# Great Plains yucca (*Yucca glauca*) The Great Plains yucca is a tall plant with sharp, pointy leaves and beautiful white flowers. It grows in dry areas and is great at surviving with little water! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Great Plains yucca](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Yucca_glauca_by_Nick.JPG&width=800) Photo: Nick, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Yucca_glauca_by_Nick.JPG) ## Appearance The Great Plains yucca has a striking rosette of stiff, blue-green, sword-like leaves, each tipped with a sharp point. From its center, a tall, woody stalk emerges, bearing creamy white, bell-shaped flowers that hang gracefully. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Asparagaceae - **Genus:** Yucca ## Interesting facts - Ancient people wove its tough fibers into strong ropes and even sandals! - Its super long roots reach deep for water in dry, desert places! - Many parts of the yucca plant, like flowers and fruit, are safe to eat! - Yucca moths are its only pollinator, laying eggs inside its flowers! ## Special abilities - **Drought Buster Roots:** Great Plains yucca has a deep taproot that helps it reach underground water, surviving in very dry environments. - **Moth's Best Friend:** Great Plains yucca has a unique relationship with the yucca moth, relying on it for pollination to make seeds. - **Spiky Shield:** Great Plains yucca has sharp, pointed leaves that help it defend against hungry animals trying to eat it. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-200 cm - **Spread:** 60-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Yucca moth (*Tegeticula yuccasella*) — Essential for plant reproduction, moth lays eggs in flowers. - **Eaten by:** [Mule deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Deer browse on tender flower stalks and young leaves. - **Shelter:** Ord's kangaroo rat (*Dipodomys ordii*) — Finds refuge under the plant's spiky leaves. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [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. - [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 Watch out for the sharp leaves! It's best to look but not touch. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Great Plains 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 Great Plains yucca? 100-200 cm ### How wide does Great Plains yucca spread? 60-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on Great Plains yucca? 3-5 cm ### When does Great Plains yucca bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is Great Plains yucca edible? Yes ### Is Great Plains yucca toxic? Mild ### What is Great Plains yucca's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Monument Rocks](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monument-rocks) — Kansas, US · Nature Reserve - [Metropolitan Park Bathhouse and Pool Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/metropolitan-park-bathhouse-and-pool-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bighorn-canyon-national-recreation-area) — Montana, US · National Park - [Cherry County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cherry-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Cheyenne Botanic Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cheyenne-botanic-gardens) — Wyoming, US · Botanical Garden - [Garden of the Gods](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/garden-of-the-gods) — Colorado, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Great Plains yucca](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/great-plains-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: [Great Plains yucca: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-plains-yucca)