What types of yucca are used for cordage, as soap, etc?

[Tetsuoh]

I'm asking because our nursery catalog had Yucca Filamentosa (Adam's needle, common yucca, Spanish bayonet,[4] bear-grass, needle-palm, silk-grass, and spoon-leaf yucca)

We had our two come in today, are sitting happy in their planters.

[tipi stuff]

I'll bet the  filamentosa would work. I think the species I use is louisianensis, or something to that effect. This time of year, the flowers are starting to come out. You can eat them, but blow the bugs out and blanch them to get the bitterness out of them. They have a kind of waxy texture. You can cord the leaf fibers, soap the roots and use the flower stalks for friction fires. I love yucca. Curtis

[bowtarist]

Whatever the old timers brought here to Indiana is what I use. Can't kill the stuff. I dug up two big ol mandrak roots this spring. Interested in the soap. Got any details on that? The cordage is good, I make necklaces out of green dried fibers, and have retted some too. It came out nice and white. Let's hear about the yucca soap!! dp

[tipi stuff]

Bowtarist, with this yucca we use, dig up the roots (I usually rinse the off a bit), pound them up with a hammer and the swish it around in the water. Ive used it to soap deer deer hides before braiding them. It was used for that a long time ago; helps break down any grease in the hide. I've also used it for washing my hair, but it doesn't lather up as well as commercial shampoo. It will clean your hair as well; just doesn't lather as much. It is great for scrubbing out pots and pans while you are camping. For the longest time I had tried to always use it freshly dug, but I've discovered that it can be dried also.     
             Curtis
Oh, you are supposed to be able to use it as a fish stun also, but I've not tried that one. It's not legal here in the States.  CC

[bowtarist]

Cool tipi, I know the Hopi used it for washing hair. I have that big root, I may give it a try this weekend. Thanks for the info. dp

[stickbender]

  Get the flowers when they are young.  The older they get, the more bitter they are.  We used to eat them down in the Virgin Islands.  They had a slightly sweet taste to them.



                                                                               Wayne

[bowtarist]

  Get the flowers when they are young.  The older they get, the more bitter they are.  We used to eat them down in the Virgin Islands.  They had a slightly sweet taste to them.



                                                                               Wayne

Eat raw?

[tipi stuff]

Raw when young, boil when older. Blow the bugs out first!  CC

[stickbender]

       Yep.   


             Wayne

[tipi stuff]

I had mentioned that yucca roots didn't have to be freshly dug to soap up. I was going to go out and dig some up this morning so that I could show how well it soaped. While I was in the garage, I found some old roots that I had already used. Just out of curiosity, I decided to try them to see if they would still soap. I had had used these back in March, and really didn't think I could get much out of them, but here's a photo that proves me wrong. They soaped up just fine.  Curtis

[stickbender]

     Cool!  Thanks.


            Wayne

[Gus]

Cool Thread!

I love Yucca...
Except when it's sticking through me.   

-gus

[DesertDisciple]

Tetsuoh,

I've recently started collecting yucca for fiber and I've found that the varieties with the broadest leaves work best that purpose. Out here I've found that Mojave yucca (yucca schidigera) is best for fiber as it's leaves are both broad and long, providing the most fiber compared to our other local varieties. I'm not sure if that's available in your area, but look out for long and broad leaves. Those are your ticket.

As far as soap, the roots are the way to go with all varieties. Good luck!