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Soapweed Yucca

Indian Soap weed plant

The Soapweed Yucca is also known as the Great Plains Yucca, the Spanish bayonet and beargrass. The Soapweed Yucca is a perennial native plant and was very useful to Native Americans and early homesteaders. This Yucca is called soapweed because the roots were commonly ground down and used to make a mild soap and shampoo. The saponin compound found in the root is what gives it a detergent / soapy property.

Historically, similar to many other native plants, almost every part of the yucca was exploited. There are over 40 species found all over the states.
The roots were used for soap. The tips of the spines of the strong fibrous leaves were fashioned as needles for sewing and the leaves were used for making twine and string. It was not uncommon to have household items such as mats, baskets and brushes made from Yucca fibers. The fibers were also used to make sandals and other clothing items.

soapweed yucca

© 2007 photo courtesy L Watts

As you can see in the yucca in Winter photo below, the spines of the soapweed yucca have a concave gutter like upper surface that helps to catch melting snow and rain keeping the plants roots moist. The largest yucca is the Joshua tree ‘Yucca brevifolia’. This Yucca can reach a height of forty feet. Yuccas can survive long periods of time without a lot of water and grows wild in the deserts of California, Nevada and Arizona. The yucca plant is dependent upon the Yucca moth for its survival and perpetuation of yucca plants. Yucca plants are the only known host plants for yucca moths. Yucca moths remain inside the flowers during the day for protection, because the flowers petals stay closed during the day and only open at night for the moths to mate and pollinate the plant.

soapweed yucca in winter

© 2007 photo courtesy L Watts

Parts of this amazing plant are even edible !
Before the plant flowers, the stalks which actually resemble asparagus, were harvested and cooked. The new seed pods were harvested, roasted, peeled and then eaten. The mature seed pods were ground into a pulpy flour. The spines, flowers and roots were also used to make medicinal hot teas. This plant was thought to have been helpful in reducing inflammation and swelling.

© 2008 oOdles of InfOrmation