This yucca performs best in warm sunny areas with good drainage and occasional to infrequent summer irrigation. It is noted as preferring alkaline conditions and is hardy to around 0°F.

Yucca rigida plant is from the northern Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, and Zacatecas. Our plants came from seed purchased as Yucca rostrata but the crop had many plants that were clearly not Yucca rostrata which has shorter, slightly twisted and softer leaves. The name Yucca was given to the genus by Linnaeus, perhaps by mistake, as it is the Latinized derivation of "yuca", the Caribbean name for Cassava (Manihot esculenta) an unrelated plant in the Euphorbia family that is native to the Caribbean area. Interestingly it was also Linnaeus who applied the name Manihot to Yuca. The specific epithet describes well the inflexible characteristic of this plant's leaves – we once heard a person jokingly describing the difference between Yucca rostrata and Yucca rigida by saying that if you forcefully push the palm of one's hand against the leaf of these plants that the Yucca rostrata leaf may prick you but the Yucca rigida leaf could well go through your hand. Other common names include Silver Leaf Yucca and Palmilla. 

The information displayed on this page about Yucca rigida is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.