How to grow yuccas in any garden

With their erect, sword-like leaves radiating in all directions from the plant's base, yuccas are associated with the American Southwest, but they can find a place in any landscape. To ensure these hardy and attractive plants perform well in your garden, read on.

These architectural garden plants are incredibly easy to grow and have many attractive features. Here are some characteristics to look for:

• The broad, stiff, evergreen leaves are usually green and may have loose filaments along the edges that shred into interesting curlicues
• Some fancy cultivars boast leaves variegated in cream, white or gold.
• Yucca filamentos 'Garland's Gold' is banded with yellow
• Y. flaccid 'Golden Sword' has yellow stripes
• Most yuccas grow several feet tall and make a statement even before they send up their summer flower stalks, which can reach 1.8 metres (six feet)

• For small gardens, there are scaled-down cultivars that stand a mere 60 centimetres (25 inches) tall, such as Y. filamentos 'Bright Edge', whose green leaves have broad yellow edges
• Yuccas tolerate almost any soil and weather conditions, including sand and salt spray near well-travelled roads and the seashore
• Because of their drought tolerance, yuccas are perfect for garden spots that are out of hose and sprinkler range
• Yuccas' ability to make do with what nature dishes out makes them ideal for weekend gardeners
• They excel in large pots, surviving for several hot summer days without watering
• Their evergreen foliage will mark the end of a path or driveway even in snowy winter
• Space yuccas a comfortable distance from high-traffic areas because their leaf tips are pointed
• Pair yuccas with other plants that love heat, drought and sun. White-flowered zinnias combined with green-and-white variegated yuccas make a striking match. Yuccas with leaves striped in yellow combine well with chartreuse-flowered euphorbias
• Use a line of yuccas as a hedge or low, prickly barrier to discourage human or animal intruders, or mix them in foundation plantings under windows

Yuccas form tough, long-lived plants that send up leaves from a central base, or crown.

• In spring, just as new growth begins, plant yuccas one metre (three feet) apart in full sun, in very well-drained soil
• Excellent drainage is important because root rot, which develops in soggy soil, is one of the few problems to pester yuccas
• Dig the planting hole as deep as the nursery container and twice as wide
• When planting in heavy clay soil, improve the drainage in the planting hole by digging in enough coarse sand and organic matter, such as compost, to make the soil crumbly
• Plant in groups of three to five to make the plants a focal point in a landscape
• In a small garden, a single plant will serve as an accent
• To establish new plants quickly, water and fertilize with a balanced fertilizer according to package directions
• After initial pampering, leave yuccas growing in the ground untended
• For a neat appearance, remove old, discoloured leaves and old flowering stalks while wearing heavy gloves to protect against the pointed leaves
• If plants become overcrowded after several years, thin them in spring or fall, wearing protective goggles and gloves

The unique look and hardy character of yuccas make them a welcome addition to your landscaping. As an added bonus, their thick, prickly leaves effectively repel pests of both insect and four-footed varieties. Follow these pointers to get yuccas growing in your garden.