Species name :

Yucca giganteaLem.
Published in Ill. Hort. 6(Misc.): 91 (1859)

Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.)

Yucca elephantipes Regel ex Trel.

Full list of synonyms : [Euro+Med] [WFO] [IPNI] [POWO] [Catalogue of Life] [Worldplants.de]

Plant Family :

Asparagaceae Juss. (The Asparagus Family)
38 species from the Asparagaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands.

English name(s) :

Spineless Yucca, Giant Yucca, Soft-tip Yucca

Maltese name(s) :

Jukka kbira

Status for Malta :

Naturalised Alien. Species that was introduced in Malta after year 1492 (Columbus' discovery of the New World) and spreads and integrates to form established, non-invasive populations. Species may become become invasive if it widespreads rapidly.

Frequency :

Very Common     Common    Frequent     Scarce     Rare    Very rare    Extinct

Growth form :

Germination type [info]: Monocotyledon
Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: Macro-Phanerophyte ( high trees usually over 5 m high )

Legal Protection :

Not legally protected till the last update of this website (22/Aug/2025)

Red List (1989) :

Not listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands

Flowering Time :

June – July

Colour of Flowers:

White

Toxicity:

Not particularly toxic

Name Derivation :

Yucca: ()

gigantea: ()

Planting in rural areas :

Cannot be planted in the wild (rural areas) since the species may be invasive (see ERA guidelines)

Remarks :

There appears to be considerable confusion regarding which species are found casually or have become naturalised in the Maltese Islands. However, at least three species have been identified: Y. gloriosa, Y. aloifolia, and Y. gigantea (syn. Y. elephantipes). While literature suggests that Y. gloriosa is the most abundant, preliminary research by Stephen Mifsud indicates that Y. gigantea is actually the dominant species, often forming stout trunks that branch into two or more stem-looking branches from the base.