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Yuccas
Yucca
Yucca ( YUK-ə) is both the scientific name and common name for a genus native to North America from Panama to southern Canada. It contains 50 accepted species. In addition to yucca, they are also known as Adam's needle or Spanish-bayonet. The genus is generally classified in the asparagus family in a subfamily with the Agave, though historically it was part of the lily family. The species range from small shrubby plants to tree-like giants, such as the Joshua tree. All yuccas have rosettes of leaves that taper to points and inflorescences with many flowers that are mainly cream white with thick petals. Though adapted to a wide range of climates the plants are xerophytes, ones that specialize in dry living conditions.
The tight relationship between the yucca plants and their pollinators, the yucca moths from the genera Tegeticula and Parategeticula, is a well known example of evolutionary mutualism. They are an important part of the ecology of North American deserts, providing shelter to small animals and creating habitats. The human uses of yuccas include garden plants, as food, and for extracts. The flower petals of various species are eaten as a part of local cuisine, particularly in Central America and Mexico. Historically, the yucca was extensively used for its fibers to make cords, baskets, mats, and sandals. It continues to be used by native peoples for traditional soaps.
60 branches of this genus, most-observed first
Joshua trees
sectionClistocarpa
Mojave Yucca
speciesYucca schidigera
soaptree yucca
speciesYucca elata
common yucca
speciesYucca filamentosa
Banana Yucca
speciesYucca baccata
Great Plains yucca
speciesYucca glauca
Spineless Yucca
speciesYucca gigantea
Twisted-leaf Yucca
speciesYucca rupicola
moundlily yucca
speciesYucca gloriosa
Spanish dagger
speciesYucca treculiana
Aloe Yucca
speciesYucca aloifolia
Buckley's Yucca
speciesYucca constricta
Torrey's Yucca
speciesYucca torreyi
Narrowleaf Yucca
speciesYucca angustissima
Arkansas Yucca
speciesYucca arkansana
tree yucca
speciesYucca filifera
Pale Yucca
speciesYucca pallida
Weak-leaf Yucca
speciesYucca flaccida
Plains Yucca
speciesYucca campestris
Dwarf Yucca
speciesYucca harrimaniae
Gulf Coast Yucca
speciesYucca louisianensis
mountain yucca
speciesYucca madrensis
Schott's yucca
speciesYucca schottii
Beaked Yucca
speciesYucca rostrata
giant Spanish-dagger
speciesYucca carnerosana
Navajo Yucca
speciesYucca baileyi
datilillo yucca
speciesYucca valida
Utah yucca
speciesYucca utahensis
palm yucca
speciesYucca decipiens
Glen Rose Yucca
speciesYucca necopina
Cape Region yucca
speciesYucca capensis
Faxon Yucca
speciesYucca faxoniana
izote yucca
speciesYucca periculosa
Thompson's Yucca
speciesYucca thompsoniana
rigid blue yucca
speciesYucca rigida
San Angelo Yucca
speciesYucca reverchonii
Curve-leaf Yucca
speciesYucca recurvifolia
intermediate yucca
speciesYucca intermedia
Potosí palm yucca
speciesYucca potosina
Queretaro yucca
speciesYucca queretaroensis
Yucca pallida × rupicola
hybridYucca pallida × rupicola
sterile yucca
speciesYucca sterilis
thin-stemmed Oaxaca-Puebla yucca
speciesYucca mixtecana
New Mexican blue yucca
speciesYucca neomexicana
Nodding Yucca
speciesYucca cernua
linear-leaf yucca
speciesYucca linearifolia
Jalisco yucca
speciesYucca jaliscensis
creeping dwarf yucca
speciesYucca endlichiana
large-flowered yucca
speciesYucca grandiflora
Yucca carrii
speciesYucca carrii
Yucca constricta × rupicola
hybridYucca constricta × rupicola
blue boy yucca
speciesYucca desmetiana
Yucca faxoniana × torreyi
hybridYucca faxoniana × torreyi
horizontal yucca
speciesYucca declinata
Coahuila yucca
speciesYucca coahuilensis
tropical yucca
speciesYucca lacandonica
Yucca constricta × pallida
hybridYucca constricta × pallida
Yucca pinicola
speciesYucca pinicola
Yucca arkansana × pallida
hybridYucca arkansana × pallida
Yucca muscipula
speciesYucca muscipula
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the old herbals & bestiaries
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Yucca in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 47787.