dcsimg

Description

provided by eFloras
Plants often forming open colonies of rosettes, acaulescent or short-caulescent, shorter than 2.5 m. Stems, if present, decumbent, 1–24, aerial or subterranean, simple or sometimes branched, to 2 m. Leaf blade erect, bluish green, concavo-convex, 30–100 × 2–6 cm, rigid, scabrous or glaucous, margins brown. Inflorescences erect, paniculate, dense, arising completely within to mostly extending beyond rosettes, ovoid, 6–8.2 dm, glabrous, rarely slightly pubescent; peduncle scapelike, to 0.8 m. Flowers pendent, 5–13 cm, nearly as wide; perianth campanulate; tepals connate basally to form shallow floral cup 7–12 mm, usually cream-colored, occasionally tinged with purple, 4.5–13 cm; filaments connate proximally into collarlike structure, 3.2–12 mm, fleshy, pubescent; anthers 5–7 mm; pistil 4.5–8 × 0.7–1.2 cm (usually 4–5(–7) times longer than broad); ovary 0.7–1.2 cm; style 5–7 mm; stigmas distinct. Fruits pendent, baccate, indehiscent, elongate, 5–23 × 4–7.5 cm, fleshy, succulent. Seeds dull black, obovate, 7–11 mm diam., 3 mm thick, rugose.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 26: 424, 427, 428 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
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Flora of North America Editorial Committee
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Broad-scale Impacts of Fire

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term: seed

After exposure to temperatures of 230 °F (110 °C) and greater for more than 5 minutes, banana
yucca seeds were not able to germinate in a laboratory setting [71], suggesting an inability
of the species to repopulate from seed following fire.
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cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Broad-scale Impacts of Plant Response to Fire

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: cover, density, prescribed burn, shrub, shrubland, shrubs, succession, top-kill

Where banana yucca occurs with chaparral associations, postfire regeneration
favors a recolonization of the area with previously existing species [31]. In
an oak-mountain mahogany chaparral ecosystem type, banana yucca made up 2.7% of
crown canopy cover before a prescribed burn and 0.3% immediately afterwards.
Percent canopy cover was measured annually thereafter for the next 5 years and
constituted 0.5%, 0.3%, 0.9%, 1.1%, and 1.0% for 1,2,3,4, and 5 years after the
fire, respectively. Fires were set in late September or October and brush was
desiccated with herbicides 6 weeks prior to ignition to ensure shrub top-kill [102].

Two years after the August, 1996, Chapin 5 fire in southwestern Colorado,
species recovery was observed. The number of points at which banana yucca was recorded in
comparison to the number of points in each vegetation type were as follows [49]:


September, 1997 June, 1998 August, 1998
Shrubs 0.19 0.18 0.19
Pinyon-juniper/oak 0.07 0.08 0.10
Pinyon-juniper 0.14 0.06 0.12



Banana yucca populations in 3 previously burned blackbrush shrubland ecotones
were significantly less (P<0.05) than populations in adjacent
unburned sites. Seventeen years after a 1979 fire, the mean density of banana
yucca was 0.4±0.03 individuals per 100 m², while on an adjacent unburned site
plant density was 2.4±0.3 individuals per 100 m². Eight years after a 1987 fire,
populations went from a mean density of 1.2±0.20 individuals per 100 m² compared
to no recorded individuals on the unburned plot. In the year following a 1995 fire,
banana yucca had a mean density of 3.9±0.7 individuals per 100 m² and the
adjacent unburned site had 5.5±0.9 individuals per 100 m² [82]. Banana yucca
constituted 5.5% of absolute cover in southwestern Utah 37 years following a
burn. Measurements were also conducted on 1, 2, 6, 12, 17, and 19.5 year-old
burn sites and revealed absolute coverage percentages ranging from 0% to 1.6% [30].


Near Mesa, Arizona, populations of banana yucca decreased after the Vista
Fire despite their apparent ability to survive fire in the area [2]. As a result
of recent watering by local residents, banana yucca plants survived a fire that
burned over private property in southern Australia during the hottest summer in
90 years [115]. For additional information on succession of banana
yucca see Successional Status.
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cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Common Names

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
banana yucca

datil yucca

Spanish bayonet
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cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Conservation Status

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Banana yucca is salvage and harvest restricted in Arizona [5,130] and is protected as a
native species in Nevada [130].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Description

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: adventitious, fruit, shrub

This description provides characteristics that may be relevant to fire ecology
and is not meant for identification. Keys for identification are available
[38,54,58,87,91,98,136,142,145].


Banana yucca is a native, perennial shrub. It can reach heights of up to
30 feet (9.1 m) [57] and has a stem supporting a dense cluster of leaves
near the ground. Leaves are concave and rigid, supporting coarse, recurved
fibers along the margins [38,54,56,87,98]. Leaf clusters are approximately
24 to 30 inches (60-75 cm) high and twice as wide [98] with individual blades
reaching lengths of 20 to 40 inches (51-102 cm), widths of 1.25 to 1.50 inches
(3.2-3.8 cm) [136], and ending at the apex with a stiff spine 1.5 to 7.0 mm in
length [38].



