Digging deeperPlant Library

Description:

Not for the faint of heart, a succulent cactus-like shrub with gold variegated spear-like leaves radiating from the center and tall spikes of nodding white flowers in summer; good for dry sites, use in a southwestern landscape theme, surprisingly hardy

Ornamental Features

Golden Sword Adam's Needle features bold spikes of creamy white bell-shaped flowers rising above the foliage from mid to late summer. It has attractive gold-variegated green foliage. The sword-like leaves are highly ornamental and remain green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Golden Sword Adam's Needle is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep. Each spring, cut back all dead and two-year old canes to the ground, leaving only last year's growth standing. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spiny

Golden Sword Adam's Needle is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Golden Sword Adam's Needle will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species.

Golden Sword Adam's Needle makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.