SPANISH DAGGER

YUCCA (SPANISH DAGGER)
She is flowering plant native to southeast America. The creamy flowers can be eaten raw or cooked and taste like a waxy cauliflower, which have been a delicious addition in our spring salads.

The stems and roots can be used for soap, which is my next adventure with this plant. The root contains saponins which is what creates the natural soap and interestingly, it was also used to hunt fish. When the root is mashed and placed into a small body of water, fish absorb the saponins, stupefying them. This causes the fish to float and allow to be caught easily. If quickly placed in clean water, the fish revert back to their natural state, unharmed.

The leaves are also natural needles. If handled with care, one can remove the leaf surrounding the needle leaving a pointy needle and thread, which was used to weave baskets and fabric before the use of modern technology.