Yucca aloifolia L.

Spanish Bayonet; Spanish Dagger; Aloe Yucca

Shrub

Perennial

Vascular

Spanish Bayonet is a native perennial shrub in the Century-Plant family (Agavaceae). It is native along the coast, and is widely planted and persisting inland. It occurs on dunes, on shell mounds, around old home sites, along fence rows, and in trash piles. Plants are erect and rarely branched. Offsets are often produced from the roots, forming thickets. The trunks are 4-12 feet in height and consist of densely packed fibers. Plants frequently become top heavy and fall over. The lower portions of the trunk may be “skirted” and concealed by persistent dead leaves. Leaves are sessile with over lapping bases, thick and leathery in texture, evergreen, linear to lanceolate in outline, tapering to a stiff spine-like tip. The margins of the leave have small teeth. Flowers are produced in a large terminal panicle. Individual flowers are pendant, and consist of 6 white tepals. The tepals are often marked with green or purple on their exterior surface. The fruit is an indehiscent, leathery berry with many flat, papery, black seed. Fruit are rarely produced in our area. Spanish Bayonet is available from nurseries and can also be grown from offsets or sections of the trunk can be rooted. It prefers a well-draining soil in full sun. It is drought tolerant and free of most pests and diseases. It should be planted well away from paths and high traffic areas as the leaves can cause injury. Spanish Bayonet is sometimes planted to block foot traffic through certain areas and as a security fence.--A. Diamond

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Native FACU- (NWPL) G5 (Global Rank)

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