Blue yucca, Banana yucca, Spanish bayonet
Yucca baccata

Family: Asparagaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows 1.5 m high and spreads 1.2 m wide. It can have a single stem or the trunk can be branched. The old leaves remain on the stem. The leaves are green with yellow or blue tinges. There are fine hairs on the edges of the leaves. The flowers are bell shaped. They occur in panicles. They are cream and tinged with purple. The fruit is the size of a large fig.

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

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows well on mountain slopes and in rocky areas. It suits sandy type soils. It can grow in semi-desert locations. It suits hardiness zones 9-11. Melbourne Botanical gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Britain, Central America, Europe, Mexico, North America, Slovenia, Tasmania, USA

How it is used for food

The young flower buds are roasted. The fruit is eaten raw. They are also dried and stored. They are also used in pies. The seeds can be roasted and used for flour. This can be used to thicken soups and stews. They can also be used for a drink. The flower stalks can be boiled for 20-30 minutes and eaten as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Flowers, fruit, leaves, seeds, stem

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Banana yucca, Datil, Palmilla ancha, Spanish bayonet

Synonyms

Sarcoyucca baccata (Torr.) Linding.; Yucca baccata var. baccata Yucca fragilifolia Baker; Yucca hanburyi Baker; Yucca scabrifolia Baker; Yucca vespertina (McKelvey) S. L. Welsh;