14 Jan Spanish bayonet
Yucca aloifolia, Yucca spp.
Commonly cultivated, this garden escapee
is found on roadsides and sand dunes. Very
difficult to control due to spiny nature of plant
creating impenetrable thickets.
Family: Agavaceae
Origin: North & Central America and the West Indies
Habit: Evergreen, herbacious, slow growing perennial shrub or small
tree, forming large spiny rosettes of leaves. Often freely branched.
Leaves: Depending on species. Green - bluish grey fleshy, linear to
narrow-lanceolate, 0.3–1 m long, 2–5 cm wide, apex acute
with terminal spine 10–20 mm long, margins finely toothed,
surfaces glabrous.
Flowers: Creamy white, multi flowered panicle 1-3 m long.
Fruit: Oblong purplish capsule, 6–8 cm long, indehiscent (doesn’t
open on its own accord at maturity); seeds black.
Roots: Large, dense and fleshy.
Dispersal: Seed and vegetative reproduction where stem segments and leaf
rosettes take root. Spread by humans, contaminated soil (earthmoving
equipment, car tyres etc) and garden refuse dumping.
Control: Hand or mechanical removal, cut and paint, drilling, foliar spray.
All plant parts should be removed from site.
