Yucca Palm

Despite its common name, the yucca palm is not a palm at all but a member of the asparagus family (Asparagaceae). It is grown indoors and out for its bold, tree-like silhouette of thick canes topped by fountains of strappy green leaves.

Native to Mexico and Guatemala, Yucca elephantipes is one of the most forgiving large houseplants you can own. It thrives on neglect, tolerating bright sun, dry air, and infrequent watering, which makes it a favorite for offices and sunny rooms.

Look for these defining traits:

• Canes: thick, woody, often branched trunks that swell at the base (hence elephantipes, "elephant foot")
• Leaves: long, sword-shaped, leathery green blades up to 3 ft long, arranged in dense terminal rosettes
• Leaf tips: soft and unarmed, unlike many spiny wild yuccas
• Size: reaches 5-10 ft indoors; much taller outdoors in mild climates
• Flowers: rare indoors, but mature plants produce tall panicles of creamy bell-shaped blooms

Light: As much as you can give it; bright direct sun is ideal, though it tolerates bright indirect light.

Water: Water only when the soil has dried out, roughly every 2-3 weeks. Overwatering causes root and cane rot, the most common killer.

Soil: Fast-draining, gritty mix; add sand or perlite to standard potting soil.

Temperature: 65-80F; tolerates dry indoor air well and brief cool spells.

Feeding: Light feeding once or twice in spring and summer is plenty.

Propagation: Easy from cane cuttings or offsets; let cut ends callus before potting.

Yucca elephantipes is native to the arid and semi-arid regions of Mexico and Guatemala, where it grows in well-drained, sunny scrubland and rocky slopes.

It is widely cultivated as a landscape plant in frost-free climates such as the southern United States, the Mediterranean, and subtropical Asia, and is one of the most popular indoor "tree" plants worldwide.