Yucca spp.

Yucca spp. is toxic to cats, dogs and horses. The reported severity is critical. Also known as Yuccas, Joshua Tree and Soaptree Yucca.

dogs cats horses

Mild Moderate Severe Critical

If your animal ate this plant, call your veterinarian now, or one of these services.

What do I do right now?
  • Australia
    Animal Poisons Helpline 1300 869 738 24 hours, every day · From $75
  • Austria
    Vergiftungsinformationszentrale 01 406 43 43 24 hours, every day
  • Belgium
    Centre Antipoisons 070 245 245 08:00 to 22:00 on weekdays, 10:00 to 22:00 at weekends · Human calls come first. The centre has no funding for animal work.
  • Canada
    Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 24 hours, every day · $89 for each incident
  • France
    Centre National d'Informations Toxicologiques Vétérinaires 04 78 87 10 40 08:30 to midnight, every day
  • Germany
    Giftinformationszentrum Bonn 0228 19240 24 hours, every day · Germany has no dedicated animal service. Human calls come first, so an animal call can wait.
  • Ireland

    Ireland has no animal poison service for owners. Call your veterinarian. An Irish veterinarian can consult the Veterinary Poisons Information Service in the United Kingdom.

  • Italy
    Centro Antiveleni di Milano 02 6610 1029 24 hours, every day
  • Netherlands
    Nationaal Vergiftigingen Informatie Centrum 088 755 8000 Veterinarians only 24 hours, every day · Call your veterinarian. Your veterinarian calls this line.
  • New Zealand
    Animal Poisons Helpline 0800 869 738 24 hours, every day
  • Sweden

    Giftinformationscentralen stopped answering questions about animals on 1 July 2018. Call your veterinarian or an animal hospital.

  • Switzerland
    Tox Info Suisse 145 24 hours, every day · From outside Switzerland, call +41 44 251 51 51.
  • United Kingdom
    Animal PoisonLine 01202 509 000 24 hours, every day · £35 from 08:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday, £45 at other times
    Veterinary Poisons Information Service 020 7305 5055 Veterinarians only 24 hours, every day · A members only service. Your veterinarian calls this line.
  • United States
    ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 24 hours, every day · A consultation fee applies
    Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 24 hours, every day · $89 for each incident

Symptoms to watch for

Vomiting Liver Damage Dermatitis Liver Failure

The color of each symptom follows the severity scale above.

About

Yucca is both the scientific name and common name for a genus native to North America from Panama to southern Canada. It contains 50 accepted species. In addition to yucca, they are also known as Adam's needle or Spanish-bayonet. The genus is generally classified in the asparagus family in a subfamily with the Agave, though historically it was part of the lily family. The species range from small shrubby plants to tree-like giants, such as the Joshua tree. All yuccas have rosettes of leaves that taper to points and inflorescences with many flowers that are mainly cream white with thick petals. Though adapted to a wide range of climates the plants are xerophytes, ones that specialize in dry living conditions.

Common Names

  • Yuccas
  • Joshua Tree
  • Soaptree Yucca
  • Mojave Yucca
  • Common Yucca
  • Banana Yucca
  • Great Plains Yucca
  • Spineless Yucca
  • Twisted-Leaf Yucca
  • Spanish Dagger
  • Moundlily Yucca
  • Aloe Yucca
  • Eastern Joshua Tree
  • Torrey's Yucca
  • Tree Yucca
  • Arkansas Yucca
  • Pale Yucca
  • Buckley's Yucca
  • Narrowleaf Yucca
  • Western Joshua Tree
  • Chaparral Yucca
  • Weak-Leaf Yucca
  • Mountain Yucca
  • Plains Yucca
  • Giant Spanish-Dagger
  • Gulf Coast Yucca
  • Red Yucca
  • Dwarf Yucca
  • Datilillo Yucca
  • Beaked Yucca

Also recorded as Adam's Needles, Beargrasses, Needle Palms, Spanish Bayonets, Spanish Daggers and Spanish-bayonet.

Facts

Family
Asparagaceae
Duration
Perennial
Growth habit
Forb/herb, Shrub, Subshrub, Tree
In the wild
US, MX, FR, GB, BE, ES + more
Source
Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Countries with the most wild observations, from GBIF data.