Color Guard Yucca
Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard'
Eva on why Color Guard Yucca earns its place in any firewise, water-wise, or high-altitude garden.
Water needs
Very low once established
Hardiness
Zone 4 – 11
Bloom
Early summer · creamy white
Firewise
Yes — low fuel volume
If there were ever a plant designed for this moment, it might be Color Guard Yucca. Its rosette of sword-shaped leaves carries a broad central stripe of brilliant gold against deep green, edged with the delicate curling filaments that give the species its name.
In cooler months the gold centres take on rose overtones, and in early summer a sturdy flowering stalk rises three to four feet, bearing nodding creamy white blooms. Drought tolerant once established, it adapts readily to lean, well-drained soils and asks very little in the way of supplemental water.
The photo above makes the Color Guard look pretty spiky but it is actually less pokey than other yucca varieties, with soft, flexible leaves.
Yucca filamentosa in bloom. The Color Guard variety carries a bold gold central stripe not shown here.
One tip worth keeping in mind
If your yucca is looking a little sad, overwatering is almost certainly the culprit. When in doubt, leave it alone — this plant is far more comfortable in dry conditions than wet ones.
Each month we pick one plant that earns its place in a southwest Colorado and Rocky Mountain landscape — for its resilience, its beauty, or both. Subscribe to the newsletter to get the next pick delivered directly.
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