Banana yucca

Banana yucca
Yucca baccata at Red Rock Canyon
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Asparagales Family: Agavaceae Genus: Yucca
Binomial name
Yucca baccata

The Banana yucca (Yucca baccata) is a common type of yucca in the Mojave Desert of the southwestern United States. It gets its name from the shape of its fruit, which are banana-shaped.

Banana yuccas are closely related to the Mojave yucca (Y. schidigera), with whom they are interspersed in their range and will hybridize with them. Y. baccata is recognized by having leaves with more of a blue-green color, and by having short or nonexistent trunks. It flowers in the spring, typically from April on, and the flowers range from white to cream in color with purple shades. The flower stalk is not especially tall, typically 1-1.5 meters.

The Paiutes dried the fruits for use during the winter.