The Banana yucca, Spanish bayonet yucca, and Amole yucca are all names for the Datil Yucca. Yucca is a Caribbean name for the Cassava plant that originally was named yucca gloriosa. The name banana yucca also refers to the large fruits. When it is wet from rain the yuccas bloom all over the landscape. They look like large snowy-white candles. Another name for the Datil Yucca is,"Our Lord's Candles." Yuccas bloom each year while agaves bloom only once.
             The Datil Yucca is found in California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Mexico. It grows from four thousand seven hundred and twenty feet to six thousand six hundred and twenty feet in elevation. The Datil yucca has large, stout strap like leaves that are twelve inches to forty inches long, one inch to two inches wide, and are sharply pointed. The plant has very short stems, which may occur singly or clumped together. Leaves are arranged spirally at the base of the stem. Bell-shaped flowers, which grow in thick clusters during the spring, are one and half inches to three and one half inches long and are creamy white in color. The fruits are large, four inches to nine inches long, and fleshy at maturity. The pods contain flat, blackish seeds.
             The pueblo Indians utilized the Datil Yucca for food. The fleshy fruits were eaten green or dried and stored for winter consumption. Baked, the fruits have a flavor that is similar to potatoes. In some pueblos, the Datil pulp was mixed with berries and made into cakes that could be dried for winter use. The young flower stalks were also eaten, like asparagus. The seeds for reproduction are in the fruit pods. There is a specific pollinating moth species for each yucca species. The moth rolls pollen into a small ball and transfers it from plant to plant, pollinating the flower.
             Fibers came from the yucca leaf. Leaves were soaked in water, and then pounded with stones to separate the long fib
             ...