Yucca aloifolia L., Asparagaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Spanish bayonet, Spanish dagger, aloe yucca, daggerplant, yucca

French: bayonnette

Spanish: yuca

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Simple plants 1-2 m tall to branched colonies 10 m tall. Leaves numerous in tight spirals, narrowly linear, 35-60 cm long, 2.5-3.5 cm wide, the apical spine terete, 1 cm long, black, the margins entire to denticulate. Inflorescence terminal, paniculate, 20-70 cm long. Flowers with tepals white, fleshy, 4-6 cm long. Fruit...reported to be oblong, 5-9 cm long, 2.5-4.0 cm in diameter, without a papery core but with purple pulp; seeds black" (Howard, 1979; pp. 502-504).

Habitat/ecology:  In New Caledonia, "cultivé à Koé en 1883. Aujourd'hui peu planté mais parfois naturalisé, notamment à Nouméa et à Pouembout" (MacKee, 1994; p. 94).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Mexico, Central America, Florida (US), Greater and Lesser Antilles (Howard, 1979; pp. 502-504).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced cultivated	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 502, 548, 558) "En RC, esta especie fue plantada hace poco en un jardin del pueblo de San Juan Bautista.  Su reciente introducción no permite hacerse una idea de su comportamiento en el futuro".
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Yucca gloriosa
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Yucca gloriosa
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Yucca gloriosa
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013) Yucca gloriosa
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) Collected in survey, herbarium record pending.
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 67)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 94) Vouchers cited: Däniker 2835, MacKee 1988, MacKee 42623, MacKee 42680
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced cultivated	Merrill, Elmer D. (1925) (p. 204) Planted here and there for ornamental purposes, but not naturalized.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 98)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 133)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 133)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 91) Cultivated only

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Yucca aloifolia, please let us know.