About Yucca flaccida Haw.
Yucca flaccida Haw. is a stemless evergreen shrub that reaches 55 cm (22 in) in height and spreads up to 150 cm (59 in) wide. It forms a basal rosette of sharply pointed, sword-shaped leaves that grow up to 55 cm (22 in) long. In summer, it produces 150 cm (59 in) long panicles of bell-shaped creamy white flowers that sit above its foliage. The Latin specific epithet flaccida translates to "weak" or "feeble", which refers to the species' leaves that often fold under their own weight; inner leaves may stay erect, supported by the outer leaves. Multiple species of yucca moths use Y. flaccida as a host plant to lay their eggs, with Tegeticula intermedia being one recorded example. This plant is cultivated and valued as an architectural garden plant. Numerous cultivars are available, including some with variegated leaves. Two of these cultivars, 'Golden Sword' and 'Ivory', have earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
