Yucca gigantea

Natural range and background

Yucca gigantea is native from central Mexico through Central America, where it grows in seasonally dry tropical regions.

The older name Yucca elephantipes is still common on plant labels.

Care at home

• Light: Place it in very bright light. Gentle direct sun is suitable once the plant has adjusted gradually to it.
• Watering: Let much of the potting mix dry and wait until the pot feels lighter, then water thoroughly and let it drain.
• Potting mix: Use a well-draining potting mix with coarse perlite, pumice or grit mixed through it.
• Temperature: Normal indoor warmth suits the plant. Bring patio plants indoors before temperatures approach 10 °C.
• Humidity & airflow: Average household humidity is suitable. Keep some air moving around the leafy crowns.
• Feeding: While new leaves are growing, give a balanced liquid fertiliser about once a month at the rate on the label.
• Repotting: Repot when roots fill the pot, water starts draining slowly or the stems make the plant unstable. Use a sturdy pot with clear drainage holes.
• Propagation: Root stem sections or shoots from the base in a light, well-draining mix. Use clean tools when taking cuttings.

Common problems and fixes

• Lower leaves yellow and the stem base softens: The roots have stayed wet for too long. Improve drainage, inspect the roots and cut away rotten tissue back to firm healthy tissue with a clean, disinfected tool.
• New leafy crowns become pale or lean strongly toward the window: The plant needs brighter, more even light. Move it gradually into a brighter position and rotate the pot.
• Leaf tips and edges turn brown: Dry soil, a buildup of fertiliser or cold drafts can cause brown edges. Check the soil moisture. If fertiliser has built up, run plenty of clean water through the pot. Choose a spot with steady temperatures.
• Cottony clusters, sticky residue or small brown bumps appear: Check for mealybugs, aphids or scale. Remove visible pests and use a labelled treatment, repeating it as directed on the label.
• Brown spots enlarge across the leaves: Leaf spot can affect yuccas. Remove heavily affected leaves, water at soil level and keep the foliage dry and maintain good airflow around the leafy crowns.

If you need help identifying a problem, send us clear photos of the whole plant and the affected area. Include the soil or potting mix around the roots.

Yucca gigantea is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• It contains saponins that can irritate the mouth and digestive tract.
• Chewing may cause drooling, vomiting, stomach pain, reduced appetite or weakness. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop.

Who first published Yucca gigantea, and what does the name mean?

Yucca comes from a historical misapplication of the Taíno word yuca, meaning cassava. The Latin epithet gigantea means gigantic and refers to the species' eventual tree-like size.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Yucca in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 319.

Charles Lemaire first described Yucca gigantea in 1859 in L’Illustration Horticole, volume 6, issue Misc., page 91.