Yucca harrimaniae Trel.

Spanish bayonet, New Mexico yucca

Similar species

	Yucca angustissima	You are here Yucca harrimaniae
Common Name	narrow-leaved yucca	spanish bayonet
Plant	Plants form basal rosettes up to 9½′ (3 m) in size, looking like giant pin cushions.	These yuccas are found in groups of one to twenty tufts, each about 12–39″ (30–100 cm) around. The closely similar species Yucca angustissima may be the same as this species, as discussed here.
Leaves	8–31 ⨉ ⅛–¾″ (20–80 cm ⨉ 4–20 mm), rigid, with straight edges. Leaves are somewhat wider in the middle. They taper to a sharp point, tipped by a sharp spine. Stiff white filaments intertwine with the leaves. Upper leaf sides are usually flattened.	Each tuft consists of stiff, narrow, sharp-pointed leaves about 4–20 ⨉ ¼–½″ (10–50 cm ⨉ 7–14 mm). Upper leaf sides are usually concave.
Flowers	White, cream, or greenish white, on racemes 2½–6½′ (80–200 cm) tall. Flowers hang downward and are tapered at both ends, somewhat ovoid. Each is 1–2″ (3–5.5 cm) long. The lowest flowers open above the leaf tips.	Flower stalks are up to 2½′ (76 cm) high. Flowers are bell-shaped, white, cream, or greenish white, often tinged with purple, with purplish buds. They have 3 petals and 3 sepals. Flowers are 1½–2 ⨉ ⅝–1¼″ (4–6 ⨉ 1.6–3.5 cm) in size. The lowest flowers open below the leaf tips.
Fruit	A dry capsule 1¼–3 ⨉ ¾–1″ (3.5–7.5 ⨉ 2–3 cm), with dull black seeds that are ¼–5/16 ⨉ ⅛–¼″ (7–9 ⨉ 5–7 mm).	Seed pods are cylindrical, 1¼–2″ long ⨉ ½–1″ around (3.5–6 ⨉ 1.5–3 cm).
Range/ Zones		USDA Zones: 5a-10a
Habitats	Sandy soils, rocky hillsides, and pinyon-juniper woodland; to 1.3 mi (2.1 km) elevation.	Grassland, sagebrush, pinyon-juniper forest, on desert ridges and hills; 3281–8858′ (1–2.7 km) elevation.

Yucca harrimaniae description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.