Hi: I am not sure of the correct name, but it is a pretty common yucca found all over the northeast. I think the larger ones do trunk but it takes a few years. That and a lot of pruning. The one you have in the pic, has not been pruned, if it was, it would look like a tree. I have one in my yard , about 4 years old and has 1 large trunk with an off shoot trunk....it is about 4 feet tall or so, but I have seen them around here that are over 6 feet tall. Oh and I live in Staten Island, NY. They are pretty common here, along with Yucca rostratas and now Windmill Palms.

That is not filamentosa, which is commonly found here, but probably a gloriosa or aloifolia, I'm not good at yucca ID's, but it's not something commonly found around the 'burgh without protection, at least with a trunk like that! Those varieties and others will come back from the roots, but will not form a trunk here without protection and/or perfect siting. Go Steelers, Bucs, Pens, Panthers and all else that is Pittsburgh!

They are Yucca Recurvifolias. They are really common all over the NYC area, some of them look like they might be hybrids with yucca gloriosa and those are especially beautiful since they have thicker leaves and are more vigorous. I have seen these yuccas get to over 6 feet tall and most people around here prune them (and they overprune them at that, which is a common problem with palm trees in the south!). Yucca rostrata is another beautiful trunking yucca and yucca faxoniana is a little rarer in my areas, but the older specimens around my neighborhood are absolutely beautiful.

The yuccas that dont trunk near you might be young recurvifolias or maybe they are yucca filamentosa.

Good luck!
-Alex

I also think it is Recurvifolia. The leaves have that blue green hue, and look soft and floppy, not to rigid or prickly. Though the leaves on Recurvifolia do seem wider than the one in the pic.

I agree with the above postings that it's Recurvifolia. If they're that common in NYC and Maryland zone 7, maybe I should give them another try here in 6b...

Should survive in 6b, as might rostrada. Rostrada can be expensive though, recurvifolia not so and it's a faster grower.

Alex
Maybe we can do a trade sometime,if you can get me a Y.Recurvifolia I will send you a Y.Aloifolia....(-:

Alex
Maybe we can do a trade sometime,if you can get me a Y.Recurvifolia I will send you a Y.Aloifolia....(-:

I'm going to some local nurseries here in Pittsburgh tomorrow, im going to look for some of these metioned above! thanks :)

Jim, I have never planted a recurvifolia but I have them in my yard somehow and they are getting pretty big now. I dug a few up a couple of years ago and they survived the winter completely bare root, they are very hardy. I would definitely like to trade! What's your email? Here's a pic of my recurvifolias (I think a bird must have dropped a seed there, I also have a sycamore growing in that spot that a bird must have dropped).

The top one is Curve-leaf Yucca (Recurvifolia). I also have one that I bought that listed it as Texas yucca (Rupicola), but I'm pretty sure it's the same thing. They look exactly alike to my untrained eye. The "common" yuccas in the NE are Adam's Needle (Filamentosa), which definitely do not trunk. Alex, are you sure your's isn't a Spanish Dagger or Bayonet? It looks more like a young Dagger to me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Virginia Beach Weather

Im pretty sure its a recurvifolia because of the bluish green look to the new leaves (somewhat common with the younger recurvifolias) and it looks just like my neighbor's young yucca pups and almost every house on the block has a recurvifolia (they are very common here!).

What does everyone think the ID is on my yucca? I want to make sure it is definitely a recurvifolia.
-Alex

If your neighborhood is loaded w/ Curved Leaf, you're almost assuredly right about it being the same. I just thought that the bottom in particular looked more like a dagger b/c of the bright green and thinner leaves. Curved leaf are usually wider leaves.

Here is a link that might be useful: Virginia Beach Weather

Thanks LagoMar. The older specimens have wide leaves, but usually the younger ones are a little thinner, but I'll have to look at some pups growing under their mothers and see how they look compared to mine.
-Alex

Alex-
Yours looks like a filamentosa to me(Adam's Needle). You can view the pics I posted on my Michigan Tropics posting. I have a group of filamentosa surrounding my big windmill. They do get the bluish color. I also have them around a huge maple. Even after digging them up, they'll still come back if you miss any of the tuber.

Your right, it does look a lot like your filamentosa. Does Filamentosa make a trunk at all though? These are starting to form a trunk but it's hard to tell if it's actually a trunk or just the tuber growign above ground.

Definitely not Adams Needle. They never trunk.

Here is a link that might be useful: Virginia Beach Weather

LagoMar- I figured that they never trunk, considering Pennsylvanians never do anything fun, accept on super-bowl sunday! lol hahaha! PENNSYLVANIA NEEDS TO GET WITH THE PROGRAM1!!! WE NEED MORE PALMS!

I'm very off topic a'rent I ?!