Yucca

Yucca is a genus of about 40 species of Agave relative native of dry areas of North America. They form rosette of stiff leaves, and many develop a wooden trunk that can branch and become tree-like. The genus name "Yucca" is the Arawak name for the Tapioca (Manihot esculenta) of which genus Yucca was mistaken for.

The flowers are white or cream and organized in panicles. The branch or the plant that produced the flower does not die after blooming. The flowers have to be pollinated by the yucca moth to bear fruit. There is a distinction between Yucca defined by the fact that the fruit is either fleshy (like the Banana Yucca) or dry.

The frost resistance of Yuccas varies a lot depending on the species. Some species are extremely frost resistant, growing in the northern parts of the United States, up to Canada. Some species are frost tender. All the species prefer full sun and a good drainage.

Species and varieties
Yucca acrotricha (Green Desert Spoon) synonym of Dasylirion acrotrichum
Yucca aloifolia (Spanish Bayonet)
Yucca angustifolia var. elata (Soaptree Yucca) synonym of Yucca elata
Yucca angustifolia var. radiosa (Soaptree Yucca) synonym of Yucca elata
Yucca argospatha (Spanish Dagger, Palma Pita, Don Quixote's lace) synonym of Yucca treculeana
Yucca arizonica (Banana Yucca, Datil Yucca) synonym of Yucca baccata
Yucca aspera (Spanish Dagger, Palma Pita, Don Quixote's lace) synonym of Yucca treculeana
Yucca baccata (Banana Yucca, Datil Yucca)
Yucca baccata var. macrocarpa (Spanish dagger, Torrey's yucca) synonym of Yucca torreyi
Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree)
Yucca canaliculata (Spanish Dagger, Palma Pita, Don Quixote's lace) synonym of Yucca treculeana
Yucca carnerosana (Giant Spanish Dagger)
Yucca circinata (Banana Yucca, Datil Yucca) synonym of Yucca baccata
Yucca constricta (Buckley's yucca)
Yucca elata (Soaptree Yucca)
Yucca fragilifolia (Banana Yucca, Datil Yucca) synonym of Yucca baccata
Yucca funifera (Giant Hesperaloe) synonym of Hesperaloe funifera
Yucca gloriosa var. recurvifolia (Pendulous yucca, Weeping Yucca) synonym of Yucca recurvifolia
Yucca gracile (Green Desert Spoon) synonym of Dasylirion acrotrichum
Yucca longifolia (Spanish Dagger, Palma Pita, Don Quixote's lace) synonym of Yucca treculeana
Yucca macrocarpa (Spanish dagger, Torrey's yucca) synonym of Yucca torreyi
Yucca pendula (Pendulous yucca, Weeping Yucca) synonym of Yucca recurvifolia
Yucca radiosa (Soaptree Yucca) synonym of Yucca elata
Yucca recurvifolia (Pendulous yucca, Weeping Yucca)
Yucca rigida (Blue Yucca, Palmilla)
Yucca rostrata (Beaked Yucca, Big Bend Yucca)
Yucca rupicola (Twisted-leaf Yucca)
Yucca scabrifolia Baker (Banana Yucca, Datil Yucca) synonym of Yucca baccata
Yucca thompsoniana (Thompson's Yucca)
Yucca torreyi (Spanish dagger, Torrey's yucca)
Yucca treculeana (Spanish Dagger, Palma Pita, Don Quixote's lace)
Yucca undulata (Spanish Dagger, Palma Pita, Don Quixote's lace) synonym of Yucca treculeana
Yucca utahensis (Soaptree Yucca) synonym of Yucca elata
Yucca verdiensis (Soaptree Yucca) synonym of Yucca elata
Yucca whipplei (Whipple's Yucca, Our Lord's Candle)
Yucca yucatana (Spanish Bayonet) synonym of Yucca aloifolia

© 2004 Philippe Faucon, All Rights Reserved.