Item Tag: Banana Yucca

Banana Yucca, Spanish Bayonet, Yucca baccata, Seeds Hardy, Adaptable, Easy to Grow, Evergreen, Showy Flowers and Fruits, Edible Fruits, Attracts Butterflies, Wildlife Food, Cold, Heat, Drought, Salt and Wind Tolerant Banana Yucca is a slow growing, evergreen shrub or small tree (though it looks somewhat more like an herbaceous perennial in its early years) that is native to coastal plains, dunes and sandy woods from Southern U.S. to Mexico. It is a single stemmed plant 2 to 8 feet tall that is densely covered with large sword-shaped, sharply pointed blue green leaves 12 to 40 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. Individual white fibers along the leaf margins tend to curl. Leaves originally appear as a mounded basal clump, but after several years the stem or trunk develops, typically growing to a mature height of 4 to 6 feet and lifting the leaf clump off the ground. Flowers are bell-shaped and grow in thick clusters on stalks to 2 feet are 1 1/2 inches to 3 1/2 inches long and are creamy white often tinged purple in color. The Banana Yucca gets its name from the large fleshy edible fruits that are somewhat (sort of) banana-like in appearance. The fruits are large, 4 to 10 inches long and fleshy at maturity. The pods contain flat, blackish seeds. Yucca is a Caribbean name for the cassava plant, which originally was named Yucca gloriosa. Baccata means “fruited,” referring to the plant’s large fruits. In wet years, when many yuccas bloom over the landscape, they resemble large snowy-white candles; hence, the plants may be called by yet another name, “Our Lord’s candles.” Unlike agaves, with which yuccas are often confused, yuccas bloom each year (more or less), while agaves bloom only once. Other Names: Spanish Bayonet, Banana yucca, Datil Yucca, Amole, Spanish Dagger, Yucca gloriosa Zone: 6 to 10 Growth Rate: Slow Plant Type: Evergreen shrub or small tree Family: Agavaceae Native Range: California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Mexico. Height: 4 to 6 feet Spread: 2 to 4 feet Bloom Time: Late spring – early summer Bloom Color: Creamy white often tinged purple Flower/Fruit: Bell-shaped flowers are 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches. Edible fruits are large, 4 to 9 inches long pods. Sun: Full Sun Fall Color: Evergreen Drought Tolerance: High Water: Dry to medium Maintenance: Low Site Requirements/ Soil Tolerances: Easily grown in dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerant of poor, dry, sandy soils. Uses: Borders. Foundations. Dry garden areas. Dry slopes. Sowing Yucca baccata Seeds: For best results, please follow the instructions in the order provided. Scarify: Soak in water for 24 hours Stratify: None Germination: Sow 1/4” Deep, Keep warm and Moist (Not wet). Historic and Current Plant Uses The Pueblo Indians of the American Southwest utilized the Banana yucca for food as well as utilitarian products. The fleshy fruits were eaten green or dried and stored for winter consumption. Baked, the fruit has a flavor which is reportedly similar to potatoes. In some pueblos, the pulp was mixed with berries and made into cakes that could be dried for winter use. The young flower stalks were also eaten, like asparagus. From the yucca leaf came fibers that were either twisted or plaited together to make cordage. Leaves were soaked in water and then pounded with stones to separate the long fibers. Sometimes human or animal hair or even bird plumage was added to the strands, which were twisted into string or ropes. These were used for belts, rope ladders, sandal toe straps, cradle board ties, fishnets and sandals. The fibers were also used for mats and clothing and were incorporated into baskets. The leaves were also utilized as paintbrushes by the Southwest Indians. Women chewed the leaf tip to a fine fringe which created an excellent paintbrush to use in decorating pottery. From the roots comes shampoo, which has been used both prehistorically and historically. The dry roots were pounded by the Indians then whisked into cold water to create suds. The saponin-rich roots create a soap like lather which can be used in cleaning. The suds were used to wash the hair in both personal and spiritual cleansing. The white frothy suds reminded Native Americans of the large summer thunderstorms which cleansed the landscape with their rain showers, thus, Banana yucca suds represented a spiritual cleansing of the person. In more recent times, Yucca-Dew Shampoo was a commercial product that utilized the sudsing agent of a yucca plant. Shasta Root beer contains yucca on its list of ingredients; the yucca ingredient creates the soda’s white, foamy head. Interesting Facts About Yucca Plants Yucca wood has the lowest ignition temperature of any other wood, which makes it useful as a fire-starter. The state flower of New Mexico is the “yucca flower.” Yucca plants are reliant on the yucca moth for pollination. Germination: Seeds Packets are labeled with seed name and sowing details. Seeds have not been pretreated unless specified in the listing. Seed is not a specific Cultivar (Variety) unless specified in the listing. Due to the many factors involved in successful germination, Seller cannot be responsible for buyers growing methods or mistakes. I have provided what I believe to be a good overview on this page (which you are free to print for further reference), however, it is still recommended to check specialist literature for more details and practices specific to your climate and soil conditions to avoid mistakes in the germination and growing process. Shipping and Discounts: All items are set up to automatically discount as follows: Any promotional offers are discounted by using the “Add to Cart “only.To qualify for any discounts, items must be paid together, on the same eBay invoice.If paid separately, no discounts will be applied though seller reserves the right to ship together.If there are any questions or concerns about the amount due, please message me before paying so I can address all of your concerns before there is a problem. Buyer assumes responsibility once payment has been made. International Buyer’s: It is the buyer’s responsibility to know their countries customs laws. Plant and plant materials including seeds may be restricted from importing to your country. Please check with your customs agency and or post office before purchasing. Upon purchasing this item Buyer accepts the risk of item being confiscated and/or destroyed by customs and Seller will not be held liable for this. If you are on my exclusion list it is because: “Plant and plant materials including seeds” are restricted from importing to your country, it is enforced by your country and there is a high rate of customs checking for this. Import duties, taxes, and customs charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer’s responsibility. Please check with your country’s customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to buying. Tracking is not available for International items. 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