Weeds

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.

Profile

Family

Agavaceae

Origin

North & Central America and the West Indies

What does it look like?

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.

    Reference

    1. Sydney Weeds Network