Yucca, << YUHK uh, >> is a group of shrubs or trees with stiff, pointed leaves. Yuccas grow well in areas that receive little rainfall. They are evergreen plants that do not shed their leaves each year.
Some yucca plants have short stems, and others have tall woody and scaly trunks. The leaves of the yucca plants are usually pointed, stiff, and narrow, with sawlike or fibrous edges. They grow along the stem or in clusters at the end of a stem. The yucca plant has flowers shaped somewhat like bells. Certain varieties of the yucca have whitish-green flowers, while others have white or cream-colored flowers. These flowers grow in a cluster on a stem which springs up from the center of a cluster of leaves. Some of these flowers give off a strong fragrance when they open at night. The yucca has large fruits that may be either fleshy or dry. They contain many small, flat, black seeds. The yucca is pollinated by the female yucca moth, which carries pollen from one yucca to another. See Flower (Cross-pollination) .
Yuccas grow most abundantly in the southern and southwestern parts of the United States. They also grow in the desert highlands and plateaus of Mexico. Most of the species are low shrubs. But in deserts of the southwestern United States, and in Mexico, there are several species that become large, picturesque trees. Joshua Tree National Park in California contains important collections of yucca trees. The popular northern species of yucca is called Adam’s needle.
Native Americans found many uses for yucca plants. They made rope, sandals, mats, and baskets from the leaf fibers. They ate the buds and flowers raw or boiled. Native Americans also dried the fleshy fruits and ate them during the winter. They even made a fermented drink from the fruits. The roots and stems of the yucca make a soap. Some kinds of yucca are known as soapweed. Yuccas serve as decorative plants in gardens throughout the United States. They are often grown as border plants.
See also Spanish bayonet .
