Portulacaria afra
Elephant's Food
Elephant's Food has a sprawling, casual, shrubby form. Small, thick, succulent leaves are similar to those of Jade Plant. Excellent in containers or as an accent among boulders. Better with some afternoon shade in hot-summer climates. Canopy coverage: 13 square feet.
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Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
Autumn Joy Stonecrop
This succulent is a hybrid of Sedum telephium and Sedum spectabile. 'Autumn Joy' grows as a rounded clump. Flowers bloom in late summer, emerging as salmon pink then turning bronze to rust in the fall. In hot summer regions locate plants where they will receive some afternoon shade. Canopy coverage: 3 square feet.
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Sedum kamtschaticum
Russian Stonecrop, Orange Stonecrop
Russian Stonecrop is a low, mounding succulent, well-suited to rock gardens and in the foreground of the border. Leaves have interesting serrated edges. Flowers are tiny stars that emerge yellow then turn red. In hot summer regions locate plants where they will receive afternoon shade. Canopy coverage: 3 square feet.
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Sedum x rubrotinctum
Pork and Beans
Interesting little plant, with teardrop-shaped, succulent leaves about 3/4 inch long described as looking like pork and beans or jellybeans. Grows to about 8 inches high. Use in containers or for a small-scale groundcover. Easy to propagate. Plants in sun turn more bronze color but avoid locations in full sun in desert regions. Provide well-draining soil and reduce water in summer. Canopy coverage: 1 square foot.
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Xanthorrhoea quadrangulata
Australian Grasstree
This is a succulent with a grasslike form and appearance. Long, very narrow, 2- to 4-foot leaves drape fountainlike from the tops of the woody trunks. Mature size of 8 feet by 8 feet takes many years. Tall flowering stalks to 12 feet high appear sporadically in spring. (See photo.) Best in well draining, sandy soil. Canopy coverage: 50 square feet.
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Yucca aloifolia
Spanish Bayonet
Spanish Bayonet certainly earns its common name with stiff, sword-shaped leaves to 2 feet long or more, armed with sharp points. Locate carefully, well away from paths and entries. Widely adapted to range of climates, from the desert to the coast. Canopy coverage: 20 square feet.
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Yucca baccata
Banana Yucca
Banana Yucca produces profuse numbers of white, bell-shaped flowers on stalks 2 feet high. Edible bananalike fruit follow. Leaves are stiff and pointed. Canopy coverage: 20 square feet.
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Yucca elata
Soaptree Yucca
The graceful form and silhouette of Soaptree Yucca makes it a great choice for a desert landscape. Tall flower stalks and 3-foot spikes are dramatic. Canopy coverage: 50 square feet.
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Yucca faxoniana
Faxon Yucca, Eve's Needle
The large, ascending, 2-1/2-foot-long leaves of Faxon Yucca are tipped with dagger-sharp points; locate away from outdoor living spaces or walkways. Flowers bloom in clusters in spring to early summer on stalks to 4 feet high. Its imposing structure makes it excellent to view as a silhouette. Canopy coverage: 79 square feet.
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Yucca filamentosa 'Golden Sword'
Adam's Needle
Adam's Needle is one of most cold hardy of all Yuccas. Selections with striped leaves such as 'Golden Sword', shown in photos, are also available. Canopy coverage: 13 square feet.
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Yucca glauca
Soapweed Yucca, Narrowleaf Yucca
This Yucca can be grown as single specimen or in spreading clumps. Accepts more shade that most Yuccas. Swordlike leaves have interesting filaments along the edges. Canopy coverage: 13 square feet.
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Yucca gloriosa
Spanish Dagger
Plants usually produce several upright stems. Rosettes of bluish green, stiffly upright, fleshy leaves grow to 2 feet long. Presents a subtropical mood. Canopy coverage: 50 square feet.
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Yucca pallida
Pale-Leaf Yucca
Light gray to silvery leaf color allows Pale Leaf Yucca to provide interest and contrast to nearby plantings. Leaves are long and slender. Canopy coverage: 7 square feet.
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Yucca recurvifolia
Weeping Yucca
Grow Weeping Yucca for a subtropical effect aided by its dense, soft, fountainlike form. Flowers are profuse on stalks 3 to 5 feet high. Canopy coverage: 28 square feet.
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Yucca rigida
Blue Yucca
The globe-shaped rosette of blue-hued leaves of Blue Yucca create a striking accent. Flowers are borne in clusters on tall stalks. Canopy coverage: 20 square feet.
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Yucca rostrata
Beaked Yucca, Thompson's Yucca
This Yucca may remind you of a smaller, more refined version of the iconic Joshua Tree. Narrow, stiff, daggerlike leaves have yellow margins. Bell-shaped flowers bloom on stalks to 5 feet high. Canopy coverage: 79 square feet.
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Yucca rupicola
Twisted Leaf Yucca
The common name stems from the fact that the plant's new, straight leaves become twisted with age. It makes a fine accent plant in its preferred dry, shady locations. Accepts and even prefers partial shade beneath trees. Canopy coverage: 3 square feet.
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Yucca schidigera
Mojave Yucca
Mojave Yucca is an excellent accent plant, especially when planted between boulders. Presents a pleasing subtropical effect. Canopy coverage: 7 square feet.
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Yucca schottii
Mountain Yucca
Upright form with occasional multiple trunks. Rosettes of sharp-pointed leaves up to 3 feet long demand your attention. Plant away from walkways and outdoor living areas. Canopy coverage: 13 square feet.
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