Yuccas are a popular type of ornamental plant known for their sword-shaped leaves and tall flower stalks. The color guard yucca is a variety that stands out with its variegated foliage in shades of yellow, green, and pink. With its eye-catching colors, it’s easy to see why the color guard yucca is a favorite for landscaping. But is it an evergreen plant that stays green year-round? Let’s take a closer look at the traits of the color guard yucca to find out.
What is a Color Guard Yucca?
The color guard yucca (Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’) is a variety of the Adam’s needle yucca species. It’s a flowering, evergreen perennial shrub native to the Southeastern United States. Here are some key facts about this ornamental yucca:
- Grows up to 3 feet tall and up to 3 feet wide.
- Stiff, sword-shaped leaves measure 1-3 feet long.
- Foliage is variegated in shades of yellow, cream, pink and green.
- Produces tall flower stalks up to 6 feet, blooming with white bell-shaped flowers.
- Prefers full sun and well-draining soil.
- Hardy in USDA zones 5-11.
- Low maintenance and drought tolerant once established.
The color guard yucca is known for the eye-catching striping and color in its leaves. The variegation occurs when stripes or sections of the leaf lose their green pigment. The resulting shades of pink, yellow, or white make the yucca leaves stand out. The plant forms a neat, rounded clump of sword-like foliage that provides color and texture.
Is the Color Guard Yucca an Evergreen Plant?
Yes, the color guard yucca is considered an evergreen plant. Evergreens are plants that keep their foliage year-round rather than shedding all their leaves in autumn. The color guard yucca retains its variegated sword-shaped leaves throughout the seasons.
During winter dormancy, the yucca will slow its growth and its foliage may fade in color a bit in extreme cold. However, the leaves remain intact rather than falling from the plant. In spring, new growth emerges from the center of the plant. So while it experiences some seasonal ups and downs, the color guard yucca holds onto its colorful leaves all year.
Other Evergreen Qualities
In addition to its evergreen foliage, the color guard yucca displays other qualities typical of evergreens:
- Hardiness – Many evergreens are hardy plants that can withstand freezing winter temperatures. The color guard yucca thrives in USDA growing zones 5-11.
- Drought tolerance – Evergreen varieties tend to be adaptable to low-water conditions. Once established, the color guard yucca is very drought tolerant.
- Long-lived – Evergreens like yuccas typically enjoy long lifespans of 10+ years. With proper care, a color guard yucca may thrive for decades.
- Low maintenance – Evergreen shrubs generally need little care once established. The color guard yucca needs occasional pruning but otherwise can be left alone.
These traits make the color guard yucca well suited for a variety of landscape settings. Its evergreen nature provides year-round color without having to be replanted each spring.
Advantages of Evergreen Plants
The fact that the color guard yucca is an evergreen plant provides some nice advantages:
- Year-round interest – Evergreens keep yards looking attractive even during winter when many plants go dormant.
- Privacy – The persistent foliage of evergreen shrubs makes good screens and hedges to block views.
- Lower maintenance – Without leaves to rake up each fall, evergreen clean-up is minimal.
- Wildlife shelter – Birds rely on evergreens for habitat and cover during winter months.
- Visual structure – Evergreen plants provide architectural structure and definition in the landscape.
For these reasons, many homeowners utilize evergreen shrubs like the color guard yucca as anchors in their landscape design. The yucca’s stiff, spiky foliage provides excellent contrast to softer-textured plants.
Growing Requirements
To keep your color guard yucca looking its best while benefiting from its evergreen nature, provide the following care:
- Sunlight – For the brightest leaf colors, give yucca full sun. It tolerates light shade but colors will fade.
- Soil – Well-draining soil is imperative to prevent rot. Sandy or gravelly soil is ideal.
- Watering – Drought tolerant once established. Water 1-2 times per month in drought. Overwatering can cause issues.
- Fertilizer – Apply slow-release fertilizer for yuccas in spring. Avoid high-nitrogen formulas.
