Even though Yuccas are usually sold as simple green houseplants, they actually have a hidden talent: they produce absolutely stunning flowers! When a Yucca decides to bloom, it puts on quite a show with an impressive floral spike. Just a heads-up, though—if you’re keeping one strictly as an indoor plant, don’t hold your breath for flowers. Your odds are much better with the varieties planted out in the garden.
Common Varieties
Yucca plants (often called Spanish Bayonets or Adam’s Needles) produce gorgeous white blossoms. However, whether or not you’ll actually see them depends heavily on the specific variety and how you’re growing it.
Spineless Yucca (Yucca elephantipes)
- The flower stalk grows directly out of the foliage.
- Reaches about 20 to 40 inches in height.
- Features dense branching.
- Individual flowers are about 2 inches long and nearly an inch wide.
- White, bell-shaped, and nodding (hanging downward).
- Bloom time: August to September.
Adam’s Needle (Yucca filamentosa)
- The flower spike emerges from the center of the leaves.
- Can reach a massive 6 to 10 feet tall!
- The branches and flowers sit high above the foliage.
- Individual flowers can be up to 3 inches in diameter.
- White to creamy-white, bell-shaped, and nodding.
- Bloom time: June to July.
Moundlily Yucca (Yucca gloriosa)
- The flower stalk starts within the leaf cluster.
- Grows between 20 and 55 inches tall.
- Very densely branched.
- Individual flowers are about 1.5 inches in diameter.
- White to creamy-white, bell-shaped, and nodding.
- Bloom time: Fall.
Blooming as a Houseplant
If you’re growing a Yucca—especially the *Yucca elephantipes*—strictly as an indoor plant, seeing a flower is pretty rare. They can be a bit stubborn about blooming when kept inside year-round. However, you can seriously boost your chances if:
- You let the plant spend its summer vacation outside on the balcony or patio.
- You give it a “chilling period” in a cooler room during the winter.
Blooming in the Garden
Believe it or not, some Yucca varieties are tough enough to handle winter outdoors. *Yucca filamentosa* is a great example. If you give it a nice sunny spot and the right care, it’s actually quite a reliable bloomer that will reward you with flowers every year.
The *Yucca gloriosa* is another prolific bloomer, though it’s slightly less cold-hardy. It can handle temperatures down to about -4°F (-20°C), but if the forecast calls for anything colder, you’ll definitely want to give it some winter protection.
One last thing to keep in mind: both of these garden Yuccas usually need to be about ten years old before they start flowering. It takes a little patience, but the spectacular show is well worth the wait!
