Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree)

Photographs

My photos:

Plant in bloom at Joshua Tree, March. Below, a young plant that has never bloomed, a bloom on a mature plant, and the whole plant.

More photos:

click photo to enlarge

Plant Information

Agavaceae

In the garden:

This evergreen will grow to a height of 40 feet. It has a stout trunk which is red-brown to gray. Leaf blades are about 1 foot in length, rigid, and lack a fibrous margin. Old dead leaves will persist for a long time unless removed manually. Care must be taken with locating this tree in the garden, as each leaf is tipped with an sharp apical spine: keep it away from walks, terraces, and other traveled areas. Flowers are waxy, large, and cream to greenish-white; they are in many branched clusters and occur after spring rains (April and May). Flowering will only occur in years with adequate rainfall and temperatures. It grows best in a dry, well drained soil such as found in a desert garden; it grows with difficulty under average garden conditions. This plant will act as a fire retardant if reasonably well watered.

In the wild:

In nature, this tree occurs on dry slopes and mesas, between 2000 and 6000 feet. Usually, each plant has a straight trunk for the first 4 feet before branching occurs; new branches occur after each flowering.

Ethnobotany:

Field Trips
Anza Borrego Caspers Holy Jim Canyon Idyllwild
Joshua Tree Mt Palomar Rancho Santa Ana Torrey Pines

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