YUCCA

Author:Darlene J. Biddle
Permanent E-mail Address: wrinkles@mindspring.com

Y. rostrata	Y. aloifolia	Y. filamentosa

Photographed by Darlene Biddle at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Table of Contents

Higher Taxon

Species List

General Information

SpeciesY. filamentosa

SpeciesY. flaccida

References

Acknowledgments

Higher Taxon:

Family:Agavaceae

Description: According to Radford, Ahles, and Bell, the yucca plants are woody or have woody bases with erect stems. The leaves on a yucca plant alternate and are "thick and leathery, firm, evergreen, linear to narrowly elliptic-linear, tapered to sharp aristate apices and to narrow clasping bases . . ."(297). The flowers of yucca plants are large and creamy white. They bloom close together on long, upright panicles which stand 3-6ft high during midsummer to early autumn (Davis 221). Yucca plants can tolerate temperatures as low as 14

⁰

Woody or suffrutescent plants with erect stems. Leaves alternate, thick and leathery, firm, evergreen, linear to narrowly elliptic-linear, tapered to sharp aristate apices and to narrow clasping bases, margins entire or muricate. Internodes obsolete or very short, leaves forming a basal rosette or a dense cluster at the apex. Inflorescence a large terminal panicle, borne on a scape-like, bracteate node. Perianth united only at the stigma 3-cleft, style 1/3-1/2 the length of the stamens. Fruit an oblong capsule or berry, many-seeded. Seeds in two rows in each locule, triangular in outline, flattened on the sides, 6-8mm long.
(Radford et al. 297)



General Information:Different species of Yuccacan be found throughout North and South America. Most species have tough fibers, some of which are used to make rope and baskets while others are used as newsprint. The fruits and flowers of yucca plants are edible (Mabberley 621) and research is being conducted to discover the medicinal value of yucca plants.


References:

1. Davis, Brian. The Gardener's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Trees & Shrubs: A Guide to more than 2000
   varieties. Emmaus, PA: Rodal Press, 1987. 221.
   
   


2. Dirr, Michael A Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics,
   Culture, Propagation and Uses. Champaign, IL Stipes Publishing Company, 1983. 759.
   ISBN 0-87563-226-2
   
   


3. Hooker, Joseph D. and B. Daydon Jackson. Index Kewesis: An enumeration of the Genera and Species of Flowering
   Plants. Vol. II. London: Oxford University Press, 1960. 1244.
   
   


4. Mabberley, D.J. The plant-book: A portable dictionary of the higher plants. Cambridge: Cambridge
   University Press, 1996. 621.
   ISBN 0 521 34060 8 paperback
   
   


5. Radford, Albert E., Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell. Manual of the Vascular
   Flora of the Carolinas. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 1968. 297.
   ISBN 0-8078-1087-8
   
   


6. Shetler, Stanwyn, and Laurence E. Skog, eds. A Provisional Checklist of Species
   for Flora North America. revised. Missouri Botanical Garden, 1978. 153-154.

7. Stafleu, Frans. A.. Taxonomic Literature. Vol. III. The Netherlands: Bohn, Scheltema & Holkema,
   Utrecht dr. w. Junk b.v., Publishers, The Hague, 1979. 71.
   
   


8. Uphof, J.C. . Dictionary of Economic Plants. New York, NY: Stechert-Hafner Service Agency,
   Inc., 1968. 559-560.
   
   



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Acknowledgments:

I would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for all their help:
• Elizabeth Skillen for showing and guiding me through building this web page.
• Bryan McLucas for scanning in Yucca images and for further assistance with building this web page.
• Dr. Moore and the staff at the University of Georgia Herbarium for assistance in the Herbarium library.
• The States Botanical Gardens for helping me locate Yucca plants at the garden and allowing them to be photographed for use on the web.
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Last updated on July 14, 1998