(Great Plains Yucca)

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Yucca glauca, Pawnee Buttes, Weld Co. 7600

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Yucca glauca, Pawnee Buttes, Weld Co. 7614

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Yucca glauca, Cottonwood Pass Rd., Chaffee Co. 3491

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Yucca glauca, Cottonwood Pass Rd., Chaffee Co. 3499

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Yucca glauca, Pawnee Buttes, Weld Co. 7607

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Fruit, Yucca glauca, Pawnee Buttes, Weld Co. 7932

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Yucca glauca, Pawnee Buttes, Weld Co. 7605

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Yucca glauca, Cottonwood Pass Rd., Chaffee Co. 3511

Scientific Name Yucca glauca USDA PLANTS Symbol YUGL
Common Name Great Plains Yucca, Soapweed ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. 43142
Family Asparagaceae (Asparagus) SEINet
Reference
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Description Life zones and habitat: Plains and foothills (3800 to 9000 ft.); Dry, sandy or limestone soils in grasslands and disturved areas; very widespread.
Plant: Round yucca shrub up to 24 inches tall (excluding inflorescence and fruit stem); often colony-forming with up to 15 plants.
Leaves: Rosettes of pale green, concave, somewhat flexible leaf blades, linear to linear-lanceolate, 16 to 24 inches long and up to 1/2-inch wide; margins are white and toothless with white threads; usually very sharp tips.
Inflorescence: Flowering stalk 20 to 40 inches tall arising within and above rosette; large bell-shaped, hanging flowers with white or greenish-white tepals, 1-3/4 to 2 inches long; white filaments 5/8 to 1-1/8 inches long; green pistil 1 to 1-1/2 inches long and dark green style.
Bloom Period: May to July.
Fruit: Erect, green, cylindrical fruit capsules, not constricted, 2 to 3+ inches long.
References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield and SEINet.
BONAP Distribution Map

Map Color Key
Colorado Status:
Native

© Tom Lebsack 2024

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