Twistleaf Yucca (Yucca pallida)
Description
Yucca pallida, sometimes called pale yucca, is a species of yucca native to Northern Mexico and parts of the blackland prairies of northern and central Texas, and notable for its light-colored leaves that range from a pale blue-gray to sage-green in color. The rosettes average 20-50 cm tall and 30-80 cm in diameter, with leaves 15-40 cm long and 2-3 cm wide, being widest around the midpoint. The rosettes sit directly on the ground, with little or no trunk. The leaves have a yellow to brown terminal spine, and are generally flat, possibly with some waviness or rolling along the edges. The inflorescence is a panicle, 1-2.5 m tall, with up to 100 bell-shaped flowers, each 5-7 cm long, with color ranging from light green to cream. Yucca pallida is known to hybridize with Yucca rupicola Scheele, which has a similar appearance, but whose leaves are more twisted and curved. Although not common in horticulture, its color, size, and moderate hardiness (down to -18 -C or 0 -F) make it a good gardening alternative to other species of yuccas.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Liliopsida
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Order: Asparagales
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Family: Asparagaceae
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Genus: Yucca
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