Yucca 'Color Guard'

1/8/2023 4:15 pm

Yucca 'Color Guard'

 

Yucca 'Color Guard' is a variegated, evergreen succulent that is well behaved and colorful year round. In very cold years, the green lined yellow leaves take on a red cast for an extra burst of brightness. Yucca 'Color Guard' seems impervious to Georgia's extremes of heat, cold and humidity. It doesn't even seem to suffer much from the deluges that rot out many other succulents.  

 

Yucca 'Color Guard' has a pleasing round shape throughout its life and the base of it stays low to the ground throughout the years, unlike the rangy and often scraggly looking Yucca filamentosa. It gently throws up sports nearby that can be easily transplanted for a bonus plant.

 

The leaves of Y. 'Color Guard' are not nearly as rigid and sharp as those of Y. filamentosa either. You can get a little jab here and there when working close to the plant, but nothing likely to send you in search of triple antibiotics and bandages. Plus its green and mellow yellow foliage blends well with other plants.

 

Yucca 'Color Guard' can grow to about 3-4' w x 3' h.  It thrives in sun and part sun, reaching its biggest size in full sun. Although it can flower, I've never seen one in ten plus years on multiple plants in all kinds of conditions.  Even without flowering, Yucca 'Color Guard' provides a year round architectural burst of sunshine in the garden especially when the garden needs it most -- in winter and on grey, rainy days.  - Liane Schleifer