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Spanish Dagger

Yucca treculeana

Other common name(s):

Spanish Bayonet, Don Quixote's Lance, Palma Pita, Palma De Datil, Palmito

Family:

Asparagaceae (Asparagus Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southern Texas Plains
Balcones Canyonlands
Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Cactus & Succulent

Height

13
to
15
ft.

Spread

4
to
5
ft.

Leaf Retention

Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White, Red

Bloom Season

Spring, Winter

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Small Mammals, Hummingbirds, Moths

Maintenance

Drought and heat tolerant. Used as an accent tree or shrub. Remove dead leaves as needed.

Comments

Blooms December-April. Spanish Dagger trunk is bare with the long sharp pointed leaves growing out of the top of the trunk. White to purplish flowers grow in dense clusters above the leaves. Fruit is a large capsule up to 4 inches long. Used as an accent plant or as a security fence. Deer-resistant. Pollination: butterflies and moths; cover, food and nesting site for small animals and birds. Larval Host: Yucca giant skipper butterfly, Ursine giant skipper, Strecker’s giant skipper.

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48. 3) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=YUTR. 4) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Yucca+treculeana&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 5) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=264&locationType=County&mapType=Normal, 6) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=43123#null

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State Office Phone: 830.997.9272

State Office Address:
Native Plant Society of Texas
PO Box 3017
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

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