Kauaʻi record · kba_plant_yucca_aloifolia
Spanish Bayonet
Yucca aloifolia
Open this record in the interactive Atlas
About Spanish Bayonet
Spanish Bayonet (Yucca aloifolia) is an introduced tree documented on Kauaʻi by Bishop Museum’s 2025 checklist and the 2026 Smithsonian checklist. Its checklist classification is naturalized; current extent is unassessed. Native to coastal southeastern North America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America, especially sandy coastal ground and dry disturbed sites. Colonies can expand through basal shoots as well as seed. Bishop Museum and Smithsonian document naturalized Kauaʻi occurrence; current extent and effects are unmeasured.
Kauaʻi evidence
Taxonomic identity, tree form, diagnostic morphology and island occurrence use the linked reviewed sources. Historical planting, cultivation, naturalization and invasive status are separate. Generated imagery is not occurrence evidence.
Names and classification
- Scientific name
- Yucca aloifolia
- Common names
- Spanish Bayonet · Dagger plant
- Other names
- Yucca aloifolia · Spanish bayonet · Dagger plant · Yucca serrulata
- Record type
- Species
Kauaʻi occurrence and status
- Kauaʻi occurrence
- Recorded on Kauaʻi
- Origin
- Introduced
- Conservation status
- Not yet assessed
- Evidence date
- 2026-10-06
- Evidence limits
- Present island-wide abundance, occupied habitat, recruitment, population trend, and ecological effects have not been quantified; no invasive severity is inferred from checklist, Polynesian-introduction, forestry, or planting status.
Habitat and ecology
- Habitats
- Not yet assessed
- Food and resource needs
- Not yet assessed
- Reproduction
- Large pendent flowers depend on pollination, while fleshy fruits contain numerous black seeds. Basal shoots also enlarge colonies vegetatively; local pollinators, fruit dispersers, and the relative importance of seed versus clonal spread are unknown.
- Shelter
- Not yet assessed
- Growth form
- Arborescent rosette-forming tree
Threats and conservation
- Monitoring
- Not yet assessed
- Data gaps
- Current population extent and trajectory · Additional species-specific ecological and conservation sources
Process and seasonal context
- Seasonal timing
- Not yet assessed
- Seasonal description
- Spanish Bayonet (Yucca aloifolia) is an introduced tree documented on Kauaʻi by Bishop Museum’s 2025 checklist and the 2026 Smithsonian checklist. Its checklist classification is naturalized; current extent is unassessed. Native to coastal southeastern North America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America, especially sandy coastal ground and dry disturbed sites. Colonies can expand through basal shoots as well as seed. Bishop Museum and Smithsonian document naturalized Kauaʻi occurrence; current extent and effects are unmeasured.
Sources and further reading
- https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:325009-2
- https://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220014440
- https://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/publications/pdf/tr75.pdf
- https://editedimages.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/Imadaetal.2025Hawaiianvascularplants.xlsx
- https://doi.org/10.5479/si.32124043