The Yucca gloriosa or candle palm lily is also known as the outdoor Yucca. It is a woody plant that forms a trunk with age and can grow up to 2.50 m tall.
The leaves of the evergreen candle palm are grey-green to blue-green in color and sword-shaped. The edges of the leaves can be quite sharp, so you should cut off the wilted leaves and not tear them. A young candle lily does not bloom and has no trunk. It only develops over the years and then branches out more and more.
Very decorative garden plant
If your candle palm lily is a few years old, it will bloom. Its flowers give off a pleasant scent. The inflorescences are up to 1.40 m long and resemble oversized lilies of the valley, a quite impressive sight.
The candle palm lily does not need a lot of water and should be watered sparingly. It tolerates waterlogging just as little as too much rain. Therefore, a location near the house or on a wall is recommended. Please note, however, that the palm lily can reach a considerable size, with the corresponding circumference. For a very rainy area, the candle palm lily is not very well suited.
The candle palm lily in winter
Despite its origins in the rather dry southeastern United States or Mexico, the candle palm lily is hardy. It tolerates frost quite well down to about - 20 °C. However, it should be kept as dry as possible, especially in winter. In long-lasting frost or in a particularly cold area, you should protect the roots of the candle yucca from the cold. A thick layer of mulch or leaves is recommended.
The most important thing about the palm lily:
- evergreen
- Leaves slightly greyish
- up to about 2.50 m tall
- frost hardy to approx. - 20 °C
- blooms in late summer or fall
- Inflorescence up to 1.40 m long
- white, cream, or greenish bell-shaped flowers
tips and tricks
The candle palm lily is frost hardy and is ideal as a garden plant. However, it should be protected from excessive rain.