Yucca gigantea

Yucca gigantea (syn. Yucca elephantipes, Yucca guatemalensis), is a Yucca species that is native to Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the eastern part of Mexico (Quintana Róo, Yucatán, Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, Veracruz, eastern Puebla and southern Tamaulipas). It is also reportedly naturalized in Puerto Rico, the Leeward Islands and Ecuador.

Common names include spineless yucca, soft-tip yucca, blue-stem yucca, giant yucca and itabo. Its flower, the izote, is the national flower of El Salvador.

Description

Although it can grow up to 9 m (30 ft) in height, with a spread to 4.5 m (15 ft), it is usually less than 6 m (20 ft) in height. It may have a thick, single trunk or be multitrunked resulting from a thickened, inflated, trunk-like lower base similar to an elephant's foot. The leaves are strap-like, spineless and up to 1.2 m (4 ft) in length. White flowers are produced in the summer, followed by brown, fleshy fruits which are oval and up to 2.5 cm (1 in) long.