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Yucca L.


 
KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassLiliopsidaMonocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
SubclassLiliidaeIncludes lilies, orchids, and many others
OrderAsparagalesA diverse group that includes asparagus
FamilyAsparagaceaeAgaves, asparagus, hyacinths, and others
GenusYuccaLinnaeus mistakenly derived the genus name from the Carib word for (similar-appearing) cassava, yuca

About plant names...

It remains a mystery why Linnaeus chose the Carib word yucca, meaning the entirely dissimilar cassava plant (Manihot esculenta), for the genus Yucca. Yuccas used to be in the lily family, but have recently been found to be part of the agave family. Generally they have thick narrow straplike leaves that emerge from a common point at the base, looking like a tuft of very large grass. Most yucca leaves have springy, wiry white filaments, a distinctive characteristic. Sometimes they have thick stems, making them tree-like. A tall central spike emerges from the leaves, covered with large, attractive flowers. Although most yuccas are adapted to hot, dry climates, some are comfortable in temperate climates too.

The yuccas on this page have not yet been identified.

Some yuccas are acaulescent: they have no stems, and the leaves grow directly from the ground. Others are small trees with stout, sometimes branched, trunks. Here is a comparison of the stemless yuccas presently in the database:

 

Yucca L.

(Yucca) · 2/26/2010 · San Diego Zoo, San Diego, Cali­fornia Species not yet identified

Yucca L.

(Yucca) · 5/2/2007 · By Rhonda Tatiana Schorer Species not yet identified

 
Yucca arkansana

Yucca baccata

Yucca filamentosa
Common Name

yucca

blue yucca

Adam’s needle
Plant Foliage up to 2′ (60 cm); up to 7′ (2.1 m) with the flower stalk Up to 4 ⨉ 4′ (1.2 ⨉ 1.2 m) 2½′ (76 cm) tall × 2½′ (76 cm) wide
Flowers Flowering spike is covered with numerous greenish-white or purplish urn-shaped hanging flowers, each with 3 petals Cream-colored, copious, 1½-3½″ (3.8-8.9 cm) long, hanging downward like inverted urns, on a stalk 3-5′ (91-152 cm) tall Copious, downward-hanging urn-shaped flowers with sharply pointed petals on a stalk 3-8′ (91-243 cm) tall
Leaves 1-2′ (40-70 cm) long, wide at the base, narrowing toward the tips, like large grass blades, with white twisted wiry filaments. They are bluish- to yellowish-green 1-3′′ long ⨉ 1-2″wide (30-101 ⨉ 2.5-5 cm), blue-green, stiff, narrowing to sharp tips, emerging from a central base Medium green, swordlike leaves up to 3′ (91 cm) long, emerging from a central point, with wiry white filaments
Seeds Dark brown seed capsules   Capsules are yellow-green to purple, about 1″ (2.5 cm) long × ½″ (1.3 cm) wide
Fruit   3-7″ long ⨉ 2″ across (7.6-17 ⨉ 5 cm), cylindrical, sweet  
Range/ Zones

USDA Zones: 6a-9b

USDA Zones: 5-10
Habitats Open fields, edges of thickets on uplands    
Type Wild Wild Wild
Occurrence      

 

 
Yucca glauca

Yucca harrimaniae
Common Name

narrow-leaved yucca

spanish bayonet
Plant To 3′ (1 m) high × 4′ (1.2 m) wide In groups of one to twenty tufts, each about 12-39″ (30-100 cm) around
Flowers 15-50 bell-shaped hanging flowers, greenish-white, with six petals, on a stalk 1-6½′ (30-203 cm) tall Urn-shaped, white, cream, or greenish white, sometimes tinged with purple, with purplish buds. 3 petals and 3 sepals. Flowers 1½-2″ (4-6 cm) long × ⅝-1¼″ (1.6-3.5 cm) wide
Leaves Pale green, stiff, sword-shaped leaves 8-40″ (20-101 cm) long, up to ⅛-⅜″ (6-12 mm) wide Tufts of stiff, narrow, sharp-pointed leaves 4-20″ (10-50 cm) × ¼-½″ (7-14 mm)
Seeds Cylindrical capsules up 1-1¾″ (3-4.5 cm) long Cylindrical, 1¼-2″ (3.5-6 cm) long × ½-1″ (1.5-3 cm) in diameter
Range/ Zones

