Yucca aloifolia

Yucca aloifolia is the type species for the genus Yucca. Common names include aloe yucca, dagger plant, and Spanish bayonet. It grows in sandy soils, especially on sand dunes along the coast.

Description

An evergreen shrub. It grows 3-5 m tall. The leaves are sword shaped and have needle like spines at the ends. The leaves occur in dense rings around the stem. The leaves are 50 cm long. The old dry leaves hang down near the stem. The flowering cluster is cone shaped and 50 cm high. The flowers are bell shaped and creamy white. They often have purple streaks. Old plants can bend over and send up shoots forming clumps.

Edible Uses

The fruit is eaten raw or cooked — it has a thick, succulent, bitter-sweet, juicy flesh and grows up to 10 cm long and 4 cm wide. Flowers are delicious raw, with a crisp texture, and can also be dried, crushed, and used as a flavouring. The flowering stem is peeled, boiled, and used like asparagus.

Traditional Uses

The flowers are fried and eaten. They are also eaten in salads and sweetened and dried. The fleshy fruit is edible. The tender flower stalks are boiled and eaten.

Medicinal Uses

The fruit is purgative. The boiled and mashed root, mixed with oil, has been used as a salve in the treatment of various complaints.

Known Hazards

The roots contain saponins. Whilst saponins are quite toxic to people, they are poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass straight through. They are also destroyed by prolonged heat, such as slow baking in an oven. Saponins are found in many common foods such as beans. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It suits moist and dry climates in open soils. It can grow in sandy soils and along shorelines. It is salt tolerant. It does best in a gritty, well drained soil. It needs full sun. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 8-11. Geelong Botanical Gardens.

Where It Grows

Africa, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bahamas. Bermuda, Caribbean, Central America, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Europe, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Mediterranean, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, North America, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Slovenia, South Africa, South America, Uruguay, USA*, West Indies,

Cultivation

Thrives in any soil but prefers a sandy loam and full exposure to the south. They can succeed in light shade. Plants are hardier when grown on poor sandy soils. Established plants are very drought resistant. A very ornamental plant, it is only hardy in the mildest areas of Britain tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c if in a suitable site. It requires greenhouse protection in most of the country. Members of this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits. The flowers of most members of this genus can only be pollinated by a certain species of moth. This moth cannot live in Britain and, if fruit and seed is required, hand pollination is necessary. This can be quite easily and successfully done using something like a small paint brush. This species, however, does not require the Yucca moth for pollination and will set fruit without hand pollination. The flowers open at night and are powerfully fragrant at this time. Individual crowns are monocarpic, dying after flowering. However, the crown will usually produce a number of sideshoots before it dies and these will grow on to flower in later years. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring in a greenhouse, pre-soaking for 24 hours in warm water may reduce germination time. Germination typically occurs within 1–12 months at 20°C. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on in a greenhouse or cold frame for at least their first two winters. Plant out in early summer, with some winter protection — such as a pane of glass — recommended for at least the first winter outdoors. Root cuttings can be taken in late winter or early spring: lift in April or May, remove small buds from the base of the stem and rhizomes, dip in dry wood ash to stop bleeding, and plant in sandy soil in pots in a greenhouse until established.

Other Uses

Fibre from the leaves is used to make ropes, baskets, and mats. Narrow, split leaf strips serve as sewing material for coiled plaques, and the leaves are used in several basketry styles. Leaf splints are used as brushes to apply colour to pottery, and split leaves can be used as temporary string. The roots are rich in saponins and used as a soap substitute — crushed and agitated in water to produce suds for bathing and shampooing. Juice from the plant has been used as a varnish.

Production

It grows quickly.

Notes

There are about 40 Yucca species. Also put in the family Agavaceae.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Aloe Yucca, Alojelistna juka, Dagger-plant, Isote, Spanish bayonet, Thagya-hian-thwa, Yuka belati

References (21)

• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 696
• Blake, S. F., Native Names and Uses of some Plants of Eastern Guatemala and Honduras. Contributions from the National Herbarium. p 100
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 1031
• Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 1066
• Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1491

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