# Soaptree Yucca (*yucca elata*)

The Soaptree Yucca is a tall, spiky plant that loves to grow in the hot desert! Its unique flowers are like little bells that attract many curious creatures.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Desert regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico.
- **Also known as:** Desert Yucca

![Soaptree Yucca](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Soaptree_Yucca.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Soaptree_Yucca.jpg)

## Appearance

The Soaptree Yucca is a tall, striking plant with a woody trunk topped by a rosette of long, slender, sharp-tipped leaves. Its creamy-white, bell-shaped flowers bloom on a towering stalk, making it easily spotted in the desert.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Asparagaceae
- **Genus:** Yucca

## Interesting facts

- A tiny moth is the ONLY insect that can pollinate its flowers!
- Indigenous people used its fibers for sandals and baskets!
- Its roots contain natural soap, perfect for lathering up!
- Some yucca plants can grow a woody trunk taller than a car!

## Special abilities

- **Moth Whisperer:** Soaptree Yucca can only be pollinated by a special yucca moth, ensuring unique reproduction in the desert.
- **Desert Soap:** Soaptree Yucca has roots filled with natural saponins that create a lather, helping clean things in arid lands.
- **Water Hoarder:** Soaptree Yucca has thick, waxy leaves and a deep taproot that help it store and find water in dry environments.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 300-700 cm
- **Spread:** 90-150 cm
- **Flower Size:** 5-7.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Yucca moth (*Tegeticula yuccasella*) — Lays eggs in flowers, larvae eat some seeds.
- **Eats:** [Mule deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on leaves and flower stalks.
- **Eats:** [Desert cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus audubonii*) — Feeds on young shoots and tender leaves.

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [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.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Be careful not to touch the sharp leaves!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Soaptree 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 Soaptree Yucca?

300-700 cm

### How wide does Soaptree Yucca spread?

90-150 cm

### How big are the flowers on Soaptree Yucca?

5-7.5 cm

### When does Soaptree Yucca bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Soaptree Yucca edible?

Yes

### Is Soaptree Yucca toxic?

None

### What is Soaptree Yucca's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Downtown Deming Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-deming-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District
- [Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/organ-mountains-desert-peaks-national-monument) — New Mexico, US · National Park

## 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*)

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Source: [Soaptree Yucca: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/soaptree-yucca)