The magnificent white-lily like flowers of the many Yucca plant species only grace us in the spring when the stars align. Yucca blooms often occur in alternating years depending on rainfall, temperature, and climate.
Yuccas have a unique pollination regime. They are considered “mutualist obligates,” meaning every species of yucca requires a specialized yucca moth to carry out pollination—with the exception of the Joshua tree, which has two. Thus the fate of the two species, plant and insect, are intertwined.
The delicate balance between them exemplifies symbiosis at its finest. The yucca moths mate within the protection of the yucca flower and females lay their eggs within the flower’s ovary.