Yucca


Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40–50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the hot and dry parts of the Americas and the Caribbean.
Early reports of the species were confused with the cassava. Consequently, Linnaeus mistakenly derived the generic name from the Taíno word for the latter, yuca.

Distribution

The natural distribution range of the genus Yucca covers a vast area of the Americas. The genus is represented throughout Mexico and extends into Guatemala. It also extends to the north through Baja California in the west, northwards into the southwestern United States, through the drier central states as far north as southern Alberta in Canada.
Yucca is also native to some of the Caribbean Islands, northward to the coastal lowlands and dry beach scrub of the coastal areas of the southeastern United States, along the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic States from coastal Texas to Maryland.
Yuccas have adapted to an equally vast range of climatic and ecological conditions. They are to be found in rocky deserts and badlands, in prairies and grassland, in mountainous regions, in light woodland, in coastal sands, and even in subtropical and semitemperate zones, although these are generally arid to semi-arid.

Ecology

Yuccas have a very specialized, mutualistic pollination system, being pollinated by yucca moths ; the insect transfers the pollen from the stamens of one plant to the stigma of another, and at the same time lays an egg in the flower; the moth larva then feeds on some of the developing seeds, always leaving enough seed to perpetuate the species. Certain species of the yucca moth have evolved antagonistic features against the plant and do not assist in the plants pollination efforts while continuing to lay their eggs in the plant for protection.
Yucca species are the host plants for the caterpillars of the yucca giant-skipper, ursine giant-skipper, and Strecker's giant-skipper.
with thick trunk at Grapevine Springs Ranch, AZ
''. Beetle herbivores include yucca weevils, in the Curculionidae.

Adaptations

Species of yucca have adapted to a wide variety of climates in mountains, coastal sand, grasslands and prairies as well as rocky badlands and deserts. Most species of yucca have thick, waxy skins to prevent loss of water through evaporation. They frequently store water in thick roots. Some yuccas store water in thick, fleshy leaves. Some desert plants have an oily coating on their leaves or pads that traps moisture, thereby reducing water loss. Some species drop their leaves during drought to prevent the loss of water through transpiration. Dead leaves of yucca collecting against the trunk of the trees help protect it from the sun. The channeled leaves of a yucca direct dew and rainfall water to their roots. Yuccas are said to be "fire adapted"; that is, they grow and spread vigorously after wildfires.

Uses

Yuccas are widely grown as ornamental plants in gardens. Many species also bear edible parts, including fruits, seeds, flowers, flowering stems, and more rarely roots. References to yucca root as food often arise from confusion with the similarly pronounced, but botanically unrelated, yuca, also called cassava or manioc. Roots of soaptree yucca are high in saponins and are used as a shampoo in Native American rituals. Dried yucca leaves and trunk fibers have a low ignition temperature, making the plant desirable for use in starting fires via friction. The stem that sports the flowers is often used in collaboration with a sturdy piece of cedar for making primitive fire.
In rural Appalachian areas, species such as Yucca filamentosa are referred to as "meat hangers". The tough, fibrous leaves with their sharp-spined tips were used to puncture meat and knotted to form a loop with which to hang meat for salt curing or in smoke houses. The fibers can be used to make cordage be it sewing thread or rope.

Gastronomy

The flower petals are commonly eaten in Central America, but its reproductive organs are first removed because of their bitterness. The petals are blanched for 5 minutes, and then cooked a la mexicana or in tortitas con salsa. In Guatemala, they are boiled and eaten with lemon juice.
In El Salvador, the tender tips of stems are eaten, and known locally as cogollo de izote.

Cultivation

Yuccas are widely grown as architectural plants providing a dramatic accent to landscape design. They tolerate a range of conditions, but are best grown in full sun in subtropical or mild temperate areas. In gardening centres and horticultural catalogues they are usually grouped with other architectural plants such as cordylines and phormiums.
Joshua trees are protected by law in some states. A permit is needed for wild collection. As a landscape plant, they can be killed by excessive water during their summer dormant phase, so are avoided by landscape contractors.
Several species of yucca can be grown outdoors in temperate climates, including:-
The yucca flower is the state flower of New Mexico. No species name is given in the citation.

Species

, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families recognizes 49 species of Yucca and a number of hybrids:
Species nameCommon name
Yucca aloifolia L. Aloe yucca, Spanish bayonet
Yucca angustissima Engelm. ex Trel. Narrowleaf yucca, Spanish bayonet
Yucca arkansana Trel.
Yucca baccata Torr. Banana yucca, datil
Yucca baileyi Wooton & Standl.
Yucca brevifolia Engelm.Joshua tree
Yucca campestris McKelvey
Yucca capensis L.W.Lenz
Yucca carnerosana McKelvey
Yucca cernua E.L.Keith
Yucca coahuilensis Matuda & I.L.Pina
Yucca constricta BuckleyBuckley's yucca
Yucca decipiens Trel.Palma china
Yucca declinata Laferr.
Yucca desmetiana Baker
Yucca elata Engelm.Soaptree yucca
Yucca endlichiana Trel.
Yucca faxoniana Sarg. Torrey yucca
Yucca filamentosa L.Spoonleaf yucca, filament yucca, or Adam's needle
Yucca filifera ChabaudPalma china
Yucca flaccida Haw.Flaccid leaf yucca
Yucca gigantea Lem. Spineless yucca
Yucca glauca Nutt.Great Plains yucca
Yucca gloriosa L. Moundlily yucca, Adam's needle, Spanish dagger
Yucca grandiflora GentrySahuiliqui yucca
Yucca harrimaniae Trel. Harriman's yucca
Yucca intermedia McKelveyIntermediate yucca
Yucca jaliscensis Trel.Izote
Yucca lacandonica Gómez Pompa & J.ValdésTropical yucca
Yucca linearifolia Clary
Yucca luminosa Blue yucca
Yucca madrensis GentrySoco yucca
Yucca mixtecana García-Mend.
Yucca necopina Shinners
Yucca neomexicana Wooton & Standl.New Mexican Spanish bayonet
Yucca pallida McKelveyPale yucca
Yucca periculosa BakerIzote
Yucca potosina Rzed.
Yucca queretaroensis Piña Luján
Yucca reverchonii Trel.
Yucca rostrata Engelm. ex Trel.Beaked yucca, Big Bend yucca
Yucca rupicola ScheeleTexas yucca, or twist-leaf yucca
Yucca schidigera Roezl ex OrtgiesMojave yucca
Yucca × schottiiHoary yucca or mountain yucca
Yucca sterilis S.L.Welsh & L.C.Higgins
Yucca tenuistyla Trel.
Yucca thompsoniana Trel.Thompson's yucca
Yucca treculeana CarrièreTexas bayonet, Trecul's yucca
Yucca utahensis McKelvey
Yucca valida BrandegeeDatilillo

A number of other species previously classified in Yucca are now classified in the genera Dasylirion, Furcraea, Hesperaloe, Hesperoyucca, and Nolina.

Taxonomic arrangement

In the years from 1897 to 1907, Carl Ludwig Sprenger created and named 122 Yucca hybrids.

Gallery