- Pruning – Trim dead or damaged foliage as needed. Remove flower stalks after blooming.
- Hardiness – Protect from extreme cold below zone 5. Mulch over root zone to insulate soil.
- Pests – Watch for spider mites, scale, and yucca-boring weevils. Treat with horticultural oils when seen.
With proper siting and care, the color guard yucca will thrive for years as a uniquely colorful evergreen in the landscape.
How to Use Color Guard Yucca in Gardens
Here are some tips for utilizing color guard yucca in garden beds and borders:
- Plant it as a focal point – Place a potted yucca specimen in a prominent spot where its dramatic shape and colors will stand out.
- Create contrast – Surround yuccas with fine-textured plants like ornamental grasses. This makes the spiky leaves more striking.
- Use as a backdrop – Plant a row of yuccas against a fence or wall. The vertical leaves will provide a living screen.
- Combine colors – Group yuccas with coral bells, purple coneflowers, and other colors that complement the variegated leaves.
- Line a walkway – Flank a pathway or driveway with color guard yuccas for year-round color and texture.
- Plant in masses – Cluster several yuccas together for greater visual impact. Leave 2-3 feet between plants.
- Add height – Use taller yucca varieties behind short border plants or in the center of containers.
With its stiff evergreen foliage, the color guard yucca is ideal for providing architectural structure within garden beds and throughout the landscape. Its drought tolerance also makes it low maintenance once established.
Other Evergreen Shrubs for Color
In addition to the color guard yucca, here are some other evergreen shrubs that provide colorful foliage:
| Shrub | Features |
|---|---|
| Japanese Holly | Glossy green leaves with red berries. Many compact cultivars. |
| Dwarf Alberta Spruce | Miniature blue-green needles. Grows wider than tall. |
| Heavenly Bamboo | Pink, red, or yellow variegated leaves. Shade tolerant. |
| Boxwood | Classic green hedging shrub. Newer yellow and orange varieties. |
| Gold Thread Cypress | Feathery golden foliage. Columnar shape for tight spaces. |
By incorporating a mix of evergreens like these shrubs along with the color guard yucca, you can create an attractive landscape with year-round color and texture. Be sure to select varieties suited to your growing zone and site conditions.
Should I Plant a Color Guard Yucca?
If you’re considering adding a color guard yucca to your garden landscape, here are some pros and cons to help decide:
Pros:
- Provides unique color and texture
- Stays evergreen year-round
- Very low maintenance once established
- Tolerant of heat, drought, and poor soils
- Good accent or specimen plant
- Attracts pollinators with summer flowers
- Deer and rabbit resistant
Cons:
- Has sharp, spiky leaves that can poke fingers and skin
- Slow growing
- Can look ungainly if not pruned occasionally
- Doesn’t tolerate consistently damp soil
- Vulnerable to some pests like spider mites
Overall, the color guard yucca is ideal for anyone seeking a tough, low maintenance evergreen shrub that provides vibrant color and unique texture. It thrives with minimal care and its drought tolerance means little watering once established. Just be sure to situate it with adequate spacing from paths and seating areas to avoid encounters with the sharp foliage.
Conclusion
With its variegated sword-like leaves that persist year-round, the color guard yucca definitely qualifies as a colorful evergreen plant. This Adam’s needle variety provides multi-season interest with its pink, yellow, and green striped foliage. And like many evergreens, it is hardy, drought tolerant, and easy to grow in the right conditions. The color guard yucca is sure to brighten up both gardens and landscapes with its vibrant, architectural presence.
Be sure to situate it with adequate spacing from areas where its sharp leaves could poke. Provide full sun and well-drained soil for the healthiest yuccas. Water new plantings consistently until their root systems establish, then taper off. Mature color guard yuccas need little care beyond occasional pruning and fertilizing. Plant one or group several together for a dramatic evergreen element in beds, borders or as specimen plants.