The yucca flower is the official state flower of New Mexico — tall stalks of creamy, bell-shaped blooms rising from a spiky desert plant.

• Official flower: Yucca flower
• Scientific name: Yucca
• Year adopted: 1927
• Native range: the American Southwest

About the yucca flower

New Mexico adopted the yucca flower in 1927 after it was recommended by the state’s federation of women’s clubs. The plant sends up a dramatic spike lined with waxy, ivory-white bells, and it has long been useful to the region’s peoples for its fibers and roots.

Where it grows

Yuccas grow across the deserts and dry grasslands of the American Southwest, sending up their flower stalks in late spring and early summer.

New Mexico state flower FAQs

What is the state flower of New Mexico?

New Mexico’s state flower is the yucca flower (Yucca), which it adopted in 1927.

When did New Mexico adopt its state flower?

New Mexico designated the yucca flower as its official state flower in 1927.

What does the yucca flower look like?

The yucca produces a tall central stalk lined with waxy, creamy-white, bell-shaped flowers, rising above a rosette of stiff, sword-like leaves.

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