Golden Sword Yucca Plant – A Comprehensive Guide to Growing
Golden Sword Yucca (Yucca filamentosa ‘Golden Sword’). Photo courtesy the author.The Golden Sword Yucca ( Yucca fil Sword’) could simply be called yucca, but its diva-like appearance and rock-hard constitution mean that it is just as likely to be called queen of the desert gardeners. This plant is a great choice for anyone who wants a low-maintenance drought-tolerant foliage plant that gives off the vibe that you put in some serious effort (instead of very little). It is a welcome addition to any collection of classic succulents and is drought-tolerant and low-maintenance. This article provides an overview of the Golden Sword Yucca, covering its origins and characteristics, and then provides detailed care instructions to ensure that they thrive in your garden or landscape.
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Understanding the Golden Sword Yucca
The Golden Sword Yucca belongs to the species Yucca filamentosa, a North American native plant of the SW United States and the SE United States. The Golden Sword Yucca has several spectacular features, namely its green-and-bright-yellow leaves that look like swords. The contrast of both colours creates an eye-catching effect in gardens regardless of whether this specimen is the centre of the landscape design or part of a larger landscape design.
Characteristics of the Golden Sword Yucca
Because the Golden Sword Yucca is such a distinct plant. The usual height of the Golden Sword Yucca is 2 to 3 feet, with a width of 3 to 4 feet. It doesn’t get terribly big for an address-worthy garden. The bitter-tasting, arching, sword-tipped leaves spring up from a central rosette, each leaf with bright yellow margins against a deep green centre.
It’s not just the foliage that makes the Golden Sword Yucca a garden standout. In late spring to midsummer, the plant grows up to 4 to 6ft tall spikes with clusters of creamy white bell-shaped flowers on them.
Hardiness and Climate Tolerance
The Golden Sword Yucca is also wonderfully hardy, which means that it can be grown in a wide variety of climates. Its selection of USDA hardiness zones, 4 through 10, qualifies it to thrive in a large portion of the US. A great plant for regions with hot, dry summers, it is very drought-tolerant after it has become well established in the landscape. But it can also survive colder temperatures, handling winter chills of -20°F (-29°C) with only minimal damage.
Drought Tolerance and Soil Preferences
Golden Sword Yucca also exhibits extreme drought tolerance. It is well-suited for dry landscaping because it can grow and thrive with very little water when established – making Golden Sword Yucca an exceptional plant for xeriscaping or water-wise gardening. Plants prefer well-draining soil but do well in sandy, loam and even clay soils providing they are not waterlogged.
Planting the Golden Sword Yucca
Planting your Golden Sword Yucca properly helps make sure it’s happy and healthy. Here’s how to make sure your plant gets off to a successful start in your landscape.
Choosing the Right Location
Where should we plant mine? The first must is to choose a proper site: Yucca rostrata likes full sun. It will accept a minimum of six hours of direct sun per day to retain its colourful foliage, and it can take on some partial shade. It’s not unusual, however, for it to grow leggy in the shade and remain covered in yellow margins only on the tops of the rosettes.
Pick a sunny spot in your garden with well-draining soil: yuccas won’t tolerate root rot if planted in waterlogged soil. If you have heavy clay soil in your garden, amend it with sand or gravel before adding the soil to your yucca to improve the drainage or plant your yucca in a raised garden bed.
Planting Instructions
Step 1: Nursery Pot Despite appearing large when purchased, the Golden Sword Yucca that you can sow into your garden will either be gasping for space in a hoop or be accentuated on a pedestal pedestal, depending on the style of your home. When planting your home, water it thoroughly, especially if the soil is stony and dry. After irrigation, dig a hole that is twice as wide and slightly deeper than the root ball of your Golden Sword Yucca, ensuring that the soil is loose and well-aerated.
Planting: Set the yucca into the planting hole so that the top of the root ball is at the surface of the surrounding soil. Refill the planting hole with the excavated soil, firming it down to eliminate air pockets.
Watering: Water after planting and settle the soil on the roots. Yucca is generally tolerant of long periods of drought but should be watered regularly during establishment. Don’t overwater.
Mulching: Apply a 2in (5cm) layer of mulch around the plant’s base to help maintain moisture and prevent weeds. Don’t pile it up against the stem or it may encourage rot.
Caring for the Golden Sword Yucca
Established cream ‘Golden Sword’ Yucca is virtually maintenance-free – THIS is the ornamental you need if you are a ‘low-effort, high-impact’ gardener! The following care tips will keep your yucca healthy and useful.
Watering Needs
The Golden Sword Yucca is very drought tolerant, but does appreciate a bit of water now and then, especially if your region experiences drawn out dry spells. Water deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out before watering again. Don’t overwater, as this can result in root rot.
Fertilization
This yucca is not a heavy feeding plant and does not necessarily need to be fertilised on an annual basis. You may apply a balanced, slow-release fertiliser in the spring to promote vigorous foliar growth and brilliant foliage. Do not use high-nitrogen fertilisers – such additions may stimulate excessive leafy growth at the expense of flowers.
Pruning and Maintenance
Golden Sword yuccas are low-maintenance plants with minimum pruning needs. Cut off dead or damaged leaves as they appear, and cut them at the base, using sterilised garden shears. Wait until the flower stalks on your yucca have finished flowering, and then cut off the dead stalks to keep your yucca looking well-groomed.
If your yucca grows too large or starts to produce offsets (baby plants) around the base of the plant, you can divide the parent plant in early spring or fall. Carefully dig up the yucca, then remove and replant the offsets some distance from the parent plant.
Pest and Disease Control
It’s fairly resistant to pests, but can be affected by common garden pests such as aphids, scale and spider mites. Check your Yucca for signs of attack (discoloured or misshapen leaves) weekly, and treat any problems with insecticidal soap or neem; you can dilute horticultural oil based on the strength of your infestation.
For diseases, root rot is most common. This usually occurs when you overwater your yucca or the soil retains too much water (because the drainage is poor). To prevent root rot, plant them in a pot that has very good drainage and avoid overwatering. To treat root rot, if your plant has yellowed leaves or a soft, squishy base, symptoms of root rot, you’ll want to dig up the plant, chop away the affected areas of root tissue, and then replant it in new, fresh soil.
Landscaping with the Golden Sword Yucca
The vegetative nature of Golden Sword Yucca makes it a versatile plant. A formal garden bed with dynamic contrasting images can benefit from this plant’s bold, sculptural form. Plant it as a specimen in a circular garden bed and allow it to show off its architectural qualities; then fill out the bed with repeating plants that nestle under its dramatic greenery.