Yucca baccata var. baccata
Banana yucca, blue yucca, Blue Yucca
(c) Forest and Kim Starr, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Agavaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Yucca baccata var. baccata (Banana yucca) is a native California shrub in the Agavaceae family, recognized by features include pendent berry-like fruits, fibrous leaf margins, and low growth form.
Banana yucca is a native shrub found in the eastern desert mountains in dry Joshua-tree woodland at elevations of 800 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces bell-shaped flowers 5 to 13 centimeters long with red-brown and white perianth parts that hang pendulously. Growing up to 2.5 meters tall with rosettes at ground level and branch tips, it forms a distinctive clump with thick, glaucous leaves. Its leaves are 50 to 100 centimeters long, 2 to 6 centimeters wide, with an expanded base up to 10 centimeters wide and fibrous, shredding margins that range from dark green to grayish-green. The plant produces large, fleshy berry-like fruits 15 to 17 centimeters long that hang pendently when mature.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; diagnostic features include pendent berry-like fruits, fibrous leaf margins, and low growth form
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Dry Joshua-tree woodland
Elevation: 800-1800 m
California counties: San Bernardino
Outside California: to Colorado, Texas, Mexico
Bloom period
Yucca baccata var. baccata blooms May-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Hesperoyucca: Yucca has thin flower stalks (<1 inch) with upward bracts; Hesperoyucca has thick stalks (>1 inch) with backward bracts.; vs Agave: Yucca has white flowers with superior ovary; Agave has yellow-green flowers with inferior ovary.; vs Nolina: Yucca has large bell-shaped flowers; Nolina has tiny flowers in spreading feathery masses.; vs Cordyline: Yucca has stiff fibrous leaves with fine marginal threads; Cordyline has flexible strap-like leaves without threads.; vs Dracaena: Yucca has rigid spine-tipped leaves in rosettes; Dracaena has flexible arching leaves in clusters along stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Yucca baccata var. baccata native to California?
Yes. Yucca baccata var. baccata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Yucca baccata var. baccata bloom?
Yucca baccata var. baccata blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Yucca baccata var. baccata grow?
Yucca baccata var. baccata occurs in San Bernardino, at elevations of 800-1800 m.
What plant family does Yucca baccata var. baccata belong to?
Yucca baccata var. baccata is in the Agavaceae family, genus Yucca.
What habitat does Yucca baccata var. baccata grow in?
Yucca baccata var. baccata grows in Uncommon. Dry Joshua-tree woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.