Who knew? It turns out that the big ol’ yucca (left) at the southeast corner of the Alpine Civic Center on W. Holland Avenue is the “Largest of its species growing in the United States.” The National Register of Big Trees informed the city of this distinction on May 5.

The Faxon Yucca or Giant Dagger Yucca (Yucca faxoniana) measures 72 inches in circumference, 23 feet in height, and has a 10-foot crown span and 98 points.

Last spring, “Joe from the Texas Forest Service was driving by one day, noticed it, measured it, and called it in,” City Secretary Molly Taylor told the Gazette. “Next thing we knew, the Texas Big Tree Registry informed us we were co-champion.”

Apparently the competing Faxon Yucca was not found, hence Alpine now has the reigning champion. When asked how old the specimen is, Taylor replied that no one recalls that, exactly: “Seems like it’s been there as long as anybody can remember. One of those things,” she said, chuckling.



(Marlys Hersey, photo)