Yucca gigantea

Botanical Description

Yucca gigantea is an almost unbranched, evergreen tree-like plant that usually grows 3 - 4 metres tall, though it sometimes reaches a height of up to 10 metres[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. The stem is topped by a thick, columnar crown with stiff, hard, dagger-like leaves up to 1 metre long[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. The flowers are gathered from the wild for local consumption. They are sometimes sold in local markets[ 46 Title Dictionary of Economic Plants. Publication Author Uphof. J. C. Th. Publisher Weinheim Year 1959 ISBN - Description An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader. ]. The plant is often cultivated through much of its range as an ornamental. Although the large panicles are a handsome sight when the flowers are open, it is but rarely that they are seen well developed, for almost all the panicles are cut when the flowers begin to open, and the succulent flowers are used for food.