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].

Edible Uses: Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 46, 61, 161, 257]. Dry, with a bitter skin[85]. The fruit can be baked and either eaten immediately or formed into cakes and dried for later use[257]. The raw fruit can be dried for winter use[1, 257]. The immature fruits are peeled, boiled and served with seasonings[183]. The soaked, cooked fruit can be made ino a syrup and used like hot chocolate[257]. The fruit is up to 8cm long and 12mm wide[2]. Flowers and flower buds - raw or cooked[61, 85]. Delicious raw, they can also be dried, crushed and used as a flavouring[164]. A delicious addition to the salad bowl, or used as a potherb[183]. Flowering stem - raw or cooked[62, 85, 161, 257]. It can be cooked and used like asparagus[164]. The white inner portion of the stem is eaten[183]. Seedpods - coked. They can be boiled or roasted and used as a vegetable[257]. The plant crowns have been roasted and eaten in times of food shortage[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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