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Yucca glauca

Nutt.

Small Soapweed Yucca

G5Secure Found in 32 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.129794
Element CodePMAGA0B0F0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderAsparagales
FamilyAsparagaceae
GenusYucca
Other Common Names
soapweed yucca (EN) Soapweed Yucca (EN) Yucca glauque (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
FNA (vol. 26, 2002) does not recognize distinct varieties in Yucca glauca.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-03-28
Change Date1984-10-03
Edition Date2025-03-28
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Yucca glauca is a woody shrub or subshrub occurring in sandy or limestone soils of prairies and waste areas of North America from Alberta and Saskatchawan, Canada, south to New Mexico, Texas, and Missouri in the United States. There are over 1,000 estimated occurrences of this species, which are potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent, high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Yucca glauca is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Yucca glauca occurs in North America, from Alberta and Saskatchawan, Canada, south to New Mexico, Texas, and Missouri in the United States (Kartesz 1996, FNA 2002, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). According to the Flora of North America (2002), "Yucca glauca has the most extensive distribution of any North American Yucca." Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are more than 1,000 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Yucca glauca is potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Yucca glauca occurs in "prairies and waste areas in sandy or limestone soils" from 500-2,600 m in elevation (FNA 2002).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN1
ProvinceRankNative
AlbertaS1Yes
SaskatchewanS1Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
TexasSNRYes
MontanaS4Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
MissouriS2Yes
NebraskaSNRYes
KansasS5Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
WyomingS4Yes
North DakotaSNRYes
IowaS3Yes
ColoradoS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (32)
Colorado (1)
AreaForestAcres
Comanche Peak Adjacent AreaArapaho & Roosevelt NFs44,158
Montana (7)
AreaForestAcres
BridgerGallatin National Forest45,059
Cook MountainCuster National Forest9,621
Lost Water CanyonCuster National Forest9,251
Lost Water Canyon RnaCuster National Forest561
Mt. Gmt Area HCuster National Forest1,335
North AbsarokaGallatin National Forest159,075
North AbsarokaCuster National Forest21,063
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Tucson MountainLincoln National Forest16,905
North Dakota (6)
AreaForestAcres
Bell LakeDakota Prairie Grasslands11,265
MagpieDakota Prairie Grasslands21,281
Ponderosa PineDakota Prairie Grasslands7,471
Tracy MountainDakota Prairie Grasslands9,756
Twin ButtesDakota Prairie Grasslands13,492
WannaganDakota Prairie Grasslands6,026
South Dakota (4)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver ParkBlack Hills National Forest5,010
Cheyenne RiverBuffalo Gap National Grassland7,572
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Red ShirtBuffalo Gap National Grassland17,007
Wyoming (12)
AreaForestAcres
Cloud Peak ContiguousBighorn National Forest113,757
Devils CanyonBighorn National Forest37,416
French CreekMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest5,928
Grommund CreekBighorn National Forest12,089
Horse Creek MesaBighorn National Forest77,808
Laramie PeakMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest28,608
Little BighornBighorn National Forest133,949
Piney CreekBighorn National Forest22,240
Rock CreekBighorn National Forest48,657
Snowy RangeMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest29,660
South Beartooth HighwayShoshone National Forest105,570
Walker PrairieBighorn National Forest62,434
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1996. Species distribution data at state and province level for vascular plant taxa of the United States, Canada, and Greenland (accepted records), from unpublished data files at the North Carolina Botanical Garden, December, 1996.
  6. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  9. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).