Yucca madrensis is closely related to Yucca jaliscensis to the south of its range and to the Yucca schottii complex to the north[].

Common Name: Sierra Madre Yucca

General Information

Yucca madrensis is an evergreen, succulent, perennial plant forming a thin, open rosette of leaves that can each be 50 - 100cm long and 20 - 35mm wide. The plant gradually develops a short, unbranched trunk that can occasionally be 2 metres high[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of soap. The plant forms a low, rather bluish-leaved, ornamental rosette with leaves that are sometimes unusually long and somewhat arching[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southwest N. America - southeast Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico (Sonora, Chihuahua).

Habitat

Rocky slopes on limestone soils, in pine-oak forest; at elevations from 1,400 - 1,600 metres[]

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	2.50 m
Pollinators	Moths
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The tender, green fruits as eaten[]. The mature fruit becomes dry and inedible[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The roots are rich in saponins and can be used as a soap[]. Analyses of the leaves by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed about 0.025% sapogenin in the leaves and 1.5% smilogenin in the roots, which identifies the soap
chemically[].

Propagation

Seed -