Beschorneria yuccoides

Beschorneria yuccoides is a species of succulent plant belonging to the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae.

Etymology
The epithet yuccoides is a compound of the botanical name of the genus Yucca and the Greek suffix -ό-εἶδος (o-eidos) oides meaning "likeness".

Subspecies

 * Beschorneria yuccoides subsp. yuccoides
 * Beschorneria yuccoides subsp. dekosteriana (K.Koch) Govaerts

Description
Beschorneria yuccoides is a stemless plant with 20 to 35 linear, lanceolate, leathery leaves that are widened at their base. They are gray-green to green, about 40 - 60 cm long and 3.3 - 3.5 cm wide. The leaf margins are finely denticulate. The inflorescence reaches a height of 100 - 180 cm, with a maximum of 320 cm. The stem and the bract are red. The flowers are 40 to 50 mm long. The fruits are elongated to almost spherical, 30 - 40 mm long and 15 - 25 mm wide.

Distribution
Beschorneria yuccoides is present in Mexico, in the states of Hidalgo, Puebla and Veracruz, at an elevation of 2700 - 3000 m above sea level.

Cultivation
This plant is not tolerant of severe freezes, and is best suited to warm, sheltered south- or west-facing places in full sun, where temperatures do not fall below -5 C. Alternatively, it can be grown under glass.

It grows outdoors at Earlscliffe, Howth, County Dublin, Ireland, at a latitude of 53.3º N, where it benefits from the unusually favourable microclimate.

In cultivation in the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.