Flower profile
Common yucca
Yucca filamentosa
Common yucca (Yucca filamentosa) is a shrub in the Asparagaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.
Common yucca is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: South Carolina
Quick look
Yucca filamentosa, Adam's needle and thread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae native to the southeastern United States. Growing to 3 metres tall, it is an evergreen shrub valued in horticulture.
- 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 29 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to South Carolina. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 679 research-grade sightings of it in South Carolina, ranking #42 among the 171 flowers on our South Carolina list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
There are only a handful of South Carolina flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.
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
- South Carolina
- No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension notes: “The edible flowers taste somewhat like bitter artichoke and can be used fresh in salads, cooked in soups or stews, or roasted.” NC State Extension
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 common yucca in 29 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
South Carolina counties with USDA records: Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Beaufort, Calhoun, Charleston, Cherokee, Darlington, Edgefield, Fairfield, Hampton, Horry, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lexington, Marion, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Richland, York.
Names, range and relatives
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Yucca concava.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 496 counties across 26 states; the most are in Virginia (75), Alabama (49), Kentucky (42).
Other Yucca on Bloomipedia (10): Yuccas, Mojave yucca, Soaptree yucca, Western joshua tree, Banana yucca, Great Plains yucca, Eastern Joshua tree, Twisted-leaf yucca, Torrey's yucca, Dwarf yucca.
More from the Asparagaceae family (34 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Solomon's plume (false Solomon's seal), Canada mayflower, Blue dicks, Common star-of-Bethlehem, Star-flowered lily-of-the-valley, Chaparral yucca, Wavy-leafed soap plant, Ithuriel's spear.
More South Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile YUFI.
- iNaturalist, Yucca filamentosa: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Yucca filamentosa (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Yucca filamentosa (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Mark G via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.