Driving around Denver, your eye may be occasionally caught by an uncommon shrub or tree. One spot where this has occurred for me is along a highway off ramp at I-70 and Harlan Street in Wheatridge Colorado, a suburb of Denver. This off ramp is south-facing, making an ideal microclimate for a group of tall Yuccas. I’m not certain, but they are possibly Yucca thompsoniana or Yucca rostrata, two Yucca species that are known for their ability to grow taller than some other yucca species and still tolerate the winter temperatures of Denver. These yuccas are a pleasant surprise, providing a unique plantscape rarely duplicated along the mostly drab, weed infested highways of Colorado’s front range.
Another great roadside surprise Yucca that we admire is in a front yard along Monaco Boulevard in east Denver. Thriving on a the corner of a busy thoroughfare, this lovely plant proves once again that Yuccas are a great choice for gardeners in Colorado’s lower elevation areas.
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Very interesting post! I know the yucca clump off I-70 – those are Yucca elata / Soaptree, which I think rarely get as large as even in Pueblo, perhaps due to the shorter effective growing season in Denver.
The yucca clump by Monaco is amazing, from the bloom stalk it looks like Y. rostrata.
Thanks for the comment David! Yeah, I think the ones off of I-70 are in a perfect little microclimate on that south facing slope in the little man-made “valley” that is the off ramp!
I drive by the one on Monaco all the time. I’ve seen others here and there around Denver. The Botanic Gardens has several varieties of Yucca trees growing. I wish there were more in people’s Denver landscaping
3754 S Ames St Denver Colorado 80235 is in southwest Denver. Best collection of yuccas. Quite a showcase.