Narrowleaf yucca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yucca angustissimaNarrow-leaved yucca |
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The Yucca angustissima, also known as the narrowleaf yucca, is a cool plant from the Agavaceae family. It gets its name because its leaves are very thin and long. This yucca plant grows naturally in parts of the United States, including Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. People also like to grow it in their gardens because it looks pretty.
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About the Narrowleaf Yucca
This yucca plant usually stays low to the ground. It forms groups of leaves that spread out like a circle, called rosettes. These groups can grow up to 3 meters (about 10 feet) wide!
What it Looks Like
The leaves of the narrowleaf yucca are super long and skinny. They can be up to 150 centimeters (about 5 feet) long, but they are usually less than 2 centimeters (less than an inch) wide.
When it blooms, the yucca has beautiful white, cream, or greenish-white flowers. These flowers hang downwards, like little bells. They grow on tall stalks that can reach up to 2 meters (about 7 feet) high. After the flowers, the plant makes a dry fruit that looks like a small box, called a capsule. Inside, there are black seeds.
Where it Grows
The narrowleaf yucca is quite common in the areas where it grows naturally. Even though some local things might affect it, the plant's overall population seems to be doing well and is not in danger.
Different Types of Narrowleaf Yucca
Scientists have found a few different kinds, or "varieties," of Yucca angustissima. Right now, four main types are officially recognized:
- Yucca angustissima var. angustissima—This type is found in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado.
- Yucca angustissima var. avia Reveal—This type grows only in Utah.
- Yucca angustissima var. kanabensis (McKelvey) Reveal—You can find this type in Arizona and Utah.
- Yucca angustissima var. toftiae (S.L.Welsh) Reveal—This type also grows only in Utah.
