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Glite Dictionary
Yucca whipplei

Yucca whipplei

9.3
A desert plant that grows in the US Southwest and Mexico with a tall spike of creamy white flowers
  • noun
  • /ˈjʌkə ˈwɪpəlaɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : yucca whipplei
  • The tall cluster of creamy flowers on the Yucca whipplei attracts many pollinators.

Examples

  • The desert landscape was dotted with blooming Yucca whipplei in late spring.

  • Many gardeners in California cultivate Yucca whipplei for its dramatic flower spikes.

  • The Yucca whipplei blooms in early summer.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the beauty of Yucca whipplei.

  • Many gardeners in California cultivate Yucca whipplei for its dramatic flower spikes.

  • The tall cluster of creamy flowers on the Yucca whipplei attracts many pollinators.

  • The desert landscape was dotted with blooming Yucca whipplei in late spring.

Synonyms

Our Lord's candle
vsYucca whipplei
  • US
9.9

A tall desert plant with a long stem of creamy white flowers

is the formal scientific name for the same species

Surface Forms

Yucca whipplei singular
Yucca whippleis plural

Morphology

yucca + whipplei

This is a binomial species name where 'yucca' names the plant and 'whipplei' functions as a specific epithet/proper name; a learner who knows 'yucca' can readily infer that 'Yucca whipplei' denotes a particular kind of yucca. The epithet itself has no independent English sense, but the overall meaning (a specific species of yucca) is compositional and predictable from the constituents.

Etymology

Yucca whipplei is the plant name Yucca plus the species name whipplei, which was named for an explorer called Whipple. Imagine an explorer finding a spiky yucca with a tall, creamy flower spike, and that picture helps you remember that Yucca whipplei is the yucca with dramatic tall flowers.