Spanish bayonet is a general name for shrubby and treelike yuccas that grow in many dry regions of North America. The name is often used in particular for a low, slender yucca tree that grows in the southern part of the United States and in Mexico and the West Indies. It may grow to about 25 feet (8 meters) but usually is much smaller. It has long, flat, bayonetlike leaves, 21/2 feet (76 centimeters) long and 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 centimeters) wide. The Spanish bayonet bears cream-white flowers that are sometimes tinted green or purple. The flowers are about 21/2 inches (6 centimeters) wide and are shaped like deep bowls. The leaves are a source of fiber for rope. See also Yucca .
