Yucca whipplei - Our Lord's Candle

Description

This yucca produces a flowering spike 6' or more in height. Its blossoms are drooping, creamy white, 2" bells. The sharp-tipped, gray-green leaves are up to 2' long in a basal rosette. Flowering may take several years after planting to occur. This plant needs full sun and is drought tolerant. It is native to the dry slopes of southern California, but can tolerate a variety of soil and water conditions. Yucca has a long history of use by Southwest natives as a food and a medicine. It is currently used to treat arthritis and rheumatic conditions.