Accession Count: 0
Common Name:
faxon yucca
Family Name:
Asparagaceae
Botanical Name:
Yucca faxoniana
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Compound:
Yuc fax
Geographic Origin:
Mexico
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The natural distribution of Yucca faxoniana is in the Chihuahuan Desert occurring at elevations of 2700-6700 feet(1). It occurs geographically in Northeastern Mexico from the Mexican states of Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí north to the US border in western Texas west of the Pecos River and into southeastern New Mexico(2). Y. faxoniana usually grows on well drained slopes and hillsides in rocky limestone soils(3). It is an arborescent yucca that tends to form open forests(4). Y. faxoniana are usually single trunked, but can have up to six trunks that are often different heights(2). The stiff, yellow green leaves narrow to a sharp, dark brown terminal spine and have a dark brown or red margin from which thick, curly white filaments are produced(5). Y. faxoniana produces a three to four foot flower stalk. The numerous flowers are usually held completely above the upright leaves(2). It is named for American Botanist Charles Edward Faxon(3).
Cultivation Notes:
Yucca faxoniana is an outstanding ornamental plant as its large size, thick trunk, and symmetrical head of long, filamentous leaves creates a powerful statement in a landscape(2). It is recommended that it be planted in a site that can accommodate its large mature size that can easily overwhelm a small residential landscape(1) or other smaller plantings(2). Also, Y. faxoniana should be planted well away from foot traffic and pedestrian areas to avoid contact with the large terminal spines(1). The stout trunk is covered with a dense thatch of dead leaves that can be removed for a tidy appearance(4), although the attractive thatch protects the plant from sun and cold(1). Y. faxoniana grows best in full sun, yet will tolerate partial sun(5). It is also very tolerant to reflected heat(1) making it ideal for very hot locations along buildings and walls. Y. faxoniana is adaptable to a range of soil conditions provided the soil is well drained(4). The plant is very drought tolerant yet grows best with supplemental summer irrigation approximately every three weeks in the hottest and driest deserts(1). The plant is tolerant of extreme cold down to 0° F5. This characteristic is particularly useful in areas that receive regular winter frost where most other arborescent yucca species would not survive(1). Propagate by seed(2) or by bare root plants salvaged from nature(1).
Ethnobotany:
Yucca faxoniana are the largest yucca of the Trans-Pecos in Texas and have been observed to reach a height of 40 feet(6). Trans-Pecos locals call them “Giant Yucca”. They have been widely transplanted as ornamentals and are particularly useful along highways and in medians of divided roadways(6). Historically, American Indian groups used the flowers and fruit as a tasty food(3). The leaves yield long stiff fibers which the Southwest Indians made into a variety of products, such as nets, sandals, blankets, rugs and ropes(7,2). They also used the root to produce a soapy lather they claimed prevented baldness(7). The trunk of Y. faxoniana has been used for palisade construction and the leaves as thatching for structures(2). Cattle have been fed the split-open trunks as well as the large flowering stalk(2). In its habitat, Y. faxoniana provides valuable food and shelter for wildlife(7).
Height:
16 - 20 feet
Width:
6 - 10 feet
Growth Rate:
Slow Growing
Grow Season:
Summer
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
White
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Semi-hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
Citations:
- UA Cooperative Extension
- Irish, Mary, and Gary Irish. Agaves, yuccas, and related plants: a gardener's guide. Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2000. Print.
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Texas Native Plant Database
- Mountain States Wholesale Nursery
- Powell, A. Michael. Trees and Shrubs of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas. Austin, Tex.: University of Texas Press, 1998. Print.
- Stahl, Carmine A., and Ria McElvaney. Trees of Texas: An Easy Guide to Leaf Identification. College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 2003. Print.
