Yucca constricta aka Buckley's Yucca

Yucca constricta, or Buckley's yucca, belongs to the Asparagaceae family. Its native range runs from Texas into northeastern Mexico. Records place it in southern-central and western Texas, and northern Coahuila. It grows in desert and dry shrubland regions. Local habitats include limestone outcrops and rocky prairies. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This evergreen perennial reaches about 5 feet (1.5 metres) tall. It keeps its leaves through the year. Kew also records a shrub form for this species. Flowers appear from July to August, according to Plants For A Future. Each flower has both male and female organs. Individual crowns die after they flower. In its native range, a specific moth pollinates the flowers. That moth cannot live in Britain. Gardeners there must pollinate flowers by hand to obtain fruit and seed. A small brush can serve for this task.

Give this yucca full sun and soil that drains well. It prefers sandy loam but can also grow in clay. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soils. Poor soil suits it, and sandy soil can improve winter survival. It can grow in light shade as well as sun. Established plants withstand drought, though they also accept moist soil. Strong winds are not a problem, but coastal exposure is unsuitable. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 8–11. In Britain, outdoor growing is limited to the mildest areas. Young plants may need winter shelter before planting out.

Its evergreen growth offers year-round interest in garden beds. Plants For A Future also lists sites beside garden walls. Leaves supply fibre for ropes, baskets, and mats. The roots contain saponins and can provide a soap substitute. Seeds and root cuttings offer ways to raise new plants. Seeds may take one to twelve months to sprout under warm conditions. No medicinal uses are known in the supplied account. The same source does not flag this species as weedy.

The fruit and flowers can be eaten raw or cooked. Dried, crushed flowers can also flavour food. Cooked flowering stems serve as a vegetable, like asparagus. These edible uses do not make every plant part safe. Root saponins are toxic to people, though the body absorbs them poorly. Prolonged heating breaks these compounds down. They can also harm fish.