Yucca filamentosa

Yucca Highlighted With Snow

February 26, 2026

This past Sunday was quite the day. The temperature hovering around 33° or 34° with huge gusts of wind and snow coming down. Seems I was lucky being up here on the mountain. Down below it was, for the most part only rain. Elevation has its advantages.

I mentioned wind. Oh my! Did it ever blow, pasting snowflakes on everything. This Yucca filamentosa sure caught a lot of those snowflakes. Flakes were even captured on its thready filaments.

Snow is now in the forecast for early next week. It will be the 2nd day of meteorological spring 2026. We’ll see.

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Little Wren In Big Yucca

This afternoon I spied it as it looked all around. Maybe looking for the rest of its family. Yesterday there were 3 of them talking to each other and hopping here and there. A Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) in a Yucca filamentosa.

The little Carolina Wren has a surprising average life span of 6 years. That’s impressive. Not necessarily a dependable feeder visitor, but it loves a bird bath even during the winter if you can provide a water warmer.

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The Yucca Flower

Yucca, the state flower of New Mexico and the national flower of El Salvador. I fell in love with Yuccas when I moved to New Mexico, and fell in love with the state too. I remember being captivated by the plants and would frequently go out and sketch them. This picture was taken at White Sands, New Mexico.

We’ve got Yuccas that are native to Virginia too. Two species, Yucca gloriosa, and Yucca filamentosa. These next two images are of Yucca filmentosa.

The birds enjoy having the Yuccas in the yard too. And in this image, you can see why it has the name filamentosa, having those fibers that come off the leaves.

And Yucca gloriosa. Both these Yuccas are up here in my yard, delighting me when they bloom.

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Ornaments On A Yucca

I’ve been paying close attention to my Yuccas the past week or so, since they have sent up spears, looking like asparagus spears. These Yucca spears are actually spikes with buds. I’ve got two plants, one is Yucca gloriosa which has just started blooming. The other, this one, is Yucca filamentosa, which will begin blooming shortly.

Yesterday afternoon in one of my frequent checks, I got quite a treat. Several Goldfinches decided to entertain me. They looked as if they were decorations on a Christmas tree jumping from one branch to another, uncertain on which would make the best presentation.

These blooms are special to me. The state flower of New Mexico. During the time I lived out there they were blooming all over. Maybe the Yuccas are special to Goldfinches as well. Maybe.

Spring Yucca Blooms

I went out on the back hillside this afternoon to get photographs of the Yucca filamentosa with its spears emerging, soon to be blossoms. Those spears resemble the asparagus that is growing in the vegetable garden, several feet away. Much to my surprise, as I was searching the Internet for information on Yuccas, I discovered that they’re in the asparagus family, Asparagaceae.

Why is this species of Yucca called filamentosa? You can see why, in this second image from this afternoon. Oodles of threadlike filaments curling from the leaves.

A month from now there will be gorgeous Yucca blooms. Bringing me pure pleasure.

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Yuccas Revisited

Years ago I took off on an adventure that I will never regret. I moved to New Mexico. During my time in that remarkable state I quickly got to know the Yucca, the state flower. There is also a species of Yucca that is the national flower of El Salvador, Yucca gigantea, commonly known as Izote.

In this photo, Yucca plants in New Mexico not surrounded by snow but by white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals at White Sands National Park. A place that I’ve visited many many times.

There are about 30 species of Yucca in North America. Before going to New Mexico I had never noticed Yucca plants though there are at least a couple species that are native to Maryland and Virginia. What a surprise to learn that.

Now I’ve got two Yuccas that are native to Virginia in my yard. In this photo, Yucca gloriosa, which blooms regularly in the autumn and below, Yucca filamentosa. “Filamentosa” of that name is a no-brainer.

Both of these plants bring back treasured memories.