What: Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’ is a variegated evergreen shrub that’s grown for its architectural quality, as its striped, sharp-tipped, sword-shaped leaves stand out in any border or as a specimen container plant. Add to that a flower spike that can reach 6 feet or more, carrying dozens of pendulous, cream-colored flowers in summer, and you have a real showstopper. ‘Color Guard’ has a broad, bright yellow stripe up the center of each leaf and the leaf margins are edged with variable stripes of green. In addition, the margins have curly white threads, giving the plant its specific epithet of “filamentosa.” Yuccas are also extremely easy to grow and drought and heat tolerant.
Where: This plant prefers a well-drained or sandy soil but is tolerant of clay and is very drought tolerant once established. The best growth and flowering occur in full sun. Although it will tolerate light or open shade, it is less likely to flower.
Size: Grows to 3 feet tall by 5 feet wide in 10 years.
Care: Once established, yearly removal of the oldest, dead or damaged leaves in the fall or winter is recommended. The rosettes of foliage that flower will die after the bloom fades, but new side pups quickly re-sprout to form new plants.
— greatplantpicks.org
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