Yucca baccata Torr. var. baccata
Yucca baccata Torr. var. vespertina McKelvey
Yucca confinis McKelvey
Yucca vespertina (McKelvey) S.L. Welsh
Yucca baccata Torr. Blue yucca, banana yucca
The name “banana yucca” refers to this yucca’s large fruits. The species name baccata means “fruited” as well. Identification: Banana yuccas have large, stiff leaves 1-3′ (30-101 cm) long × 1-2″ (2.5-5 cm) wide. Leaves are blue-green, emerging from a common base, narrow and pointed, like an oversized clump of grass. The central flowering stalk, which is often elevated well above the cluster of leaves in other yuccas, may be within or barely above the leaves in this species, about 3-5′ (1-1.5 m) high. Flowers are cream-colored, and copious, 1½-3½″ (3.8-8.9 cm) long, hanging downward like inverted urns. See the Yucca page for a comparison with other yuccas. Edibility: The Paiutes—native Americans who inhabited portions of the southwestern United States—dried the relatively large fruits for winter use. After removing fiber and seeds, fruits can also be baked and eaten. Online References:
DesertUSA: Exploring the Southwest The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database References:
Irish, Mary & Irish, Gary, Agaves, Yuccas and Related Plants: A Gardener’s Guide, Timber Press, 2000, p. 236 Yucca baccata Torr. var. baccata Yucca baccata Torr. var. vespertina McKelvey Yucca confinis McKelvey Yucca vespertina (McKelvey) S.L. Welsh
Yucca baccata description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 27 Oct 2023. |
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