PlantFiles: Twistleaf Yucca, Twist-leaf Yucca, Twisted-leaf Yucca, Rock Yucca, Texas Yucca
Yucca rupicola

The roots of these yuccas were an important source of food for Native Americans in the central Texas Edwards Plateau. They were cooked in burned rock middens as far back as 8000 years.

Very tough and easy to grow. Mine grow flower spikes that are nearly 6 feet tall. The flowers are striking.

comes up by itself in mostly shady places. Doesn't really need any care and can take the hot summers of texas

Twist-leaf yucca is an endemic, evergreen, perennial, petite stemless Texas native shrub that inhabits the Edwards Plateau region growing primarily in its southeastern area. It can be found growing in rocky limestone hillsides (Rupicola means "lover of rock") as well as grassy flats. Although it prefers alkaline, sandy loam soils, it is adaptable to other soil types as long as they are well drained. It performs best with full exposure to the south.

It grows from 1 to 2 feet high (to 5 feet or more with flower stalk) and 1 to 2 feet wide. Twist-leaf yucca colonizes readily to form patches that cover a 3' to 5' area. It is a tough plant that is highly drought and heat tolerant as well as quite cold hardy ( 0 to -10 degrees F. ). It will grow in full sun, part sun or light shade. In its native habitat, it can be found growing under mesquite and oak trees. This plant needs little care once established

Its narrow, undulate, leaves twist as they age. The leaf margins have minute sharp teeth and can be red, orange or yellow. It is the only yucca species with flaccid, twisted leaves which makes it easily identified. It can hybridize with Yucca pallida producing a plant that has gray twisted leaves.

Sometime from May to July, the plant sends up a 4-5' spike of creamy white or greenish-white flowers which are sometimes tinged with purple. Deer enjoy eating the flower stalk before it opens (leaves are deer resistant). In the plant's native environment, its flowers can only be pollinated by the yucca moth. If fruit (a capsule) and seed are needed, hand pollination is necessary which can be accomplished by using a small paint brush. Individual crowns are monocarpic (die after flowering); but, the crown will usually produce sideshoots before it dies.

It may be propagated by seeds, root cuttings and offsets. Seeds should be sown in the spring and should be presoaked the seed for 24 hours in warm water which reduces the germination time. Root cuttings in late winter or early spring.

The flowers usually are delicious (sometimes may be bitter) raw or cooked and can also be dried, then crushed and used as a flavoring. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. The flowering stem can be cooked and used like asparagus. The roots contain saponins which are quite toxic to humans; but, saponins are poorly absorbed by the body and they are destroyed by prolonged heat, such as slow baking in an oven. So, the roots are edible if slowly cooked. Native Americans used the roots as potatoes are used. Saponins are more toxic to some animals, such as fish. Native American tribesmen have used saponins to stupefy or kill fish by putting put large quantities of them in streams and lakes. The roots can also be used for making a soap. A fiber obtained from the leaves is used for making mats, ropes, baskets.

Twist-leaf yucca ia very attractive and is ideal for small spaces where the larger yuccas can not be planted. It is great in rock gardens, wildscapes and raised accent beds.

This is a gorgeous yucca with twisted blue-gray leaves edged with a fine red and gold line. I put it in a tomato-red pot to really bring out the red tones. It survived, even in a pot, over the winter in my Zone 7 garden, so it's probably hardier than listed above.