If you have taken a stroll through the green avenues or public parks of Ashgabat recently, you may have noticed something extraordinary rising above the tidy borders and manicured lawns. Towering high above sharp, sword-like evergreen leaves, massive stalks have burst into bloom, cascading with hundreds of creamy-white, bell-shaped flowers.
This is the Yucca—affectionately known in local landscape circles as the “chandelier flower” (lýustra gülü or avize ağacı) for the way its heavy white blooms illuminate the park greenery like elegant, hanging light fixtures. Native to the arid deserts of North America, this resilient plant finds a perfect secondary home in Turkmenistan’s sunny, dry climate, thriving in our late-autumn warmth.
Unlike plants that bloom continuously, the Yucca offers us a short, brilliant window of grandeur. A single flower spike opens progressively over just a few weeks, putting on a dramatic display before drying out and quietly returning to its simple foliage until next year.
Right now, Ashgabat’s parks are showcasing these magnificent living chandeliers at their peak. Whether you are enjoying a quiet evening stroll or out capturing autumn photography, take a moment to admire these majestic blooms—before they disappear for another year! /// nCa, 20 October 2026