Banana yucca produces both procumbent and rhizomatous stems. Procumbent stems are
always aerial and terminate in a head of leaves. The rhizomatous stems are 3.1 to
5.9 inches (8-15 cm) in diameter, 7.9 to 21.7 inches (20-55 cm) long, and covered
with thick bark. Adventitious roots sprout from the underside of the rhizomes, and 1
or 2 adventitious sprouts emerge from the upper surface. Rhizomatous stems are long-lived
and can take the form of a complex net beneath the soil surface [142].



The flowers of banana yucca are in dense panicles [143,144] found mostly among the
leaves [54]. The panicle is 12 to 36 inches (30.5-91.4 cm) long with 11 to 18 flowering
branches [136]. The fruit is large, conical, and pendulous, varying from 5.9 to
7.9 inches (15-20 cm) in length [56]. Extended water storage is achieved through
thickened leaves and leaf bases [100]. Banana yucca experiences crassulacean acid
metabolism (CAM), allowing carbohydrate stores built up in the summer and early
spring to assist during the reproductive period in late spring [85]. Computer simulations
have shown that a 3-year reproductive cycle is likely [139]. Seeds are 0.3 to 0.5
inches (8-12 mm) long and slightly ridged [98].

license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Distribution

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Banana yucca is widespread in the southwestern states of California, Nevada, Utah,
Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas [38,54,56,91,136,145], and has been identified
in western Louisiana [144]. It is found in Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Sonora, Mexico [84],
and is reported to occur in southern Australia [115]. Distribution of Y. b. var.
baccata encompasses the entire range of banana yucca. Arizona and New Mexico have
populations of Y. b. var. brevifolia, and Y. b. var. vespertina
is found in California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. A distributional map for banana yucca
and its infrataxa can be found on the Plants database
website.
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Fire Ecology

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: fire regime, fuel, shrub, woodland

Fire adaptations: The ability of
banana yucca to sprout from rhizomes and basal stem buds below the surface [142]
likely increases its chances of survival in ecosystems prone to fire. This
feature allows it to dominate some Sonoran desert plant communities after fire
[2].


FIRE REGIMES:
Fires tend to be rare in both creosotebush and blackbrush Mojave Desert ecosystems
[61]. In the blackbrush habitat of southwestern Utah, invasion of foxtail chess has
increased the ability of fire to spread and may be shortening the fire return interval
[19]. In pinyon-juniper ecosystems where fire historically occurred every 10 to 30
years, grazing has reduced fine fuel coverage and resulted in less frequent, lower
intensity fires [148].


The following table provides fire return intervals for plant communities and
ecosystems where banana yucca is found. Find further fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under "Find FIRE REGIMES".
Community or Ecosystem Dominant Species Fire Return Interval Range (years)
California chaparral Adenostoma and/or Arctostaphylos spp. 103]
mountain big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata var. vaseyana 15-40 [8,27,95]
desert grasslands Bouteloua eriopoda and/or Pleuraphis mutica <35 to <100 [103]
plains grasslands Bouteloua spp. 103,148]
blue grama-tobosa prairie Bouteloua gracilis-Pleuraphis mutica 103]
cheatgrass Bromus tectorum 106,146]
California montane chaparral Ceanothus and/or Arctostaphylos spp. 50-100
paloverde-cactus shrub Parkinsonia microphylla/Opuntia spp. <35 to <100
mountain-mahogany-Gambel oak scrub Cercocarpus ledifolius-Quercus gambelii <35 to <100
blackbrush Coleogyne ramosissima <35 to <100
Arizona cypress Cupressus arizonica <35 to 200
juniper-oak savanna Juniperus ashei-Quercus virginiana <35
Ashe juniper Juniperus ashei <35 [103]
creosotebush Larrea tridentata <35 to <100
Ceniza shrub Larrea tridentata-Leucophyllum frutescens-Prosopis glandulosa <35
pinyon-juniper Pinus-Juniperus spp. <35
Colorado pinyon Pinus edulis 10-400+ [48,53,69,103]
interior ponderosa pine* Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum 2-30 [7,9,79]
mesquite Prosopis glandulosa <35 to <100 [92,103]
mesquite-buffalo grass Prosopis glandulosa-Buchloe dactyloides <35
Texas savanna Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa <10 [103]
California oakwoods Quercus spp. <35 [7]
oak-juniper woodland (Southwest) Quercus-Juniperus spp. <35 to <200 [103]
live oak Quercus virginiana 10 to<100 [137]


*fire return interval varies widely; trends in variation are noted in the species review
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Fire Management Considerations

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: frequency, invasive species, severity

Fire in blackbrush habitat types where banana yucca is found can lead to undesirable
forage species such as threadleaf snakeweed inhabiting the area [19]. Prescribed burning
during fall months may protect banana yucca during reproductive periods, and burning
after rain events may increase overall survivorship. Despite the negative effect that fire
has on seeds, it is not likely to eliminate banana yucca because of its ability to resprout.



Increased amounts of Mg, Ca, K, Mn, P, and N are found underneath banana yucca after fire
and may stimulate germination of other species such as coyote tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata)
[10]. Invasive species have the potential to modify severity, frequency, and seasonality of fires.

license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Growth Form (according to Raunkiær Life-form classification)

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic.

More info for the terms: geophyte, stem succulent

RAUNKIAER [113] LIFE FORM:



Geophyte
Stem succulent
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cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Habitat characteristics

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: mesic, shrubs, tree, xeric

In general, banana yucca can be found on open dry plains, woodlands, slopes, and grasslands
[38,54,71,142] at elevations ranging from 2,000-8,000 feet (610-2,438 m) [136]. It has adapted
to a wide range of coarse- to fine-textured soils with varying pH levels [15] and is commonly
found in areas where limestone is prevalent [17,84]. Precipitation in banana yucca habitat follows
a bimodal pattern (rains in winter and summer) [34] and ranges from 3.0-25.6 inches (76-650 mm)
annually [31,60]. Elevation ranges by state are provided in the table below:


State Elevation Range
Arizona 3,500-7,500 feet (1,100-2,300 m) [26,90]
California 4,600-4,300 feet (800-1,300 m) [58]
Colorado 5,500-7,900 feet (1,700-2,400 m) [45,56]
Nevada 2,700-8,000 feet (800-2,400 m) [67,91]
New Mexico ≥6,400 feet (2,000 m) [43,73]
Utah 4,700-8,000 feet (1,400-2,400 m) [21,125]



Banana yucca is found scattered throughout Arizona. Near the Grand Canyon and
throughout central Arizona it can be found in poorly developed soils [4,102] composed
primarily of limestone and quartzite with pH values ranging from 8.2 to 8.7 [62] and an
average annual rainfall of 16.5 inches (419 mm) [93]. In the Hualapai Mountains of
northwestern Arizona, banana yucca occurs in areas where granite outcrops and shallow,
well-drained soils are characteristic [28]. On the Fort Bowie National Historic Site in
southeastern Arizona it is common on rocky soils, canyons, washes, and slopes [140].


In southwestern Utah banana yucca exists in areas characterized by an average
annual precipitation of 11.7 inches (296 mm) [21] and shallow soils with an average pH of
8.5 [29]. Temperatures range from -12º to 106 ºF (-24 to 41 ºC) with a mean annual temperature
of 34 ºF (1 ºC). It can be found on east and southeast facing aspects in mixed alluvium
derived from gneiss, limestone, sandstone, and schist. Slopes range from 2% [19] to 20% [21].


Banana yucca in New Mexico can be found in soils ranging from fine sandy loam [65,108]
to undeveloped parent material near bedrock outcrops [89]. It occurs on an arroyo in the Chihuahuan
Desert [65] and along the alluvial slopes of washes [139]. In the Organ Mountains it is considered
to be more mesic than xeric and can be found on high-elevation south-facing slopes and moderate-elevation
east and west exposures [41]. Banana yucca occurs on compacted and disturbed sandy soils in pinyon-juniper
woodlands of southeastern New Mexico [73].


In Nevada banana yucca is generally found on west- and south-facing aspects of dry slopes
and washes where precipitation averages 6 inches (152 mm) annually. Soils are primarily an alkaline
limestone [122]. Site characteristics in southern Nevada include an average annual rainfall of less
than 11.8 inches (300 mm), daytime relative humidity levels of less than 20% during summer months [81],
and air temperatures that range from -11 to 117 ºF (-24 to 47 ºC) [83]. It occurs in dry washes and
in areas with no significant slope exposure [20].


In the Mojave desert of southern California, banana yucca was recorded in a wash composed of
alluvium at least 9.8 feet (3 m) thick [35]. It can be found on dry slopes [98] and in dry Joshua
tree woodlands [58]. In southwestern Colorado it occurs on dry plains and slopes [56] on shallow,
fine sandy loam soils [45].

Y. baccata var. brevifolia can be found in southeastern Arizona on undeveloped
soils with mixed grasses and other desert shrubs [40]. It tends to occur in moist regions at elevations
ranging from 3000 to 4000 feet (914-1,219 m). Y. b. var. vespertina occurs on hillsides
and plains at elevations of 2000 to 7000 feet (610-2,134 m), taking root in a variety of soil
types [13].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Habitat: Cover Types

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

More info for the term: cover

SAF COVER TYPES [47]:





66 Ashe juniper-redberry (Pinchot) juniper

68 Mesquite

89 Live oak

237 Interior ponderosa pine

239 Pinyon-juniper

241 Western live oak

240 Arizona cypress

242 Mesquite
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Habitat: Ecosystem

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

More info for the term: shrub

ECOSYSTEMS [52]:





FRES21 Ponderosa pine

FRES28 Western hardwoods

FRES29 Sagebrush

FRES30 Desert shrub

FRES32 Texas savanna

FRES33 Southwestern shrubsteppe

FRES34 Chaparral-mountain shrub

FRES35 Pinyon-juniper

FRES38 Plains grasslands

FRES40 Desert grasslands
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Habitat: Plant Associations

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the terms: forest, shrub, woodland

KUCHLER [77] PLANT ASSOCIATIONS:





K019 Arizona pine forest

K023 Juniper-pinyon woodland

K027 Mesquite bosques

K031 Oak-juniper woodland

K032 Transition between K031 and K037

K033 Chaparral

K037 Mountain-mahogany-oak scrub

K038 Great Basin sagebrush

K039 Blackbrush

K040 Saltbush-greasewood

K041 Creosote bush

K042 Creosote bush-bur sage

K043 Paloverde-cactus shrub

K044 Creosote bush-tarbush

K045 Ceniza shrub

K053 Grama-galleta steppe

K054 Grama-tobosa prairie

K058 Grama-tobosa shrubsteppe

K059 Trans-Pecos shrub savanna

K060 Mesquite savanna

K061 Mesquite-acacia savanna

K062 Mesquite-live oak savanna

K065 Grama-buffalo grass

K086 Juniper-oak savanna

K087 Mesquite-oak savanna
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cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Habitat: Rangeland Cover Types

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic.

This species is known to occur in association with the following Rangeland Cover Types (as classified by the Society for Range Management, SRM):

More info for the terms: association, cover, shrub, woodland

SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES [120]:




207 Scrub oak mixed chaparral

208 Ceanothus mixed chaparral

210 Bitterbrush

211 Creosote bush scrub

212 Blackbush

401 Basin big sagebrush

402 Mountain big sagebrush

403 Wyoming big sagebrush

412 Juniper-pinyon woodland

413 Gambel oak

414 Salt desert shrub

415 Curlleaf mountain-mahogany

416 True mountain-mahogany

502 Grama-galleta

501 Saltbush-greasewood

503 Arizona chaparral

504 Juniper-pinyon pine woodland

505 Grama-tobosa shrub

506 Creosotebush-bursage

507 Palo verde-cactus

508 Creosotebush-tarbush

509 Transition between oak-juniper woodland and mahogany-oak association

703 Black grama-sideoats grama

705 Blue grama-galleta

706 Blue grama-sideoats grama

707 Blue grama-sideoats grama-black grama

713 Grama-muhly-threeawn

718 Mesquite-grama

727 Mesquite-buffalo grass

728 Mesquite-granjeno-acacia

729 Mesquite

733 Juniper-oak

735 Sideoats grama-sumac-juniper
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bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Immediate Effect of Fire

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: severity, shrub

Fire generally consumes the aboveground shrub layer of banana yucca [82]. Mortality rates
of banana yucca after fire likely depend on water stress [115] and severity of damage sustained
by the plant [102]. Live plant material is often damaged by adjacent dead plant material that
burns at higher temperatures [72].
license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Importance to Livestock and Wildlife

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: cover, frequency, fruit

Banana yucca provides browse to a variety of livestock in Arizona [126]. In the Mojave
Desert rangelands, domestic sheep and cattle do not utilize banana yucca as forage [60]
although cattle have been observed eating the leaves in western Texas [99]. Deer often
use banana yucca as a food source [12,55,90,122], searching out new leaves that sprout
after fire and eating from the plant at a higher frequency than when it is not burned
[72]. An analysis of various ungulate stomach contents revealed banana yucca fruit,
flowers, and stalks in mule deer and flowers and stalks in white-tailed deer [90].


Banana yucca is consumed by elk in the pinyon-juniper woodlands of Bandelier National
Monument in New Mexico [3]. Bighorn sheep browse on the leaves and fruit of banana yucca,
and various parts of the plant are also utilized by small rodents [55], birds, and
insects [12]. Although they are an insignificant part of their diet, javelina have been
spotted feeding on the fruit of banana yucca [75].



Palatability/nutritional value:
Banana yucca flower stalks are highly digestible and are an important source of
phosphorus [132]. In Arizona the stalks provide 4% of mule deer dietary needs
from May through June, adding protein, fiber, and calcium to their diets [131].
Banana yucca provides 1% to 5% of desert mule deer dietary needs during winter
months [76] while providing less than 1% of the dietary needs for Rocky Mountain
mule deer [78]. In Utah, it has moderate value as a food source for small nongame
birds [42].



Cover value:
In Utah, banana yucca provides poor cover for elk, mule deer, antelope and waterfowl.
It provides fair cover for small nongame birds and small mammals, and good cover
for upland game birds [42].

license
cc-publicdomain
bibliographic citation
Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Key Plant Community Associations

provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms: association, cactus, climax, cover, forbs, graminoid, shrub, shrubs, tree, woodland

Banana yucca is the most widespread of the Yucca spp. [91]. In Arizona, it can
be found in the Great Basin conifer woodland with juniper (Juniperus spp.) and pinyon
(Pinus spp.) [22], in the interior chaparral with shrub live oak (Quercus turbinella)
[101], in semidesert grasslands with black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) [24], and in Mojave
Desert scrub with creosotebush (Larrea tridentata) and shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia)
[128].


Banana yucca is found among the fire-adapted Arizona chaparral communities, most commonly
appearing in the shrub live oak-banana yucca-ashy silktassel (Garrya flavescens)
association with sugar sumac (Rhus ovata), desert ceanothus (Ceanothus
greggii), pointleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos pungens), and Pringle manzanita
(A. pringlei). It is also prominent in the Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
-shrub live oak association where Emory oak (Q. emoryi), Arizona white oak (Q. arizonica),
pointleaf manzanita, and bastardsage (Eriogonum wrightii) are found [31].



On an isolated island plateau in the Grand Canyon, banana yucca was found among Colorado pinyon
(P. edulis) and Utah juniper (J. osteosperma) [62]. It occurs on the Kaibab Plateau
with Colorado pinyon, Utah juniper, blue grama (B. gracilis), and Stansbury cliffrose
(Purshia mexicana var. stansburiana) [112]. In northwestern Arizona it is found with
Utah juniper, Stansbury cliffrose, and Nevada ephedra (Ephedra nevadensis) [107], while
in the Hualapai Mountains of northeastern Arizona it is associated with singleleaf pinyon (Pinus
monophylla)-Utah juniper and interior ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa var. scopulorum)
communities [28].



Banana yucca constitutes 3.1% of canopy cover in the Dutchwoman Butte area of central Arizona.
It exists alongside redberry juniper (J. coahuilensis), catclaw acacia (Acacia greggii),
Parry's agave (Agave parryi), and tulip prickly-pear (Opuntia phaeacantha). The most
common grasses in this area include sideoats grama (B. curtipendula), hairy grama (B. hirsuta),
and plains lovegrass (Eragrostis intermedia) [4]. In this region it is also found in chaparral-type
forests dominated by shrub live oak and true mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus) [102].



In southeastern Arizona banana yucca occurs in 3 community types: Emory oak-pointleaf Manzanita-sacahuista
(Nolina microcarpa), shrub live oak-sacahuista-oneseed juniper (J. monosperma), and desert
ceanothus-birchleaf mountain-mahogany (C. betuloides)-littleleaf sumac (Rhus microphylla)
[140]. Throughout the state it can be found with stemless four-nerve daisy (Tetraneurisa caulis),
and bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva) [118]. Leaves of banana yucca have been found in fossilized
woodrat middens on Picacho Peak where the shrub no longer grows [134].



In New Mexico banana yucca can be found on a variety of landforms. It occurs on alluvial fans with
other perennials such as broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae), tarbush (Flourensia cernua)
[139], creosotebush, soaptree yucca (Y. elata), and honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) [121].
It was found on a lava flow in the Upper Sonoran zone with oneseed juniper, cactus apple (O. engelmannii),
and fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) [119]. In a Chihuahuan Desert arroyo, banana yucca can be found
in limited abundance with desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa),
netleaf hackberry (Celtis reticulata), tarbush, and honey mesquite [65].



On Mt. Summerford in New Mexico, banana yucca is found on the drier south and west aspects with other
representative succulents such as Wheeler sotol (Dasylirion wheeleri), cactus apple, tulip
prickly-pear, and purple prickly-pear (O. macrocentra) [88]. Soaptree yucca and tree cholla
(O. imbricata) provide vertical structure on Otero Mesa where banana yucca is found among blue grama,
black grama, hairy grama, threeawn grasses (Aristida spp.), tobosa (Pleuraphis mutica), and
New Mexico feathergrass (Hesperostipa neomexicana) [108]. At Sandia National Laboratory it
has been found with Colorado pinyon and oneseed juniper [89].



In the Organ Mountains of New Mexico, banana yucca constituted 6% of cover in chaparral vegetation zones,
2% in savanna and woodland vegetation zones, and 1% in desert grasslands. It was found with true
mountain-mahogany, fendlerbush (Fendlera rupicola), gray oak (Q. grisea), and canyon sage
(Salvia lycioides) [41]. In southern New Mexico banana yucca co-exists with alligator juniper
(J. deppeana), interior ponderosa pine, and gray oak [43]. In the chaparral woodlands of the
Central Peloncillo Mountains of southern New Mexico, it constitutes 1% of cover [96].



In southern California, banana yucca can be found in the Tecate Peak Grove with Tecate cypress
(Cupressus forbesii), mission manzanita (Xylococcus bicolor), woolyleaf ceanothus
(Ceanothus tomentosus), and chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) [6]. In the Mojave Desert
region, it occurs with Cooper's goldenbush (Ericameria cooperi), white burrobrush
(Hymenoclea salsola), and desertsenna (Senna armata) [35]. In desert
shrub communities it can be found with Joshua tree (Y. brevifolia) and white burrobrush [117].



In Nevada, banana yucca is found within the high desert shrub subtype with blackbrush
(Coleogyne ramosissima), shrubby deervetch (Lotus rigidus), bladdersage
(Salazaria mexicana), and Eastern Mojave buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum)
[55]. In the southern region of the state, banana yucca occurs with shrubs such as mountain big
sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana), green ephedra (Ephedra viridis),
broom snakeweed [81], blackbrush, and Nevada ephedra [127]. It is associated with the graminoid
foxtail chess (Bromus madritensis) [20], forbs such as pincushion flower (Chaenactis
fremontii) and flatcrown buckwheat (Eriogonum deflexum) [20], and the Joshua tree
[127].



Banana yucca in southwestern Utah is commonly associated with blackbrush communities
[10,18,19,21,29,30]. It can be found with such exotics as foxtail chess [19,29,30] and cheatgrass
(B. tectorum) [29,30], and occurs on ridgetops, upper slopes, and lower slopes with
threadleaf snakeweed (G. microcephala) and broom snakeweed [21]. It is found alongside
Utah juniper [10,19], Anderson wolfberry (Lycium andersonii), and antelope bitterbrush
(Purshia tridentata) [10], and has been found with Mojave desertrue (Thamnosma
montana) and desert almond (Prunus fasciculata) in a 37-year-old burn [30].



In southwestern Colorado, banana yucca occurs in Colorado pinyon-juniper-Gambel oak
(Q. gambelii) and Gambel oak-serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
communities along with prickly-pear (Opuntia spp.) and milkvetch (Astragalus spp.) [123].
In Mesa Verde it associates with various plants in areas with diverse burn histories. In a
29-year-old burn area it was found with Utah serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis),
mutton grass (Poa fendleriana), and hairy false goldenaster (Heterotheca
villosa) [45]. It occurs with antelope bitterbrush and fendlerbush in a 90-year-old
burn area, and with mutton grass and plains prickly-pear (O. polyacantha) in climax
communities [46]. Banana yucca has also been found with Fremont's goosefoot (Chenopodium
fremontii), Rocky Mountain milkvetch (Astragalus scopulorum), Johnston's
knotweed (Polygonum douglasii ssp. johnstonii), and mountain snowberry
(Symphoricarpos oreophilus) 1 year after fire, and with prickly lettuce
(Lactuca serriola), showy goldeneye (Heliomeris multiflora),
Utah serviceberry, and Gambel oak 2 years following fire [49].



In Texas, banana yucca is found with other important succulents such as lechuguilla
(Agave lechuguilla), smooth-leaf sotol (D. leiophyllum), soaptree yucca, and
Torrey's yucca (Y. torreyi) [135]. It is found on south-facing slopes in the Mount
Livermore area with Colorado pinyon, gray oak, hairy grama, and true mountain-mahogany [59].
Its range extends into western Louisiana where it can be found south of the Arkansas
River in rocky pinyon-juniper stands [144].



In Mexico, banana yucca can be found in the Madrean evergreen woodlands with rainbow
hedgehog cactus (Echinocereus rigidissimus), barrel cactus (Ferocactus
wislizenii), walkingstick cactus (O. spinosior), and tulip prickly-pear
[23]. It is of moderate importance in the Tornilla clay bed region of northern Mexico where it
occurs with creosotebush, tarbush, and lechuguilla [97], and can be found in the lower elevations
of the trans-Pecos region with creosotebush, Texas barometer bush (Leucophyllum
frutescens), lechuguilla, and Parry's agave [25].



Banana yucca occurs in the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan desert systems. Vegetation
typical of the Mojave Desert also includes creosotebush, Joshua tree,
blackbrush, prickly-pear [141], and big galleta (Pleuraphis rigida) [36].
In the Chihuahuan Desert banana yucca occurred on 10% of 50 surveyed quadrats and
could be found with creosotebush, lechuguilla, and range ratany (Krameria parvifolia)
[116]. In the Sonoran Desert banana yucca is found in the pinyon-juniper woodlands and
in creosotebush scrub [84]



In desert plains grasslands banana yucca can be found with honey mesquite, whitethorn
acacia (Acacia constricta), catclaw acacia, and ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)
[147]. Banana yucca is also a characteristic succulent in semidesert grasslands along with
Torrey's yucca, Thompson's yucca (Y. thompsoniana), Mojave yucca (Y. schidigera),
and Eve's needle (Y. faxoniana) [23]. It can be found on the center portion of the
bajadas with both Joshua tree and Mojave yucca [86].

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Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Life Form

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Shrub
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Management considerations

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More info for the terms: shrub, woodland

A variety of insects utilize banana yucca stalks and pods, potentially benefiting the
plant by allowing seeds to be dispersed after stalks with reduced vigor fall to the
ground [94]. In New Mexico the yucca plant bug prefers banana yucca and consumes
substantial portions of photosynthesizing plant material, possibly reducing growth [50].


Banana yucca habitat in south-central New Mexico is home to black-throated sparrow
populations, containing "up to 44% of successful nests" [108]. In the Nevada
desert uplands, banana yucca is found in habitat supporting Gambel's quail [55].



In a pinyon-juniper woodland in Arizona, banana yucca production declined from 5 kg/ha
to 0 kg/ha after removal of the overstory [34]. A study conducted in New Mexico found
that banana yucca populations increased when rabbits and cattle were reintroduced after
12 years of exclusion and shrub seedlings allowed to grow following 12 years of removal
[11]. In U.S. wilderness areas banana yucca is considered resistant to trampling damage [37].

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Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Other uses and values

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Various Native American tribes have extended histories encompassing a wide range
of uses for banana yucca. It has commonly been utilized as a food source [32]
with fruits often consumed in their raw form before fully ripening [12,33].
Cakes were often made by pit roasting the fruits [114], grinding them into
a paste, and drying the resulting material in the form of cakes [12] which could
later be traded [114] or rehydrated and made into a syrup or jelly [44]. Fermented
banana yucca has been used for beverages [67], its juices utilized as a preservative [33],
and in northern New Mexico it was used to make rum [57]. Seeds were dried and ground
up into meal, and central leaves were heated with soups or broiled with meat [12].



Banana yucca is preferred over other yuccas because of its strength [16] and many uses.
Tough fibers extracted from the leaves have been used in home building [109] and to make
products such as hair brushes, sandals, baskets, mats, fish nets, clothing, cords [12],
brooms, and soaps [91]. Banana yucca is used for ceremonial purposes and as a remedy
for vomiting and heartburn [44]. Approximately 40% of the fiber in banana yucca leaves is
extractable [142].

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Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Phenology

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Banana yucca builds up carbohydrate stores through the summer and early spring months to utilize
during the reproductive period in late spring [85]. Flowering dates for banana yucca range from
March to July [38,54,67,98,122,136,138,150] with plants at higher elevation flowering later in
the season [142].
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Plant Response to Fire

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The response of banana yucca to fire is variable depending on its location and
occurrence with other species. Plants have been reported to sprout from "fleshy
roots" 1 to 4 inches (2.5-10.2 cm) below ground, likely referring to rhizomes.
Growth from the unburned portion of plant bases has also been recorded [72].
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Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Post-fire Regeneration

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POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY [124]:



Small shrub, adventitious bud/root crown

Rhizomatous shrub, rhizome in soil
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Regeneration Processes

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Banana yucca is able to reproduce vegetatively through basal bud
sprouts and rhizomes. It reproduces less frequently from seed [142].


Breeding system:
Banana yucca is monoecious [105].



Pollination:
Banana yucca is pollinated by the nocturnal pronuba moth [104]. Moths specific to banana
yucca can remain in diapause for up to 30 years, emerging only when climatic cues are
optimal for development [111]. These same moths may be responsible for the creation of
Y. baccata x Y. schidigera hybrids [80].



Seed production:
Seed production of banana yucca is plentiful [136,144]. Viable seeds
depend on sufficient, high quality pollen transfer, adequate resources for seed
development, and safe insertion of the yucca moth's ovipositor through the locular
wall so as not to damage ovules [1]. In a study conducted to determine the
effects of seed predation on banana yucca, 10% to 12% of seeds were lost to moth
larvae. The total number of viable, uneaten seeds per fruit for banana yucca was 116
with very few of them being lost to predation [70]. Tenebrionidae larvae have the
greatest effect on seedling survival, spreading bacterial and fungal infection to
seeds and inflorescence stalks [139].



Seed dispersal:
Banana yucca seeds are dispersed by vertebrates [150]. By consuming the fleshy outer
portions of the fruit, rabbits and woodrats expose the seeds for dispersal [139].



Seed banking:
No information is available on this topic.



Germination:
Germination of banana yucca seeds has been studied in laboratory settings. Borland
[15] found that with temperatures of 60° to 70 °F (16° to 21 °C), germination occurred
in as few as 7 days. While researching the effects of heat on various yuccas, Keeley
and Meyers [71] found that germination rates of banana yucca were highest when exposed to
194 °F (90 °C) temperatures for 5 minutes and plummeted to 0% when exposed for a period
of 2 hours or to temperatures of 230°F (110 °C) and greater for more than 5 minutes.
Germination was 84% when seeds were kept at room temperature.



Seedling establishment/growth:
Very few seeds of banana yucca develop into seedlings [150]. Only 9 seedlings were counted
in southern New Mexico during 4 years of observing seedling emergence [142]. Yuccas grow
slowly and utilize the same leaves for many years; this reduces the amount of energy used
in producing biomass [39].



Asexual regeneration:
Asexual reproduction of banana yucca is achieved through the propagation of basal nodules
and sprouts from rhizomes [142].

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Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Regional Distribution in the Western United States

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This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS [14]:



3 Southern Pacific Border

4 Sierra Mountains

7 Lower Basin and Range

11 Southern Rocky Mountains

12 Colorado Plateau

13 Rocky Mountain Piedmont
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Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

States or Provinces

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(key to state/province abbreviations)



UNITED STATES

AZ CA CO LA NV NM TX UT



MEXICO


Chih. Coah. Son.

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Successional Status

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In Mesa Verde, Colorado, banana yucca was observed in 3 separate postburn environments and
occurred at the highest cover and frequency, 13% and 40% respectively, 90 years following fire.
It was observed with 6% cover and 16% frequency on a 29-year old burn and 2% cover and 14%
frequency on a 4-century-old stand [46]. Elsewhere in Colorado banana yucca has been found
1 and 2 years after fire [49].


A study of fire effects on blackbrush communities in southwestern Utah revealed populations
of banana yucca on unburned sites and sites of various time since fire. Banana yucca populations
represented 0.1% mean cover on a 1-year-old burn, 1.6% mean cover on a 12-year-old burn, and 5.5%
mean cover on a 37-year-old burn [30]. Banana yucca is distinct from other yucca species in that it
does well in partially shaded environments [15].

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Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Synonyms

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Yucca thornberi McKelvey [17].
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Groen, Amy H. 2005. Yucca baccata. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/yucbac/all.html

Taxonomy

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The currently accepted scientific name for banana yucca is Yucca baccata
Torr. (Agavaceae) [54,64,66,68,74,87,110,136,143,144]. Accepted varieties
include:


Y. b. var. baccata

Y. b. var. brevifolia (Schott ex Torr.) L. Benson & Darrow [66,136]

Y. b. var. vespertina (McKelvey) [38,58,66,67,91,98,145]




Hybrids: Banana yucca commonly hybridizes with Y. torreyi [142]. It is also known
to hybridize with Don Quixote's lace (Y. treculeana)[110], Mojave yucca (Y. Schidigera)
[58,142], and soapweed yucca (Y. glauca) [142].



Throughout this review, banana yucca will refer to all varieties of Y. baccata. A
distinction between the varieties will only be made in the distribution and occurrence
section and where information is available on site characteristics

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Value for rehabilitation of disturbed sites

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More info for the terms: peat, seed

Propagation via basal nodules and young sprouts of banana yucca has proven
successful [142] and may provide opportunities for colonizing sites where banana
yucca previously existed. Banana yucca can also be grown from seed and bare
root plantings and relocated to appropriate sites. Transplants were successfully
grown in loam and silt, potted in peat and sandy loam, and transferred to a
south-facing slope with sandy clay loam soils [122]. Banana yucca seeds are
available commercially [129].


Banana yucca plants were salvaged from the East Mojave Desert by hand digging
before mining operations. They were planted at a nursery site, and exposed roots
were dusted with sulfur powder to reduce the risk of airborne infections. Between
1 and 2 years after relocation, 71% of banana yucca were in excellent condition
(no yellowing of leaves), 15% were in poor condition, and 14% died (no green leaves
remaining) [51].

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Yucca baccata

provided by wikipedia EN

Yucca baccata flowers

Yucca baccata (datil yucca or banana yucca, also known as Spanish bayonet and broadleaf yucca)[4][5] is a common species of yucca native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, from southeastern California north to Utah, east to western Texas and south to Sonora and Chihuahua. It is also reported in the wild in Colombia.[6]

The species gets its common name "banana yucca" from its banana-shaped fruit. The specific epithet baccata means 'with berries'. Banana yucca is closely related to the Yucca schidigera, the Mojave yucca, with which it is interspersed where their ranges overlap; hybrids between them occur.

Description

Yucca baccata is recognized by having leaves 50–76 cm (20–30 in) long[4] with a blue-green color, and short or nonexistent trunks. It flowers in the spring, starting in April to July depending on locality (altitude), and the flowers range from 5 to 13 cm (2 to 5 in) long, in six segments,[7] white to cream-coloured with purple shades. The flower stalk is not especially tall, typically 1–1.5 m (3+12–5 ft). The seeds are rough, black, wingless, 3–8 mm (1838 in) long and wide, 1–2 mm (132332 in) thick; they ripen in 6–8 weeks. The indehiscent fleshy fruit is 8–18 cm (3–7 in) long and 6 cm (2+12 in) across, cylindrical, and tastes similar to sweet potato.[8]

Subspecies

Yucca baccata has been divided into three subspecies:

  • Yucca baccata subsp. baccata—Datil Yucca, Banana Yucca
  • Yucca baccata subsp. thornberi (McKelvey) Hochstätter—Thornber's Yucca
  • Yucca baccata subsp. vespertina (McKelvey) Hochstätter—Mohave Datil Yucca

Distribution and habitat

The plant is known from the Great Basin, the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts, plus the Arizona/New Mexico Mountains ecoregion and lower, southern parts of the Rocky Mountains. It occurs primarily in the US states of Utah, California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, and the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It can be found in several habitat types including Pinyon-Juniper, desert grassland, Creosote bush scrub, sagebrush, and ponderosa pine colonies at elevations generally between 1,500 and 2,500 m (4,900 and 8,200 ft).[9]

It is associated with Yucca schidigera, Yucca brevifolia, Yucca arizonica, Yucca faxoniana, Agave utahensis, and other Agave species. It can be found among Sclerocactus, Pediocactus, Navajoa, and Toumeya species.

The plant occurs in a large area of the North American deserts and exhibits much variation across its range. Yucca baccata specimens from the higher, mountainous regions of the Rocky Mountains is winterhardy and tolerates extreme conditions.

Ecology

It is a larval host to the ursine giant skipper, yucca giant skipper, and various yucca moths (Proxodus sp.).[10] After feeding, the skippers pupate in the yucca's roots.[10]

Uses

The young flower stalks can be cooked and eaten, with the tough outer rind discarded. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked,[4] in the latter case resembling sweet potato.[7]

The Paiutes dried the fruits for use during the winter. It is still a popular food amongst Mexican Indians.[8] The flowers are often eaten by rural residents.[7]

Ancestral Puebloan peoples used the fibers derived from the leaves to create sandals and cordage, and the root was used as soap, although with less frequency than that of Yucca elata.[11]

References

  1. ^ Hodgson, W.; Salywon, A.; Puente, R. (2020). "Yucca baccata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T117423066A117469947. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T117423066A117469947.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound., Bot [Emory] 221. 1859 "Plant Name Details for Yucca baccata". IPNI. Retrieved November 29, 2009.
  3. ^ The Plant List
  4. ^ a b c Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982]. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods. New York: Sterling. p. 134. ISBN 978-1-4027-6715-9. OCLC 244766414.
  5. ^ "Broadleaf Yucca | Colorado's Wildflowers". 2016-06-22. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  6. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  7. ^ a b c Spellenberg, Richard (2001) [1979]. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region (rev ed.). Knopf. pp. 327–328. ISBN 978-0-375-40233-3.
  8. ^ a b Whitney, Stephen (1985). Western Forests (The Audubon Society Nature Guides). New York: Knopf. p. 438. ISBN 0-394-73127-1.
  9. ^ "Species: Yucca baccata". www.fs.usda.gov. Retrieved 2023-01-28.
  10. ^ a b The Xerces Society (2016), Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects, Timber Press.
  11. ^ (Organization), Archaeology Southwest (1999). Archaeology Southwest magazine : a quarterly publication of Archaeology Southwest. Archaeology Southwest. OCLC 803078100.
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Yucca baccata: Brief Summary

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Yucca baccata flowers

Yucca baccata (datil yucca or banana yucca, also known as Spanish bayonet and broadleaf yucca) is a common species of yucca native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, from southeastern California north to Utah, east to western Texas and south to Sonora and Chihuahua. It is also reported in the wild in Colombia.

The species gets its common name "banana yucca" from its banana-shaped fruit. The specific epithet baccata means 'with berries'. Banana yucca is closely related to the Yucca schidigera, the Mojave yucca, with which it is interspersed where their ranges overlap; hybrids between them occur.

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