Yucca gloriosa Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Spanish Dagger

Yucca gloriosa

£59.99
Hardy in the UKSun-lovingEvergreenLoved by pollinators
Pot size
26cm / 7L £59.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

The Yucca gloriosa, the Spanish dagger, is one of the most architectural evergreen specimens you can grow outdoors in a UK garden. It carries dramatic rosettes of long, stiff, blue-green sword-like leaves on a thick woody trunk that thickens with age. In late summer mature plants throw up tall pyramidal spikes of pendulous, creamy-white bell flowers that rise dramatically above the foliage.

This is a hero specimen plant, the kind of sculpture-on-a-trunk that anchors a courtyard or a hot dry border like nothing else. Native to the south-eastern United States and cultivated in the UK for nearly five hundred years, it has earned its place as a cornerstone of any Mediterranean, exotic or coastal planting scheme. This 26cm specimen is supplied as a substantial pre-grown plant ready for immediate impact.

Yucca gloriosa is a hero plant for an exotic mixed border alongside palms, agaves and other architectural specimens. It is at home in a sun-baked drought-tolerant gravel garden and a brilliant choice for a windswept coastal planting where few other architectural plants thrive. See our what to expect from outdoor plants guide for seasonal notes.

A perfect anchor for a Hardy Exotic patio scheme in a large container or directly in the ground.

Every Yucca gloriosa we send is a strong, well-rooted specimen, hand-selected for a healthy crown and balanced shape, and packed with care to arrive in superb condition.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Spanish Dagger

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Spanish Dagger

Yucca gloriosa needs full sun and well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −15°C and stands a UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Architectural Coastal & Exposed Dry & Gravel Gardens Exotic Borders Pots & Containers

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H5 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −15°C

RHS H5, fully hardy.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingEast-facingExposedSheltered

full sun in a south or west-facing position. Excellent in coastal gardens.

Soil

ChalkLoamSandWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

free-draining; sand, loam or chalk. Avoid waterlogged ground.

Watering

Water moderately through the first season. Once established it is virtually drought-proof. Cut back any dead lower leaves and old flower spikes to keep the silhouette clean. Read moreShow less

Water moderately through the first season. Once established it is virtually drought-proof. Cut back any dead lower leaves and old flower spikes to keep the silhouette clean.

Mature size

Height2-3 m
Spread1.5-2 m

Reaches full size in 10-20 years

Growth habit

Columnar/upright

Flowering

Aug-Oct · White

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

No routine pruning; simply pull away the dead lower leaves as they brown and cut out the flower spike at its base once it has finished.

Toxicity

Sharp leaf tips can cause physical injury. Position away from paths and play areas. Roots are mildly toxic if eaten.

Native range

S.E. United States

Family

Asparagaceae

Also known as

Yucca gloriosa

Genus

Yucca →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you care for Yucca gloriosa?

Plant in free-draining soil in full sun. Water moderately through the first season, after which it is virtually self-sufficient. Cut back dead lower leaves and old flower spikes to keep the silhouette clean. See our Hardy Exotics seasonal guide.

How big does Yucca gloriosa get?

A slow but steady grower, reaching around 2-3 metres tall and 1.5-2 metres wide over twenty years on a thickening woody trunk. The 26cm specimen we supply is already a substantial pre-grown plant ready for immediate impact.

When does Yucca gloriosa flower?

Mature plants throw up tall pyramidal spikes of pendulous creamy-white bell flowers from August through October. The flower spike can reach 1.5-2 metres above the crown and is one of the most dramatic late-summer displays in the garden.

Is Yucca gloriosa hardy in the UK?

Yes. Rated RHS H5, fully hardy across the UK to around -15C. It has been cultivated in British gardens for nearly five hundred years. Excellent in coastal positions where it shrugs off salt-laden wind.

Can you grow Yucca gloriosa in pots?

Yes, in a generous large patio container of at least 40 litres. Use free-draining loam-based compost with extra grit. Stand in a sunny sheltered position. Repot every three to four years.

Are the leaf tips sharp?

Yes. Yucca gloriosa carries needle-sharp leaf tips that can cause physical injury if walked into. Position away from paths, doorways and play areas. If needed the leaf tips can be carefully clipped to blunt them without harming the plant.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Meet the family

Everything about Yucca

Yucca plants are perfect beginner plants with their architectural presence and minimal care needs. Native to the hot, arid regions of North America, particularly the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, Yucca plants are built to thrive in dry conditions. Their swo...

More about Yucca care
Yucca Care Guide
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Yucca gloriosa
£59.99