USDA Zones: 4a-10b

USDA Zones: 5a-10a
Habitats Dry plains and sandy hills Grassland, sagebrush, pinyon-juniper forest, on desert ridges and hills; 3281-8858′ (1-2.7 km) elevation
Type Wild Wild
Occurrence Common Common

 

These yuccas are small trees:

 
Yucca elata

Yucca filifera

Yucca schidigera
Common Name

soaptree yucca

tree yucca

Mojave yucca
Plant A small tree 4-15′ (1.2-4.5 m) tall, with a thick brown trunk, sometimes branched, mostly covered in a skirt of dried leaves Up to 33-46′ (10-14 m) in height, and a diameter of up to 9½′ (3 m). They typically begin to branch out at a height of 9½-13′ (3-4 m). A small tree, up to 8-16′ (2.5-4.8 m) tall (to a maximum of 30′ (9 m)), topped by a dense array of swordlike leaves. Bark is gray-brown, with a skirt of dead leaves near the top.
Flowers White, bell-shaped, 1-2″ (3-6 cm) long. Flowers are on a spike that emerges well above the leaves In clusters 4-6′ (1.2-1.8 m) long are covered with cream-colored flowers. White, sometimes tinged with purple, urn-shaped, 1-3″ (3-7.5 cm) long, copious, on a central spike.
Leaves In dense whorls at the top(s) of the trunk(s). Leaves are yellowish, leathery, 10-39″ (25-100 cm) × 1/16-½″ (2-13 mm) wide Clusters of sharp rigid straplike leaves emerge from the plant tops, interspersed with tough curly thin white filaments. Leaves are blue-green, forming clusters up to 3′ (91 cm) in diameter. 12-59″ (30-150 cm) long × 1½-4″ (4-11 cm) wide at the base, tapering to sharp tips. They are thick, stiff, yellow- to blue-green, with wiry white filaments.
Seeds Capsules 1½-3″ (4-8 cm) × ¾-1½″ (2-4 cm)    
Fruit     Seed capsules are dark brown or dull black, with six sections, roughly cylindrical, 1¾-4½″ (5-12 cm) long × 1-1½″ (3-4 cm) in diameter.
Range/ Zones

USDA Zones: 7-12

USDA Zones: 8-12

Habitats Dry, sandy plains, mesas and desert washes, desert grasslands    
Type Wild Wild Wild
Occurrence Common    

 

 
Yucca thompsoniana
Common Name

beaked yucca
Plant A small tree 6-12′ (1.8-3.7 m) high and 6′ (1.8 m) wide, with a trunk that is sometimes branched. Leaves emerge in a spherical shape from the tips of the trunk(s), with dead leaves forming a skirt
Flowers White, round to bell-shaped, on 2-3′ (60-91 cm) stalks above the leaf clusters
Leaves Stiff, narrow, swordlike, 8-24″ (20-60 cm) × ½″ (1.3 cm). Leaf edges are hard, pale yellow, often with fine teeth
Seeds 1-2″ (3-6 cm) long × ⅜-¾″ (1-2 cm) thick
Range/ Zones

USDA Zones: 7b-11
Type Wild

 

Online References:

The Succulent Plant Page

Wikipedia

PlantSystematics.org

Fritz Hochstätter's Yuccas and Agaves site

Yucca L.

(Yucca) · 5/2/2007 · By Rhonda Tatiana Schorer Species not yet identified

Yucca L.

(Yucca) · 5/2/2007 · By Rhonda Tatiana Schorer Species not yet identified

 

Yucca description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 16 Sep 2020.

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Yucca L.

(Yucca) · 5/2/2007 · By Rhonda Tatiana Schorer Species not yet identified

Yucca L.

(Yucca) · 5/25/2009 · Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior, Ari­zona Species not yet identified

Range:

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