Yucca glauca Soapweed (Agavaceae) Evergreen shrub

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Yucca glauca
Soapweed
Evergreen shrub
(1 Page of 5)

The Yucca glauca plant species is found in Central N. America - Iowa to Texas and N. Dakota. It is a member of the Agavaceae family. Common gardeners may know the plant as Soapweed. Some home gardeners know the variety as Y. angustifolia.

Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

Latin Name:  Yucca glauca
Common Name:  Soapweed
Family:  Agavaceae
Author:  Nuttall.

Known Hazards:  The roots contain saponins[222]. Whilst saponins are quite toxic to people, they are poorly absorbed by the body and so tend to pass straight through. They are also destroyed by prolonged heat, such as slow baking in an oven. Saponins are found in many common foods such as beans[K]. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K].

Mature Height:  1.5   Mature Width:  0.5

Habitat:  Dry plains and sandy hills[43].

Medicinal Information: A soap made from the crushed roots is said to be an effective treatment for dandruff and skin irritations[213, 222]. A cold infusion of hte root has been used to expedite the delivery of a child or the placenta[257]. The root is poulticed and applied to inflammations, wounds, bleeding cuts, sprains etc[222, 257]. The rotten root can be crushed and boiled to make suds. Drinking these suds is said to induce the menopause in women, thereby rendering then infertile[257].

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Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

The information above has been supplied solely via the hard work and dedication of the team at 'Plants for a Future'.
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