aloe yucca

Yucca aloifolia L.

Aloe yucca forms upright trunks crowned by stiff, sword-shaped leaves. New shoots arising near the base can produce a cluster of stems, and fallen stems may root and continue growing. Each leaf ends in a very sharp point, while its edges lack the loose threads found on some other yuccas. NC State Extension: Yucca aloifolia

Botanical name

Kew accepts Yucca aloifolia L. in Asparagaceae, matching the catalog’s species identity. Kew POWO: Yucca aloifolia

Recognizing the plant

The Cayman Islands flora describes shrubs or small trees reaching about four metres. Dark green leaves are usually thirty to sixty centimetres long. A compact upright flower cluster carries numerous nodding, creamy-white bells, sometimes tinged purple. The fleshy fruits remain closed when ripe and contain dark purple pulp around flattened seeds. Proctor, Flora of the Cayman Islands, via Kew: Yucca aloifolia

Bloom window

North Carolina extension account

Flowering can occur from spring into late summer, varying between years. NC State Extension: Yucca aloifolia

Native range

Kew records a native range from southeastern Texas across the southeastern United States, with Bermuda and central and southern Mexico also included. In North Carolina it inhabits coastal sands and dunes, tolerating drought and salt spray. Kew POWO: Yucca aloifolia NC State Extension: Yucca aloifolia

Ecological relationships

A 2014 experiment demonstrated effective pollination by European honeybees, showing that this yucca is not invariably dependent on specialised yucca moths. Rentsch and Leebens-Mack, 2014: Yucca aloifolia opts out of an obligate pollination mutualism

Botanical sources

Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.