Hardiness zones
Sunset 7-24
USDA 7-11

Landscape Use: Accent, xeriscape filler, Spanish architecture, tropical to subtropical, oasis or mixed landscape design themes

Form & Character: Evergreen, herbaceous perennial, stiff and alarming yet not dangerous like other agave species, refined

Growth Habit: Herbaceous perennial, mostly a multi branched rosette, up to 2' tall with greater spread

Foliage/texture: Elongated, slender, strap-like medium green leaves, 2.5' long by 2-3" wide, tapering to a sharp tip, somewhat bendable, loosely set on stems and sometimes revolute or twisted; coarse texture.

Flowers & fruits: Multiple extended slender panicles of cream colored flowes to 5' tall. Twisted leaf yucca is monocarpic meaning the main rosette dies after flowering, but produces multiple offsets which extend the clump before dying. Fruits are a non ornamental capsule.

Seasonal color: Cream white flowers on slender stalks during late spring

Temperature: Heat tolerant and very cold tolerant to 0^oF

Light: Full sun in Phoenix, though will tolerate some partial shade.

Soil: Tolerant, grows best in alkaline soil.

Watering: Moderately drought tolerant and looks better with occassional summer irrigation. Excessive dry soil causes leaf yellowing.

Pruning: Remove spent flower and fruiting stalks only.

Propagation: Seed (soak seed in tepid water for 24 hours before sowing to shorten germination period), offsets, and root cuttings

Disease and pests: None

Additional comments: This is a great low growing and clumping yucca of many uses in xeric and oasis landscape design themes in Phoenix. The species name "rupicola" means "living near rocks". Y. rupicola hybridizes easily with Y. pallida resulting in offspring with gray-blue with twisted leaves that bears the comon name blue twist yucca.