Year-round gardening: Incorporating yuccas in your Colorado landscape
Debra Stinton Othitis,
As global warming causes temperatures to rise and water supplies dwindle, many people are turning to water-wise plants for their gardens. Yuccas can contribute to a beautiful and usable landscape that adds value to your home in our semiarid climate.
Coming in several shapes and sizes, yuccas are interesting and attractive when used in landscapes. Larger yuccas should be used as accent plants, whereas smaller types work well in combination with cactus and succulents. The benefits of yuccas are many; they are highly drought tolerant, deer resistant, provide winter interest and are long-lived. The showy, creamy white flower spikes in spring are a dramatic addition to the garden. Yuccas, like many low-water garden plants, prefer full sun and sandy, well-drained soil to avoid root rot.
There are more than 40 species of yucca. All are New World natives and several species are native to the southwestern United States, as they can tolerate harsh winter temperatures. Before planting yuccas in landscapes, consider the size of the mature plant and amount of pedestrian traffic that will be in the area. Most yuccas have sharp spines at the ends of the leaves that can easily pierce the skin and cause painful wounds, so they should not be placed where people are likely to be injured.
For native plant purists on Colorado’s Front Range, the Soapweed Yucca (Y. glauca) is a good choice. It is distributed widely across the high plains and foothills of Colorado, and is found from Canada to Texas. It is the most cold-hardy Yucca species available. Y. glauca grows 2-4 feet tall and 2-4 feet wide.
The Yucca filamentosa is also good for Colorado gardens. Unlike most other yuccas, this variety can tolerate some filtered shade. Despite its sharp tips, its softer leaves can fold over toward the end, making it a better choice for gardeners who might be concerned about getting “stabbed.”
Yucca thompsoniana, native to New Mexico, Texas, and northern Mexico, offers terrific architectural drama. Under the right conditions, it might reach up to 10 feet tall. Its stems can even sometimes branch off, giving a similar look to the famous Joshua Tree Yuccas (Yucca brevifolia). Flowers are borne on 3- to 5-foot spikes, further increasing the drama of these beauties. These can be seen at the Denver Botanic Gardens.
The Banana Yucca, Y. baccata, has long, stiff bluish-green leaves that often curl back toward the base, with course curled fibers along the edges that look striking in afternoon backlight. Banana Yucca can reach a height of 4 feet and width of 5 feet, so give it a good, dry space to thrive. This variety was a source of food for Native Americans of the Southwest.
Before you say “yuck” to yuccas, consider their many attributes given today’s climate changes and tomorrow’s certain continued water restrictions.
Submit gardening questions to csumg2@elpasoco.com or call 719-520-7684. The help desk is open 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 17 N. Spruce St. Find us on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners – El Paso County.
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