Flower profile

Great Plains yucca

Yucca glauca

Native in the lower 48

Great Plains yucca is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 7 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–July.

13states

7of our state lists

11,901U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming

Quick look

Yucca glauca is a species of perennial evergreen plant, adapted to xeric (dry) growth conditions. It is also known as small soapweed, soapweed yucca, Spanish bayonet, and Great Plains yucca.
From Wikipedia's article Yucca glauca, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Asparagaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a shrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 13 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 1 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 7,988 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #5 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 821 research-grade sightings of it in Montana, ranking #46 among the 109 flowers on our Montana list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 766 research-grade sightings of it in Nebraska, ranking #4 among the 108 flowers on our Nebraska list. ^iNaturalist

Great Plains yucca gift ideas

Handmade great plains yucca gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (158 records)

Bloom time in each of our 7 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Colorado	Native	May–July	7,988
Montana	Native	few records	821
Nebraska	Native	few records	766
South Dakota	Native	few records	661
Wyoming	Native	few records	513
Kansas	Native	few records	318
North Dakota	Native	few records	255

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Colorado: No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Colorado.
Montana: No list Montana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Montana ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Montana.
Nebraska: Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. ^{163 NAC 4-004}
South Dakota: No list South Dakota's endangered and threatened list (ARSD 41:10:02) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's South Dakota ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Dakota.
Wyoming: No list Wyoming has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Wyoming ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Wyoming.
Kansas: No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: S5, secure in Kansas.
North Dakota: No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MO (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleCaution: partly edible, partly poisonous

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: roots. Symptoms they list: “Dogs, cats: Vomiting; Horses: liver disease, dermatitis” They also note: “The fruit, flowers, flower buds, stem and seedpods can be eaten.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsToxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Yucca” (Yucca spp), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Dogs, cats: Vomiting; Horses: liver disease… ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records great Plains yucca in 13 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Arapahoe, Baca, Bent, Boulder, Cheyenne, Conejos, Custer, Denver, Eagle, El Paso, Fremont, Jefferson, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Larimer, Las Animas, Lincoln, Logan, Mineral, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo, Sedgwick, Teller, Washington, Weld, Yuma.

Montana counties with USDA records: Carter, Cascade, Custer, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Hill, McCone, Petroleum, Phillips, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Treasure, Valley, Wibaux, Yellowstone.

Nebraska counties with USDA records: Antelope, Banner, Blaine, Boone, Boyd, Cass, Cedar, Cherry, Cuming, Custer, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dixon, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Grant, Greeley, Hall, Harlan, Hitchcock, Holt, Hooker, Kearney, Knox, Lincoln, Madison, Morrill, Nance, Pierce, Red Willow, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sioux, Stanton, Thayer, Thomas, Webster.

More Colorado flowers

Solomon's plume (false Solomon's seal)

Maianthemum racemosum

Native

🌼 Blooms: March–June

Common star-of-Bethlehem

Ornithogalum umbellatum

Introduced

🌼 Blooms: April–May

Star-flowered lily-of-the-valley

Maianthemum stellatum

Native

🌼 Blooms in CO: May–June

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile YUGL.
iNaturalist, Yucca glauca: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Yucca glauca (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Colorado: Colorado noxious weed lists A, B and C (8 CCR 1206-2, eff. May 15, 2025).
Montana: Montana noxious weed list (Admin. R. Mont. 4.5.206–4.5.210).
Nebraska: Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004).
Nebraska: Nebraska noxious weeds (25 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 10, § 001.02).
South Dakota: South Dakota statewide noxious weeds (ARSD 12:62:03:01.06).
Wyoming: Wyoming state designated noxious weeds (W.S. 11-5-102(a)(xi)), as listed by the Wyoming Weed & Pest Council.
Kansas: Kansas noxious weeds (K.A.R. 4-8-44, as amended 2026).
North Dakota: North Dakota state noxious weeds (N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02), as listed by the ND Department of Agriculture.
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Yucca glauca (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: John Gaskin via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.