Place

Dagger Flat #17

A tall yucca with a shaggy trunk and two branches that each sport an old bloom stalk.
Compare the width of the leaves between the Thompson yucca and dagger yucca.

NPS/C. Negele

Quick Facts
Location:
Dagger Flat Road

Scenic View/Photo Spot

Thompson's Yucca (Yucca thompsoniana) - Look across the road, immediately opposite the #17 post. The beautiful Thompson's yucca has a nice symmetrical shape, making this plant popular for landscaping. This yucca has been one of the most commercially exploited plant species of the Trans-Pecos. It is also known as the beaked yucca; during late summer and early autumn, look for the "beaks" on the seed pods. The Thompson's yucca has narrow leaves with yellowish, slightly toothed margins. Did you know that yuca is the native Caribbean name for cassava, but was somehow misapplied to this group of plants?

Big Bend National Park

Last updated: April 2, 2021