Adam's needle yucca
Yucca filamentosa
Adam's needle yucca (Yucca filamentosa) is a shrub suited to the Colorado Front Range. It matures to about 2 to 4 ft tall and 3 to 5 ft wide, slow-growing, needs low water, and prefers full sun. Variegated cultivars add year-round color. Tough urban-edge plant.
On the CSU listlow water2 to 4 ft tall and 3 to 5 ft wideXeric / water-wiseLow ignitability: OK 0-30 ft from the house, CSU score 8/10Deer-resistantToxic to dogs
Photos
- Photo 1: (c) Conway Hawn, some rights reserved (CC BY)
- Photo 2: (c) Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY)
- Photo 3: (c) Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY)
At a glance
Will it survive here?
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4 to 10
- Water needs
- low water
- Sun
- Best in full sun.
- Soil
- sandy, well drained only
- Soil pH
- 6.5 to 8.5
- Hail tolerance
- high
- Wind tolerance
- high
- Salt tolerance
- high
- Site uses
- Hellstrips / parking strips, Hot south- or west-facing walls
How big, what shape?
- Mature size
- 2 to 4 ft tall and 3 to 5 ft wide
- Planting spacing
- ~5 ft apart (4 ft for a hedge/screen)
- Growth rate
- Slow
What it looks like, and when
- Bloom time
- early summer, mid summer
- Bloom color
- white, cream
- Foliage
- Evergreen
Who else benefits
- Pollinator value
- moderate
- Deer
- Generally deer-resistant
- Colorado native
- No
Also worth knowing
- Fire rating
- Low ignitability: OK 0-30 ft from the house, CSU score 8/10
Things to know before you plant
- Toxic to dogsConsidered toxic to dogs, so keep pets away from it and check with your vet.
- ThornyIt is thorny, so site it away from paths, seating, and play areas.
Planting & establishment
Drought-tolerant once established.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Adam's needle yucca good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, Adam's needle yucca is a well-suited shrub for Colorado's Front Range.
- What should I know before planting Adam's needle yucca?
- The main things to know: Considered toxic to dogs, so keep pets away from it and check with your vet. It is thorny, so site it away from paths, seating, and play areas.
- How big does Adam's needle yucca get?
- It matures to about 2 to 4 ft tall and 3 to 5 ft wide.
- How far apart do I plant Adam's needle yucca?
- Space Adam's needle yucca about 5 ft apart for a full, natural form, or about 4 ft apart for a faster hedge or screen.
- Is Adam's needle yucca hardy on the Front Range?
- Adam's needle yucca is hardy in USDA 4 to 10. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b to 6a, so it is well within range.
- How much water does Adam's needle yucca need?
- It needs low water once established.
- How fast does Adam's needle yucca grow?
- Adam's needle yucca is a slow-growing shrub. Growth rate depends on water and site conditions on the Front Range.
- Is Adam's needle yucca safe for dogs?
- No. Adam's needle yucca is considered toxic to dogs. Keep pets away and check with your vet.
- Is Adam's needle yucca deer-resistant?
- Adam's needle yucca is generally considered deer-resistant, though no plant is deer-proof when browse pressure is high.
- Is Adam's needle yucca a good firewise plant near the house?
- Adam's needle yucca is rated 8 of 10 in CSU Extension Fact Sheet 6.305 (2025), where higher means less ignitable, so it can go within 0 to 5 feet of the house as well as out to 30 feet when kept watered and tidy. This is general guidance based on CSU Extension Fact Sheet 6.305 (2025), not a guarantee that any plant won't burn, a well-irrigated, well-maintained plant is the goal. Follow CSU Extension defensible-space guidance and check with your local fire district before planting in the wildland-urban interface.
