Twist Leaf Yucca, Blue (Yucca rupicola x pallida)

Key Characteristics

• Foliage: Hybridizes from the twisting leaves of Y. rupicola and the paler color of Y. pallida, often resulting in gray-blue, twisted leaves. 
• Flowers: Produces creamy white, bell-shaped flowers on tall stalks in late spring or early summer. 
• Growth Habit: Forms a compact, clumping rosette of leaves, growing to about 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. 
• Habitat: Native to the Edwards Plateau region of central Texas, it favors rocky, well-drained soils and can be found in grasslands, open woodlands, and under the shade of mesquite and oak trees. 

Care and Maintenance

• Light: Prefers full sun to filtered or part shade. 
• Soil: Requires well-drained soil, including sand, loam, rocky, and caliche types. 
• Water: Needs low to moderate water, as it is drought-tolerant once established. 
• Maintenance: Low to moderate maintenance is required. Dead leaves can be trimmed, and spent flower stalks can be removed after blooming or left for visual interest. 

Ecological Benefits

• Wildlife: Attracts pollinators like butterflies and bees. 
• Larval Host: Serves as a food source for the Yucca giant skipper butterfly.
• Edible: The fruits and flowers of the hybrid are edible, though the foliage is not.