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Yucca, also commonly known as soapweed, is a species of perennials and shrubs, even some described as trees, in the Agave family. In the deserts of Arizona, New Mexico, and surrounding areas the edible white or red flowers and fruits appear in the spring and make a great addition to soups and salads.

Though they can purportedly be propagated via rhizomes and cuttings of stems or branches in spring or early summer, the more haphazard method of spreading the seeds is preferred by the author and several of his neighbors. After the seedpods have cracked open in summer, we harvest what seeds the moth larvae haven't bored through and scatter them on the relatively unforgiving desert soil. With daily watering you can hope to have fruiting plants in 4 to 6 years; definitely not a project for the impatient! However, once they are established you will soon find baby yuccas sprouting all over the place. The author's neighbors have had fairly good luck transplanting the seedlings up to a year old; even then the roots have penetrated the ground up to twice the height of the plant, perhaps even more, and it's a good idea to get as much of the root as you can.

Once they have reached fruition, they will continue sharing their flowers and fruit with you for many years, it's hard to say exactly how many. Those planted by the author will likely outlive him, which is fitting since his life has been so enriched by their beauty and abundance.

Learn more about this author, John Comeau.
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