A plant with sword-like leaves and tall spikes of white flowers, native to hot regions of the Americas. Many species are used for fiber, food, or ornamental purposes.
From Spanish 'yuca', borrowed from Taíno (Arawakan language of the Caribbean). The word traveled from indigenous Caribbean languages through Spanish to English during colonial contact.
Yucca represents one of thousands of plant names that preserve indigenous knowledge - when Europeans encountered these unfamiliar species, they often adopted native names wholesale, creating a botanical vocabulary that honors the original discoverers and users of these plants.
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