934 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



so often, like Y. pendula and Y. gloriosa, 

 are magnificent if grown in the full sun 

 and in good soil. Division of the stem 

 and the rhizome. Yuccas should be 

 planted singly, beginning with healthy 

 young plants, so as to secure perfect 

 specimens. 



Y. aloifolia. A distinct species, with a stem 

 which, fully developed, is as thick as a man's 

 arm, and 6 to 18 ft. high. The numerous 

 leaves of the plant are dark green, but have a 

 slight glaucous bloom ; ascend rigidly ; are 18 

 to 21 in. long, broad at the middle, while their 

 horny margin is rolled in for 2 or 3 in. below 

 the point, and is finely toothed in the remain- 

 ing portion. The flowers are almost white, 

 borne in a vast pyramidal panicle. The plant 

 is hardy, but is not generally known to be so ; 

 it should be tried on well-drained slopes in 

 good sandy loam. The finest varieties are 

 quadricolor and versicolor with leaves variously 

 edged with green, yellow and red. They are 

 hardy, but being far from common, it is best 

 to winter them in the greenhouse with a turn 

 in the open air during summer. They look 

 pretty on Grass, the pots plunged to the rim. 

 S. America and W. Indies. 



Y. angustifolia. This is the smallest of all 

 the Yuccas. When in flower it is not more 

 than 3 ft. high. Its long strips of leaves are 

 nearly i^ ft. in length, but are not more than 

 \ in. in width. They are thick and rigid, of a 

 pale sea-green colour, and fringed with white 

 filaments. The plant bears a simple raceme 

 of white .flowers slightly tinged with yellow. 

 Till it is more plentiful it should be grown 

 in warm borders, in well-drained sandy 

 loam. It is excellent for rock-gardens. N. 

 America. 



Y. canaliculata. The leaves of this Yucca 

 are entire i.e. neither toothed nor filamentose 

 at the margin, and form a dense rosette on a 

 stem I or 2 ft. high. Each leaf is 20 to 24 in. 

 long, and 2 to i\ in. broad at the middle, 

 strong, rigid, and deeply concave. The 

 flowers are creamy-white, and borne in a large 

 panicle 4 or 5 ft. high. It is well suited 

 for isolation or groups, but, till more plentiful, 

 should be encouraged in favourable positions 

 and on warm soils. Mexico. 



Y.filamentosa. A well-known species, with 

 apple-green leaves and a much-branched 

 panicle, 4 to 6 ft. high. It varies very much 

 when raised from seed. One variety (concava] 

 has short, strong, broad leaves, which are 

 more concave than those of the type ; another 

 variety (maxima) has narrow leaves which, 

 though nearly 2 ft. long, are only 2\ in. broad. 

 It has a panicle 7 to 8 ft. high and flowers 

 with much vigour and beauty. It has a fine 

 variegated variety. This plant and its forms 

 thrive best in peaty or fine sandy soil. N. 

 America. 



Y.flaccida. A stemless species, somewhat 

 resembling the last, but smaller, with a downy 

 branching panicle, 3 or 4 ft. high, and close 

 rosettes of leaves 18 to 24 in. long, and about 



i \ in. broad at the middle. They are often 

 fringed with filaments, the young ones nearly 

 erect, and the old ones so abruptly reflexed in 

 the middle as to appear almost broken. This 

 gives such a quaint appearance that it is easily 

 distinguished from any of the varieties of 

 Y. filamentosa. It also flowers more regularly 

 and abundantly than Y. JHarnentosa, and is 

 well suited for groups of the finer hardy plants, 

 for borders, or to plant in large isolated tufts. 

 N. America. 



Y. glaucescens. A free-flowering kind, 

 with a panicle 3 or 4 ft. high, and sea-green 

 leaves, about 18 in. long, with a few fila- 

 ments on the margins. The flowers are 

 greenish-yellow, when in bud tinged with 

 pink, which gives the whole inflorescence a 

 peculiarly pleasing tone. It is a very useful 

 and ornamental sort, fine for groups, borders, 

 isolation, or for placing among low shrubs. 

 There is a pretty form with a broad band of 

 pale yellow down the middle of the leaf. N. 

 America. 



Y. gloriosa. A large and imposing Yucca 

 of distinct habit and somewhat rigid aspect. 

 Its flower-stem is over 7 ft. high, much 

 branched, and bears an immense pyramidal 

 panicle of large almost white flowers. Its 

 numerous leaves are stiff and pointed. It is 

 one of the noblest plants in our gardens, 

 suitable for almost any position. Seedlings 

 vary much, and this is a recommendation, as 

 the greater variety of fine form we have the 

 better. Its chief varieties are Y. g. longifolia, 

 plicata, maculata, glaucescens, and minor. 

 The soil should be a rich deep loam. N. 

 America. 



Y. pendula. Perhaps the best species, 

 considering its graceful habit, vigour and 

 hardiness. It grows about 6 ft. high ; its 

 leaves, at first erect and of a sea-green colour, 

 afterwards become reflexed and deep green. 

 Old established plants standing alone on the 

 grass are pictures of grace and symmetry, 

 from the lower leaves which sweep the ground 

 to the central ones that point up as straight as 

 a needle. It is amusing to think of people 

 putting tender plants in the open air, and 

 running with sheets to protect them from the 

 cold and rain of autumn and early summer, 

 while perhaps not a good specimen of this fine 

 plant is to be seen in the place. There is no 

 plant more suited for 'grouping near flower- 

 beds or for associating with them. N. 

 America. Syn. Y. recurva. 



Y. Treculeana. This species is one of the 

 most remarkable, both from its habit and from 

 the dimensions of its leaves. Like many 

 Yuccas of its family, young specimens of 

 V. Treculeana differ considerably from those 

 which have reached maturity. " Thus, while 

 the leaves of young specimens are bent, and 

 generally inflected, those of mature specimens 

 are erect, rigid, long, and straight. The 

 stem of the plant is about IO in. in diameter, 

 and furnished on all sides with leaves about 

 4 ft. long, straight, thick and deeply chan- 

 nelled very finely toothed on the edges, end- 



