Yucca Root Uses

Yucca plant grows in the mesas, plains and deserts of North America. The leaves, flowers and stalks of the yucca plant have traditionally provided materials for textiles, food, medicine, arts and crafts, entertainment, and sacred cultural traditions for the native people living in the regions where yucca thrives. However, it is not only the striking, above-ground parts of this versatile plant which have value. The root of yucca also has many important uses.

Medicinal Uses

• According to information published by the New Mexico State University (NMSU), the steroidal saponins found in the roots of yucca are used to relieve arthritis pain and other discomfort caused by joint inflammation. The root has also been used as a kidney cleanser, blood purifier and to ease a woman's labor. Supplements made from yucca root are available at many health food stores; however, traditional healers access the medicinal properties of the plant by boiling the roots into a strong tea and administering the drink to their patients.

Culinary Uses

• Cultures indigenous to the regions where yucca grows have long eaten the roots of the plants as a starchy vegetable, like a potato. The website All Recipes includes a recipe for yucca root in which the ingredient is peeled, chopped, boiled until tender, then mixed with olive oil, garlic and other seasonings. The NMSU site reports that yucca root is a good source of Vitamins A, B-complex and C, as well as being a rich source of fiber and other trace elements.

Household uses

• The saponins in yucca root contain detergent properties, according to an article by the Mother Earth News. These saponins can easily be converted into a natural shampoo or household soap by peeling and chopping the root, then pulverizing it with a small amount of water until lather develops. Shampoo made from yucca root can help make the hair strong and shiny. Thin slices of yucca root can be dried in the sun, stored and made into soap as needed.