Adam’s Needle Yucca Seeds (Yucca filamentosa) – Evergreen perennial with sword-like leaves and tall white flower spikes. Thrives in dry, sunny landscapes.

Minimum: 20+ Seeds

Bring timeless beauty and durability to your landscape with Adam’s Needle Yucca (Yucca filamentosa) — a striking evergreen perennial known for its sword-like leaves, impressive white flower spikes, and unmatched drought tolerance. Native to the southeastern United States, this classic species embodies both rugged resilience and ornamental grace, thriving in full sun, sandy soils, and challenging climates where few plants flourish.

This architectural beauty forms a low-growing rosette of stiff, blue-green leaves that remain vibrant year-round. Each summer, mature plants send up tall flower stalks up to 6 feet high, crowned with clusters of creamy, bell-shaped blooms that sway gently in the breeze — a magnet for pollinators, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects. Whether used as a focal point, border accent, or erosion control planting, Adam’s Needle offers lasting structure and elegance in every season.

🌵 A Native Icon of Strength and Simplicity

Yucca filamentosa, commonly called Adam’s Needle, gets its name from the fibrous leaf threads — or “filaments” — that curl gracefully along each blade’s edge. These natural fibers give the plant a distinctive, textural appearance while paying homage to its long history of utility among Indigenous peoples, who used the fibers for cordage, weaving, and rope-making.

This yucca’s combination of toughness and beauty makes it an enduring favorite for native plant gardens, pollinator habitats, and modern xeriscapes. Its evergreen presence ensures year-round visual appeal, while its flowers bring vertical drama and ecological value to even the driest of landscapes.

🌞 Growing & Care Guide

Botanical Name: Yucca filamentosa
Common Names: Adam’s Needle, Needle Palm, Common Yucca
Plant Type: Evergreen perennial
Lifespan: Long-lived (decades under proper care)
USDA Zones: 4–10

☀️ Light Requirements

• Prefers full sun (at least 6–8 hours daily).

• Tolerates light shade but may produce fewer blooms.

🌡️ Temperature & Hardiness

• Incredibly hardy; tolerates both freezing winters and intense summer heat.

• Resistant to wind, drought, and poor soil.

💧 Water

• Low water needs once established.

• Water young plants until rooted, then allow soil to dry between waterings.

• Overwatering can lead to rot — this is a true desert survivor.

🌱 Soil

• Grows best in sandy, gravelly, or rocky soil with excellent drainage.

• Tolerates clay and poor soils if drainage is improved.

• pH adaptable — thrives in neutral to slightly alkaline conditions.

🌾 Fertilizer

• Minimal feeding required.

• Optional: a light application of slow-release cactus fertilizer in spring.

🌸 Planting Instructions

1. Seed Preparation:

   • For improved germination, lightly scarify the seeds with fine sandpaper and soak in warm water for 24 hours before planting.

2. Sowing Depth:

   • Sow seeds about ¼ inch deep in a sandy, well-draining mix.

3. Germination Conditions:

   • Keep at 70–80°F (21–27°C) with indirect light.

   • Maintain gentle, consistent moisture — not wet soil.

   • Germination typically occurs in 3–5 weeks.

4. Transplanting:

   • When seedlings have 3–4 true leaves, transplant them into individual containers or directly into their permanent sunny location.

   • Space plants 2–3 feet apart to allow mature spread.

🌍 Ecological & Functional Benefits

• 🌸 Pollinator Friendly: Flowers attract bees, hummingbirds, and the yucca moth (Tegeticula yuccasella), its specialized pollinator.

• 🪶 Wildlife Value: Provides nesting habitat for small birds and shelter for lizards.

• 🌱 Erosion Control: Deep roots stabilize soil in dry slopes and sandy environments.

• 💧 Drought Resilient: Thrives on minimal water; ideal for waterwise gardening.

• 🌾 Low Maintenance: Nearly pest-free, fire-resistant, and tolerant of neglect.

🌼 Design & Landscape Uses

With its sculptural shape and vertical flowering spikes, Adam’s Needle Yucca makes a bold statement in any design — from modern minimalist landscapes to wildlife-friendly native plantings. Its clean lines pair beautifully with grasses, sedums, cacti, and agaves, adding structure and contrast year-round.

Perfect For:

• Xeriscapes & dry gardens

• Pollinator & native habitats

• Rock gardens and slopes

• Coastal or sandy soils

• Low-maintenance borders and entryways

• Architectural accents in containers or courtyards

🌿 Propagation & Longevity

• From Seed: Reliable germination when pre-soaked.

• From Division: Mature plants form clumps that can be separated in spring.

• Longevity: Often lives 20+ years with little care once established.

⚙️ Quick Care Summary

• Light: Full sun

• Water: Low, drought-tolerant

• Soil: Sandy, rocky, well-draining

• Height: 2–3 ft foliage, 5–6 ft in bloom

• Zones: 4–10

• Maintenance: Minimal

• Wildlife: Excellent pollinator plant

🌿 Why Choose Adam’s Needle Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)?

• Native, resilient, and architectural — perfect for sustainable gardens

• Adds vertical drama and year-round evergreen appeal

• Drought-proof, pest-resistant, and virtually maintenance-free

• Symbolizes endurance, strength, and natural beauty

• An excellent choice for eco-conscious landscapes and collectors of native species

🌾 A Living Sculpture for Every Season

Few plants combine strength, elegance, and ecological value like Adam’s Needle Yucca (Yucca filamentosa). With its spiky foliage, striking flower spikes, and unshakable resilience, it stands as a living sculpture that transforms even the driest corner into a thriving, low-maintenance sanctuary.

Whether you’re crafting a waterwise garden, restoring native prairie, or adding bold texture to a modern landscape, Adam’s Needle is a timeless statement of nature’s artistry — enduring, dependable, and breathtakingly beautiful.