Status: Native
Synonyms:
Yucca angustifolia Pursh var. elata Engelmann
This yucca frequently reaches several meters tall and may have
several branches. The inflorescence is a highly branched panicle on tall
scape. The fruit is a dry, brown capsule with three chambers which are transversely
ridged on the inner surface. There are two poker chip stacks of black seeds in each
of the chambers with a septum between the stacks. Some of the seeds are white, perhaps sterile or just a color variation. The long leaves have a white border when young and filamentous strands from the edge, more evident toward the center of the plant. It is not an uncommon sight to see Yucca elata appearing to have been shorn to the stem. Apparently packrats (Neotoma sp.) add the Yucca leaves to their nests.
Please click on an image for a larger file.
Yucca elata, photo Russ Kleinman, Silver City, May 19, 2007
Yucca elata, detail of inflorescence, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., CD trail at Jack's Peak, July 9, 2007
Yucca elata, profile at sunset, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., CD trail at Jack's Peak, July 9, 2007
Yucca elata, capsule, photo Russ Kleinman, Black Range, Ancheta Canyon, Dec. 10, 2008
Yucca elata, seeds stacked like poker chips, photo Russ Kleinman, Black Range, Ancheta Canyon, Dec. 10, 2008
Yucca elata, closeup of flower, photo Russ Kleinman, Little Burro Mtns., along US 180N, July 1, 2009
Yucca elata, thick underground root system, photo Russ Kleinman, Ridge Road near Silver City, October 21, 2009
Yucca elata, closeup of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, WD Ranch Road, December 3, 2009
Yucca elata, macro of cross section of leaf, photo Russ Kleinman, WD Ranch Road, December 3, 2009
Yucca elata, filamentous stranding from margin of leaves is more evident centrally, photo Russ Kleinman, Ridge Road south of Silver City, February 12, 2010
Yucca elata, appearance after being shorn by packrats, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., WD Ranch Road near Engineer Canyon, March 1, 2010
Yucca elata, shorn yuccas with packrat midden underneath made up mainly of grass, cow manure & Yucca elata leaves, photo Russ Kleinman, Tyrone Ridge Access Road, March 10, 2010
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