# common yucca (*Yucca filamentosa*) The common yucca is a tall plant with sharp, spiky leaves and beautiful white flowers. It loves sunny places and can grow in dry areas, making it a tough survivor in nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Desert ![common yucca](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Yucca-filamentosa.JPG&width=800) Photo: Sten at Danish Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yucca-filamentosa.JPG) ## Appearance The common yucca has stiff, sword-shaped, blue-green leaves often with curly white threads along their edges. A tall, central stalk rises from the rosette, bearing numerous creamy-white, bell-shaped flowers. It stands out with its spiky, architectural form. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Asparagaceae - **Genus:** Yucca ## Interesting facts - Ancient people used yucca roots to make bouncy ropes! - Its flower stalk can grow taller than a basketball hoop! - Some people call it "Adam's Needle" because its leaves are so sharp! - The yucca's special moth babies hatch inside its flowers! ## Special abilities - **Moth Matchmaker:** Common yucca has a unique partnership with the yucca moth, which is the only insect that can pollinate its flowers, helping it reproduce. - **Water Wisdom:** Yucca can store water in its thick leaves and roots, an adaptation that helps it survive and thrive in very dry places. - **Spiky Shield:** Its tough, sharp, pointed leaves create a natural barrier, which helps the yucca defend itself from hungry plant-eaters. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-250 cm - **Spread:** 60-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 5-8 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Yucca moth (*Tegeticula yuccasella*) — The moth is the only pollinator for yucca flowers. - **Depends on:** Yucca moth (*Tegeticula yuccasella*) — The moth lays its eggs inside the yucca flowers. - **Symbiotic with:** Humans (*Homo sapiens*) — Cultivated for ornamental beauty and traditional uses. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer occasionally browse young yucca shoots. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be careful around the sharp leaves; they can poke you! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify common yucca? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is common yucca? 60-250 cm ### How wide does common yucca spread? 60-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on common yucca? 5-8 cm ### When does common yucca bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is common yucca edible? Yes ### Is common yucca toxic? Mild ### What is common yucca's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Central Park West Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/central-park-west-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Great Falls Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-falls-dam) — Tennessee, US · Historic Site - [St. Catherines Island](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/st-catherines-island) — Georgia, US · Natural Landmark - [Marineland of Florida](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/marineland-of-florida) — Florida, US · Aquarium [View all places to see common yucca](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-yucca) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Common Yucca: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-yucca)