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Our Lord's Candle
Yucca whipplei
2001
The strongly scented Yucca flower attracts a special moth which mates in the flower. The female then takes pollen and flies to another flower which has a receptive stigma (like this one) and she lays her eggs there. Crawling up to the stigma, she places the pollen on it thus insuring pollination and seed production. By this means, the larva will be assured a food source when they hatch. There is little nectar so other insects are not attracted to Yuccas. If this specialized moth is not present, the Yucca will not produce seed.
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