YUCCA. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



YUCCA. 



873 



from each other. The effect of well-de- 

 veloped Yuccas is equal to that of any hot- 

 house plant that we can venture to place in 

 the open air for the summer, while they 

 are green and ornamental at all seasons. 

 The free-flowering kinds, Y. filamentosa 

 and Y. flaccida, may be associated with 

 any of our nobler autumn-flowering plants, 

 from Gladiolus to the great Statice lati- 

 folia. Even species that do not flower 

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

 are magnificent if grown in the full sun 

 and planted in good soil. Division of the 

 stem and the rhizome. Yuccas should be 



Yucca. 



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, and are borne in a vast pyramidal 

 panicle. Y. aloifolia 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. Their leaves are variously 

 edged with green, yellow, and red. They 

 are hardy, but as they are yet far from 

 common, it will be best to use them in the 

 greenhouse or the conservatory, or to 

 place them in the open air during sum- 

 mer. They look very pretty when isolated 

 on the Grass, the pots being 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 \\ 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. 

 Y. angustifolia 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 2| 

 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 i\ in. broad. It 

 has a panicle 7 to 8 ft. high. Y. filamen- 

 tosa flowers with much vigour and beauty. 

 It has a fine variegated variety. All the 

 varieties of Y. filamentosa thrive best in 

 peaty or fine sandy soil. N. America. 



Y. flaccida. A stemless species, some- 

 what resembling Y. filamentosa, but 

 smaller, has a downy branching panicle, 

 3 or 4 ft. high, and bears close rosettes of 

 leaves 18 to. 24 in. long, and about \\ in. 

 broad at the middle. They are often 

 fringed with filaments, the young ones 

 nearly erect, and the old ones abruptly 

 reflexed in the middle, and appearing 

 almost broken. This gives such an 

 irregular aspect to the tufts, that it is 

 easily distinguished from any of the 

 varieties of Y. filamentosa. Y. flaccida 



