Adam’s Needles, Spanish Bayonet, Spoonleaf yucca
Yucca filamentosa

Family: Asparagaceae

What it is like

A shrub 1.5-1.8 m tall and spreading 90-120 cm wide. The leaves are stiff grey-green. They form a rosette without a leaf stalk. They have thread like curling hairs at the edge. The flowers occur in a compact spike. They are creamy bells. The flowers are 35-50 mm long. The spikes reach 1.5 m high. The fruit are large and fleshy. They split open when ripe.

There are about 40 Yucca species. Also put in the family Agavaceae.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 6-10.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Antigua and Barbuda, Asia, Australia, Britain, Egypt, Europe, France, India, Korea, Mediterranean, Myanmar, North Africa, North America, SE Asia, Slovenia, Turkey, Türkiye, USA

How it is used for food

The flower stalks are boiled or roasted. The flowers are eaten raw or boiled. The plum-like fruit are eaten.

Edible parts

Flowers, fruit, stem

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Eve's thread, Needle palm, Nitasta juka

Synonyms

Yucca filamentosa var. several;