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Useful Temperate Plants

Yucca grandiflora

Gentry

Asparagaceae

+ Synonyms

Common Name: Sahuiliqui

No Image.

General Information

Yucca grandiflora is an evergreen, succulent, tree-like perennial plant. It produces a main stem 3 - 4 metres high that branches from the base and also near the top, a rosette of leaves is produced at the end of each stem with indiividual leaves 70 - 100cm long and 4 - 5cm wide[
1840
Title
A New Yucca from Sonora
Publication
Madrono, Vol 14, pp 51-53 1957-1958
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
 
Year
1957
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of fibre.. The leaves are of potential value to the pharmaceutical industry and the plant is used as an ornamental. Yucca grandiflora is cultivated in Tucson, southern Arizona and the fruits ('datilillo') are used for human consumption[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
] (This suggests, but does not specifically state, that the plant is cultivated for its fruit[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].)
Yucca grandiflora is scattered where it occurs, with very low population densities and a low reproduction rate. However, it has a wide distribution range and occurs in some isolated areas of difficult access and relatively secure from disturbance. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

1840
Title
A New Yucca from Sonora
Publication
Madrono, Vol 14, pp 51-53 1957-1958
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
 
Year
1957
ISBN
 
Description
 
,
1842
Title
The Agave Family in Sonora; Agriculture Handbook No. 399
Publication
 
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
Agicultural Research Service, USDA; Washington D.C.
Year
1972
ISBN
 
Description
Gives quite a lot of information on the traditional uses of the plants.

Range

Southwest N. America - northwest Mexico (Sonora)

Habitat

Gentle slopes and ridges, with volcanic or limestone and calcareous rocks, mixed with oak trees at lower elevations and desert scrub and thorn scrub at higher elevations; at elevations from 600 - 1,500 metres[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height4.00 m
PollinatorsMoths
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details



This species has a very slow growth rate, taking 15 - 24 years to reach sexual maturity[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Edible Uses

Fruits - raw or cooked. A sweet flavour eaten raw, they are said by some to be even nicer when roasted[
1842
Title
The Agave Family in Sonora; Agriculture Handbook No. 399
Publication
 
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
Agicultural Research Service, USDA; Washington D.C.
Year
1972
ISBN
 
Description
Gives quite a lot of information on the traditional uses of the plants.
].. The large, fleshy fruits can be up to 20cm long and 5cm in diameter. Bitter-tasting when immature, when very ripe they become soft and very sweet in flavour[
1841
Title
The Warihio Indians of Sonora-Chihuahua; An Ethnographic Survey (Anthropological Papers, No. 65)
Publication
Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 186 pp 61-144
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution
Year
1963
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent study
,
1842
Title
The Agave Family in Sonora; Agriculture Handbook No. 399
Publication
 
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
Agicultural Research Service, USDA; Washington D.C.
Year
1972
ISBN
 
Description
Gives quite a lot of information on the traditional uses of the plants.
]. The seeds are fairly large, they are not usually eaten since they contain high concentrations of bitter-tasting sapogenins[
1841
Title
The Warihio Indians of Sonora-Chihuahua; An Ethnographic Survey (Anthropological Papers, No. 65)
Publication
Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 186 pp 61-144
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution
Year
1963
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent study
]
The immature fruits are occasionally consumed[
1839
Title
Use and Nutritional Composition of some Traditional Mountain Pima Plant Foods
Publication
J. Ethnobiol. 11(1):93-114 Summer 1991
Author
Laferriere J.E.; Weber C.W. & Kohlhepp E.A.
Publisher
 
Year
1991
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. When mature, the fruits are dry and inedible[
1839
Title
Use and Nutritional Composition of some Traditional Mountain Pima Plant Foods
Publication
J. Ethnobiol. 11(1):93-114 Summer 1991
Author
Laferriere J.E.; Weber C.W. & Kohlhepp E.A.
Publisher
 
Year
1991
ISBN
 
Description
 
]. This last comment is probably a mistake, this species is related to Yucca baccata and, like that species has a fleshy-fruit[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Flower petals - cooked like fresh squash[
1841
Title
The Warihio Indians of Sonora-Chihuahua; An Ethnographic Survey (Anthropological Papers, No. 65)
Publication
Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 186 pp 61-144
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution
Year
1963
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent study
]. Rich in vitamins[
1841
Title
The Warihio Indians of Sonora-Chihuahua; An Ethnographic Survey (Anthropological Papers, No. 65)
Publication
Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 186 pp 61-144
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution
Year
1963
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent study
]

Medicinal

The leaves contain around 1.4% sapogenins, these are steroidal compounds that are regarded as precursors to cortisone and other related drugs. The fairly high percentage value of sarsasapogenin make this species of potential value to the pharmaceutical industry[
1840
Title
A New Yucca from Sonora
Publication
Madrono, Vol 14, pp 51-53 1957-1958
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
 
Year
1957
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Other Uses

The leaves are a source of fibre[
1840
Title
A New Yucca from Sonora
Publication
Madrono, Vol 14, pp 51-53 1957-1958
Author
Gentry H.S.
Publisher
 
Year
1957
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-10-12. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Yucca+grandiflora>

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