Photo of Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies' foliage by Cistus Nursery

Photo by Cistus Nursery

Used with permission, all rights reserved

Show all photos

Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies'

Plant type

cactus / succulent

size

  • H: 3'-10'
  • W: 2'-4'

planting zones

  • 7a-11

More Options

Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies' plant details

Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies' is an evergreen cactus / succulent with blue foliage. In summer cream flowers emerge. Features glaucous texture. Attracts hummingbirds. Grows well with sun - dappled shade and occasional - low water. Drought tolerant once established. Adapts to various soil conditions. Does well in average, gritty, lean, rocky and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something heat tolerant and verticillium wilt resistant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies'

Plant type: cactus / succulent
Plant family: agavaceae, asparagaceae
Foliage: evergreen blue
Mature size: 2 FT - 4 FT - wide, 3 FT - 10 FT - tall
Flowers: cream blooms in summer
Uses: container plant, focal point, patio, rare, rosette-forming, xeric

GROWING CONDITIONS for Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies'

USDA Zones: 7a - 11
Sun exposure: sun - dappled shade
Watering frequency: occasional - low
Resistant to: deer and rabbit, heat and verticillium wilt
Soil needs: average, gritty, lean, rocky and well-drained

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Beautiful powder blue seed selection made by Sean Hogan of Cistus Nursery, a rounded fountain of narrow, pointed, unarmed leaves slowly to 48 inches or more in warmer climates. Midsummer clusters of white flowers on yellow orange stems are loved by hummers on mature plants. needs well drained soil, warmth, sun and occasional to infrequent water. Deer resistant. Evergreen architectural treat!
The short, powder-blue, succulent "swords" of this, one of the hardiest of the trunk forming (to 4' tall) Yucca, make an elegant statement. S/GDr
Hardy trunk forming. Thin blue leaves.
This selection of the super hardy Y. rostrata has excellent baby blue coloured foliage forming a dome of textural, succulent blue. It will grow to about 16 inches in four years but over time it will develop a trunk and form an amazing, upright, unbranched tree to about five feet. (I have a five footer in my garden that has sailed through six cold winters and it's spectacular!) Needs excellent drainage in full sun.
Narrow blue leaves needs gritty dry site in sun
A beguiling sculptural rosette of powder blue, thin pointed blades, year-round good looks and exceptional hardiness is what this shrubby, fine textured Yucca has to offer. Relatively short, flexible leaves forge a luminous specimen well suited for a vessel or the dry garden. Selected by Sean Hogan of Cistus Nursery from seed he collected in northern Mexico, it will eventually form an upright unbranched plant that prefers to bake in a hot sunny spot with sharp drainage and alkaline soil, while protection from excessive cold-season water and wind helps ensure a successful overwintering.
Yucca Rostrata will grow a trunk up to 18 feet tall and looks similar to a palm tree. They are slow growing, about 2 to 6 inches of trunk each year once the plant begins to produce a trunk. The key to growing this plant is good drainage. It likes full sun and dry soil that quickly drains. We add lime stone gravel to our plants which helps with drainage. Foliage: Thin blue foliage Flowers: White flowers on 6 foot stalk Height: 15 to 18 feet
A gem of a Yucca! Makes a fantastic focal point with flexible blue leaves that look like fireworks. This thornless Yucca originates in Northern Mexico. A blue-leaved variety selected by Sean Hogan of Cistus Nursery in Oregon, from a batch of seedlings. Thanks Sean! I can’t wait to grow ‘Sapphire Skies’ in a large pot on my patio or maybe in the garden, complimented by yellow-flowered Xanthisma texana. Eventually developing a trunk & growing to 10’ tall & 3’ wide. Also produces a tall spike of creamy-white flowers in late Summer that Hummingbirds love. The foliage is green when young but will get bluer as it ages. A great fire-resistant plant for those of you in fire-prone areas. Needs excellent drainage.
An elegant, short leaf selection, with gorgeous powder blue-colored leaves which hold their color year-round. Over the years it will form an upright, unbranched tree with a stout trunk to about 4'. The hardiest of the trunk forming Yuccas. Another rare and exciting plant find brought to us from our friends at Cistus Nursery.
Narrow upright blue gray leaves on this selection create a pleasing contrast with other textures in the garden.
A Cistus introduction. Although Yucca rostrata is one of the most gorgeous species available, and definitely one of our top 500 favorite plants, it is exceedingly slow to reproduce from offsets, seed is difficult to come by, and seedlings vary as to their...blue-osity. Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies' is a selection from one of our collections in the early 90s in northern Mexico, out of a seed batch of stunning blue-leaved plants. Through the magic of tissue culture, we now have a reliable source. These vigorous young plants quickly form a 3 ft, multi-leaved rosette of nearly jade-blue, forming 3 to 4 ft plants in 7 or 8 years under good conditions, eventually to 10 ft or more. Excellent container plants, providing fine architecture, or repeated in the dry garden and looking of dusty blue fireworks from a distance. Particularly beautiful reflected in late afternoon/evening light. Full sun to dappled shade. Not particular about soil, excepting standing water. Some supplemental irrigation in dry summer places. Frost hardy in USDA zone 7; has been successful in zones 5 and 6 including the Denver Botanic Garden (Really!).

Gardening facts about Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies' plant

How to Grow Yucca rostrata 'Sapphire Skies'

  • Sun Exposure

    • sun - dappled shade
  • Water Needs

    • occasional - drought tolerant
  • Soil Needs

    • adaptable
    • average
    • lean
    • well-drained
    • rocky
    • gritty
  • Special Situation

    • heat tolerant
    • verticillium wilt resistant

Features

  • Foliage Color

    • blue
  • Flower Color

    • cream
  • Wildlife

    • hummingbirds
    • deer resistant
    • rabbit resistant
  • Flower Season

    • summer
  • Foliage Season

    • evergreen
  • Texture

    • glaucous
Mailing List
Sign Up for updates on new plant arrivals and deals

© 2010—2024 Plant Lust, LLC All Rights Reserved