] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/yucca-gigantea/ - [3] Royal Horticultural Society -
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/yucca/growing-guide - [4] Clemson Home & Garden Information Center -
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/yucca/
This note is part of Yucca Guides.
More type comparisons by plant are gathered in Types of Plants Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors