Yucca filamentosa
| Yucca filamentosa | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 4' |
| Width: | 2' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Yucca filamentosa (common name: spoonleaf yucca)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Pre-soaking the seed for 24 hours in warm water may reduce the germination time. It usually germinates within 1 - 12 months if kept at a temperature of 20°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for at least their first two winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer and consider giving them some winter protection for at least their first winter outdoors - a simple pane of glass is usually sufficient[K]. Seed is not produced in Britain unless the flowers are hand pollinated.
Root cuttings in late winter or early spring. Lift in April/May and remove small buds from base of stem and rhizomes. Dip in dry wood ashes to stop any bleeding and plant in a sandy soil in pots in a greenhouse until established[1].
Division of suckers in late spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the following spring.
Cultivation: A very easily grown plant, it thrives in most soils but prefers a sandy loam and full exposure to the south[2]. Dislikes peaty or chalky soils[3]. Can succeed in light shade[K]. Plants are hardier when grown on poor sandy soils[4]. Established plants are very drought resistant[5].
Plants are hardy to at least -15°c when grown in a well-drained soil.
This species is one of the toughest members of the genus and once established is capable of surviving, and even thriving, despite considerable neglect. Plants growing in dense weed competition on our Cornwall trial grounds have managed to spread and even flower[K].
A very ornamental and free flowering species[6], there are some named varieties[7].
In the plants native environment, its flowers can only be pollinated by a certain species of moth. This moth cannot live in Britain and, if fruit and seed is required, hand pollination is necessary. This can be quite easily and successfully done using something like a small paint brush.
Individual crowns are monocarpic, dying after flowering[8]. However, the crown will usually produce a number of sideshoots before it dies and these will grow on to flower in about four years[8].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[4].
Members of this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[8]
Range: South-eastern N. America - Southern New Jersey to Florida. Naturalized in S. Europe.
Habitat: Sand dunes, waste ground and pine forests along the coastal plain[2][9].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[10][11][12]. Large and fleshy[13][14]. The fruit is often dried for winter use[6].
Flowers - raw or dried, crushed and used as a flavouring[15][16][17]. A tasty addition to the salad bowl[14]. We have found the flowers to be fairly bitter[K].
Flowering stem - cooked and used like asparagus[16].
Medicinal: A poultice made from the roots is used in the treatment of sores, skin diseases and sprains[18][19].
Usage: A fibre obtained from the leaves is used for making ropes, cloth, baskets and mats[20][11][12][21][22]. The fibre can also be used for making paper[23] The leaves are harvested in summer, they are scraped to remove the outer skin and are then soaked in water for 24 hours prior to cooking. The fibres are cooked for 2 hours with lye and then beaten in a ball mill for 4 hours. They make a cream paper[23].
The leaves are used as paint brushes[24].
The roots are rich in saponins and can be used as a soap substitute for washing the hair, body and clothing[11][12][21][19].
Pollinators: Hand
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates strong winds
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The roots contain saponins[18]. Whilst saponins are quite toxic to people, they are poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass straight through. They are also destroyed by prolonged heat, such as slow baking in an oven. Saponins are found in many co
Also Known As: Y. concava.
Links
References
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ Sanders, Thomas. Popular Hardy Perennials. Collingridge, 1926.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chatto, Beth. The Damp Garden. Dent, 1982.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray, 1992.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Lyndon, Merritt. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co, 1950.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ McPherson, Alan and Sue McPherson. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press, 1977.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Sargent, Charles. Manual of the Trees of North America. Dover, 1965.
- ↑ Buchanan, Rita. A Weavers Garden.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Bell, Lilian. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press, 1988.
- ↑ Balls, Edward. Early Uses of Californian Plants. University of California Press, 1975.