Product Code Database
Yucca schidigera, also known as the Mojave yucca or Spanish dagger, is a perennial plant in the Asparagaceae native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It is most common in the Mojave Desert, but also occurs extensively in the Sonoran Desert and west to the Pacific Ocean coast of southern California and Baja California.
The are white, sometimes with a purple tinge, long (rarely to 7.5 cm), bell-shaped and segmented into six parts; they are produced in a compact, bulbous cluster tall at the top of the stem. The fruit is an elongate berry, up to long.
It is most common in the Mojave Desert, but is also widespread in the Sonoran Desert and west to the Pacific coast of southern California and into Baja California. Y. schidigera reaches its southernmost extent in the Baja California desert.
In the coastal part of its range, Y. schidigera usually associates with Adenostoma fasciculatum (chamise).
This yucca typically grows on rocky desert slopes and creosote desert flats between altitude, rarely up to . They thrive in full sun and in soil with excellent drainage. It also needs no summer water. It is related to the banana yucca ( Y. baccata), which occurs in the same general area; hybrids between the two are sometimes found.
Early accounts describe the flora of the Mojave Desert as arid grassland and shrubland communities. This ecosystem depended on winter precipitation. Y. schidigera was tolerant of this fire regime and rarely harmed. However, the introduction of nonnative grasses led to a higher frequency of fire, which decreased the survival rate of Y. schidigera.
The fibers of the Yucca schidigera leaves are used by Native Americans to make rope, cloth, thread, and sandals. The flowers and fruit are eaten either raw or roasted, and the black seeds were ground into a flour. The roots are used to make soap.
Some reports claim that Native Americans wash their hair with yucca to fight dandruff and hair loss. Among the other maladies this yucca has been used to treat are headaches, bleeding, gonorrhea, arthritis and rheumatism.
Currently, extracts from this plant are in animal feed and various medications. The rigid flower stalk of the yucca, after maturation, is used as a substitute for eucalyptus stems or logs to make . It is also used as a natural deodorizer, and is used in pet deodorizers. Steroid saponins are produced commercially from Y. schidigera that can be used as naturally derived food-grade surfactant. Y. schidigera is an ingredient that is found in a quarter of dog food sold. It is mainly included in their food to reduce the waste odor of most pets.
Researchers have also found that the ingestion of Y. schidigera have decreased the blood cholesterol of human and chickens, increased vitamin and mineral absorption in animals, and increased cattle reproduction.
In fish, Yucca schidigera extract is beneficial. It can improve the growth rate in fish as a result of increased protein metabolism, requiring less food to sustain populations of fish. Outside of boosted growth rates, Yucca schidigera can also be used to improve the health of fish as it reduces ammonia that may be present in the water, generally improving the water quality. Evidence also suggests that Yucca schidigera is a suitable substitute in enabling fish to fight off the many diseases that characterize aquaculture.
External links
Categories: Schidigera, Flora Of Baja California, Flora Of The Southwestern United States, Flora Of The Sonoran Deserts, Flora Of The California Desert Regions, Natural History Of The California Chaparral And Woodlands, Natural History Of The Colorado Desert, Natural History Of The Mojave Desert, Natural History Of The Peninsular Ranges, Natural History Of The Transverse Ranges, Plants Described In 1871, Fiber Plants, Plants Used In Traditional Native American Medicine
|
|
