A member of the agave family, the soapweed yucca is a woody-stemmed perennial with long and narrow leaves in rosettes. It is a native to the Great Plains, from Canada to Texas, and grows best in dry, rocky soil. Its natural habitat is short grass prairies and desert grasslands. The species epithet is Latin for “glaucous” and refers to the waxy bloom on the surface of the leaves. Success with soapweed yucca means giving it sharp drainage and full sun. It is very tolerant of poor or rocky soils but cannot survive in waterlogged conditions. It tolerates a broad pH range. This species is among the most cold-hardy and landscape-ready of the yucca species. Propagation can be accomplished from seeds that have been given a winter cold treatment (cold stratified). Stem cuttings, rhizomes, and offsets are additional means of propagation. It is often grown for its attractive foliage, but the flowers are a bonus. The erect inflorescence is unbranched, and the downward-facing flowers are borne close to the peduncle. The flowers attract butterflies, and it is a host plant for the yucca moth. This moth is the only insect that can successfully pollinate the yucca flower, and developing seeds are the moth larvae's only food source. In the wild, this is an important plant for wildlife and provides food and nesting for small mammals, birds and reptiles. Its roots contain saponins and are used to make soap. Crushed roots produce a lather that is great as a soap or shampoo. The common name soapweed stems from this trait. Dried leaves from this plant can be used to weave baskets, mats, and sandals. Rope is made from the extracted leaf fibers. The leaves can be used to make paint brushes and brooms. After splitting the leaves, they can be used as a tying material. The needle-sharp points of the leaves have been used as needles. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No major problems or pests.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry | Very Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Coarse
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green; White
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Other/more complex
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
A low cluster of leaves with one or more erect crowns. Sharp pointed leaves, 1 to 2½ feet long. In-rolled margins with white filaments. There is typically one cluster of leaves, occasionally two.
Flower color
Green; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Bell
Flower size
> 6 inches
Flower detail
Pendulous, greenish-white bell-shaped flowers appear on an erect stalk 3 to 4½ feet tall.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Black
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruit develops into an oblong, woody capsule with flat, glossy black, seeds.