Systematics   

Description   

Distribution & Habitat

Culture   

Propagation  

Uses   

  

Yucca aloifolia  

   

   

   

Spanish Bayonet

  

   

Taxonomy   

   

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Reference for Systematics: http://www.geocities.com/suttkus/New_Plants.html   

Description

Yucca aloifolia is a tree that can grow up to 25 feet tall but is commonly found at 10 feet. Once the tree reaches a certain height, it becomes topheavy and tends to bend over. The tree then points itself upwards and grows normally. The trunk is 3-5 inches in diameter. The leaves are long, flat, and bayonet-like with a width of 2-3 inches and a length of about 2 1/2 feet. Flowers appear in clusters between the months of June and September. The flowers are cream-white but are sometimes found to be tinted green or purple. They reach 2 1/2 to 4 inches across and are shaped like deep bowls about 2 feet tall. The younger leaves of the Yucca stand erect while the older leaves shrivel and hang limp. The oldest leaves turn brown and hang at the base creating a skirt-like appearance. Branches can come off of the trunk at the base or they can come from lateral buds where the plant has flowered. The branches that extend from the tree give it a shrublike appearance.

Reference for Descriptive Information: http://www.floridata.com/ref/Y/yucc_alo.cfm, http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/worldbook/atozscience/s/522960.html    

Distribution and Habitat

Distribution · Can be found in Southern United States in Texas and parts of Mexico, along with the West Indies. 

Cultural Information

  

Soil ·Will grow in dry, sandy soils.  

Water requirement ·The soil must be damp but not too wet. Too much moisture can cause spotting from fungus to appear on the leaves.   

Light · In nature, Yuccas will grow in full sunlight

but prefer partial light.

 

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Reference for Cultural Information: http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/web/Species/pyucca.html   

Propagation Methods   

 

There are two main propagation methods used with the Yucca aloifolia.

Planting seeds is one method that simply involves planting seeds produced from the tree and caring for them as you would a mature Yucca tree.

The second method involves cuttings. Cutting can include root cutting or trunk cutting which involves air layering.

Root cutting is done by digging just below the surface to the nearest root and cutting the root. The root is then left to dry for a few days and planted in damp soil with a growth hormone. The root is then deprived of water for the first few days.

Trunk cutting or air layering begins by removing the leaves from an area on the trunk and cutting into the trunk until the center is reached. A plant hormone is then added to the cut area and damp sphagnum moss is wrapped around the wound. To keep the moisture in the moss, plastic is wrapped aound the entire trunk and tied off with rubber bands. When roots appear, the trunk is cut below the air layering and planted as a separate plant.  

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References for Propagation Methods: http://hjem.get2net.dk/conben/Yucca/growYuc.htm

Uses/ Fun Facts

  

   American Indians used the Yucca leaves to make such things as rope, fishing line, weave baskets, and sewed clothing. Flowers were also eaten and the sap, called saponin, was used as a soap and to treat rheumatism. The Yucca plant is also used as decoration in the home and in the yard. The plant is usually put out of reach of animals and children due to its prickly spines or leaves.

Fun Fact: Yucca aloifolia is pollinated by the pronuba moth. Each of the two creatures are dependent upon each other for survival.

References for Uses and Fun Facts: http://www.wellesley.edu/Activities/homepage/web/Species/pyucca.html   

  

Image References:   

URL specified near each image.

  

This page was developed by:   

Melissa Ickes

W&J Class of 2002   

   

Last revised on 3 May 2001