Yucca elata
Table of Contents
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID6440242fbcdcb571662079 |
| Scientific name | Yucca elata |
| Authority | (Engelm.) Engelm. |
| First published in | Bot. Gaz. 7: 17 (1882) |
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Leaf fibers from Yucca elata are harvested and processed into natural cordage, rope, twine, and basketry materials. The plant’s roots contain high levels of triterpenoid saponins, which have been used as a natural surfactant for washing textiles and hair.
Industrial and craft applications:
Historically, the leaf fibers have been employed by indigenous peoples of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico to produce durable cordage for nets, snares, and traditional mats. Contemporary craft practices continue to use the fibers for weaving baskets and decorative objects. Laboratory investigations have examined the fibers for reinforcement in natural‑fiber composites, exploring their potential in lightweight, biodegradable panels.
Wood and fiber:
The primary fiber source is the long, linear leaves that can be stripped, retted, and combed into a strong, flexible filament suitable for cordage. The leaves are harvested without destroying the plant, allowing repeated collection from the same individual over many years.
Properties relevant to use:
Leaf fibers are composed mainly of cellulose with relatively low lignin content, conferring high tensile strength and good flexibility while remaining lightweight. The fiber’s morphology—long, slender filaments with a natural waxy coating—facilitates easy twisting and knotting. Yucca elata roots yield saponins that generate stable foams and reduce surface tension, enabling effective cleaning of fabrics and hair without synthetic detergents.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Yucca elata is a hardy, drought‑tolerant species that thrives in arid habitats, requiring minimal irrigation or fertilization. Harvesting leaf fibers is a low‑impact practice because only a portion of the foliage is removed, leaving the plant intact for regeneration. Commercial exploitation remains limited, with most fiber and saponin extraction occurring on a small, locally‑scaled basis in regions where the species is native. Consequently, the plant can be managed sustainably through selective, periodic harvesting.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Yucca radiosa | (Engelm.) Trel. | in L. H. Bailey, Standard Cycl. Hortic. 3530 (1917). |
| Yucca angustifolia var. elata | Engelm. | Trans. Acad. Sci. St. Louis 3: 50 (1873) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | soapweed |
| English | palmella |
| English | soaptree |
| English | soaptree yucca |
| Arabic | يوكا عالية |
| Arabic | يكة عالية |
| Bulgarian | висока юка |
| German | seifen-palmlilie |
| Persian | یوکای صابونی |
| nv | yéʼii bitsáʼásziʼ |
| Russian | Юкка высокая |
| Chinese | 肥皂絲蘭 |
| Chinese | 肥皂丝兰 |
| Chinese | 皂絲蘭 |
| Chinese | 高丝兰 |
| Chinese | 皂树丝兰 |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Yucca elata var. elata | Unknown | |
| Yucca elata var. verdiensis | (McKelvey) Reveal | Intermount. Fl. 6: 533 (1977) |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Northern America click to expand
-
Mexico
- Mexico Northeast
- Mexico Northwest
-
South-central U.S.A.
- New Mexico
- Texas
-
Southwestern U.S.A.
- Arizona
-
Mexico
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000752259 |
| USDA Plants | YUEL |
| Tropicos | 18401430 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:321329-2 |
| The Plant List | kew-291773 |
| Plantarium | 57727 |
| PFAF | Yucca elata |
| Open Tree Of Life | 548106 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 39551 |
| Nature Serve | 2.147273 |
| IUCN Red List | 117423218 |
| IPNI | 321329-2 |
| iNaturalist | 170387 |
| GBIF | 2775775 |
| Freebase | /m/054m8m |
| FEIS | plants/tree/yucela |
| EPPO | UCCEL |
| EOL | 1083616 |
| USDA GRIN | 42149 |
| Wikipedia | Yucca_elata |
| CMAUP | NPO29095 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Spirost-5-en-2,3-diol | 3777347 | Click to see CC1CCC2(C(C3C(O2)CC4C3(CCC5C4CC=C6C5(CC(C(C6)O)O)C)C)C)OC1 | 430.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/JA01202A046 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Indoles and derivatives / Carbazoles | |||||
| 2-Hydroxy-3-Formyl-7-Methoxycarbazole | 189687 | Click to see | 241.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-methoxy-9H-carbazol-3-ol | 15182256 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C2C3=CC=CC=C3NC2=C1)O | 213.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 3-Formyl-2-hydroxy-6-methoxycarbazole | 101508363 | Click to see C1=CC2=C(C=C1O)C3=C(N2)C=C(C(=C3)C=O)O | 227.21 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 3,3-dimethyl-7H-pyrano[2,3-c]carbazole-10-carbaldehyde | 71623858 | Click to see | 277.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 7-Hydroxyheptaphylline | 15767846 | Click to see | 295.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 7-Methoxyheptaphylline | 189688 | Click to see | 309.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 9H-Carbazole-3-carbaldehyde | 504067 | Click to see C1=CC=C2C(=C1)C3=C(N2)C=CC(=C3)C=O | 195.22 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 9H-Carbazole-3-carboxaldehyde, 2,7-dimethoxy- | 5317755 | Click to see COC1=CC2=C(C=C1)C3=C(N2)C=C(C(=C3)C=O)OC | 255.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Clauraila D | 51039828 | Click to see CC1(C=CC2=C(O1)C=CC3=C2C4=C(N3)C=C(C(=C4)C=O)O)C | 293.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Clausenawalline H | 71623801 | Click to see CC(=CCC1=C(C=CC2=C1C3=C(N2)C=C(C(=C3)C=O)O)O)C | 295.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Clausenawalline K | 71623860 | Click to see CC1(C(C(C2=C(O1)C=CC3=C2C4=C(N3)C=C(C(=C4)C=O)O)O)O)C | 327.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Clausine K | 504070 | Click to see | 271.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Clauszoline K | 10537169 | Click to see COC1=CC2=C(C=C1)C3=C(N2)C=CC(=C3)C=O | 225.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Girinimbine | 96943 | Click to see | 263.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Glycosinine | 6483032 | Click to see | 225.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Heptaphylline | 5318015 | Click to see CC(=CCC1=C(C(=CC2=C1NC3=CC=CC=C32)C=O)O)C | 279.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Lansine | 5278451 | Click to see COC1=CC2=C(C=C1)NC3=C2C=C(C(=C3)O)C=O | 241.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| methyl 1,6-dihydroxy-5-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-9H-carbazole-3-carboxylate | 71623800 | Click to see | 325.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| methyl 2,7-dimethoxy-9H-carbazole-3-carboxylate | 5315952 | Click to see | 285.29 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| methyl 8-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-7H-pyrano[2,3-c]carbazole-10-carboxylate | 71623859 | Click to see | 323.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Methyl Carbazole-3-Carboxylate | 504069 | Click to see | 225.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Mukonal | 504068 | Click to see C1=CC=C2C(=C1)C3=C(N2)C=C(C(=C3)C=O)O | 211.22 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Quinolines and derivatives / Furanoquinolines | |||||
| Dictamnine | 68085 | Click to see | 199.20 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Gamma-Fagarine | 107936 | Click to see | 229.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |