Yucca Species, Izote, Palma China, St. Peter's Palm, Tree Yucca

Stanford University in Palo Alto California,in the San Francisco bay area, might have the most massive Yucca filifera in any garden. Plan...Read Moreted around the turn of the 19th century..Just an enormous plant.

In my garden in Cornwall, UK, this plant is a very slow grower, making 8 inches per year. I think it's unlikely to flower, so may never b...Read Moreecome a proper branching tree.

It's very architectural -- the leaves are deep rich green, extremely rigid, with a terminal spine and have lots of curling fibres, and don't die away like on most yuccas. It's rather like Y. aloifolia with curly fibres, but never seems to produce offsets or 'pups'.

Since ancient times, many centuries before the Europeans discovered the Americas, the flowers of this plant were used in cooking and pre...Read Moreparing beverages by the Indigenous peoples of mexico and the desert southwest of the Northern hemispehere.

To this day the flowers are still used in salads, cooked dishes, and in making a refreshing beverage (not fermented).

The flowers are called "flor de izote" and are a creamy white color, and a bit succulent. Only the petals should be used. Remove and discard the stamens and pistils, because they are bitter
but not poisonous.

Even larger than Joshua trees, this massive species a makes great landscape specimen with it's massive base and towering top.