Palm tree in Louisville, KY

[Alanin502]

I'm assuming this is some sort of a Palm tree.  These are growing in the island on Central Ave beside Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY.  Any idea what these are?  Louisville is zone 6A.  They are not protected in any fashion during the winter months. 

[Jtee]

These are yuccas, a very common plant in the desert especially New Mexico. Odd seeing them in Louisville 

[Manalto]

Looks like Y. rostrata to this amateur's eye. Those in the know can confirm or refute.

[Silas_Sancona]

24 minutes ago, Manalto said:

Looks like Y. rostrata to this amateur's eye. Those in the know can confirm or refute.

100% Y. rostrata

..Agree w/ Jtee, very interesting ( and kind of cool ) to see these anywhere in KY.  Wondering where on earth did they source such big specimens out there.

[jwitt]

Yucca rostrata as others mentioned. They grow wild in select 5b here(south slopes). Should be blooming May/June.

They survived -10f locally and even -34f in Moriarty, NM. 

 

At work, current pic

 

[Jtee]

18 minutes ago, jwitt said:

Yucca rostrata as others mentioned. They grow wild in select 5b here(south slopes). Should be blooming May/June.

They survived -10f locally and even -34f in Moriarty, NM. 

 

At work, current pic

 

-34 is that right? That looks like some Alaskan tundra type temp

[jwitt]

5 hours ago, Jtee said:

-34 is that right? That looks like some Alaskan tundra type temp

2/3/2011. Moriarty NM

Some yucca faxionia survived that also.  

My yucca fax is a -17f survivor from 1971.

 

Rostrata are cold hardy. I cannot speak to wet tho.

 

[Jimhardy]

Those are really nice Yucca- surviving those kind of temps probably

would only happen out west,I had one of a similar size,I did cover it for winter

but the sides were open, it did not survive -10F to -20F temps that final winter.

[ky_palm064]

Great looking tree yuccas. IMO that's the only exotic "tree" species hardy in exposed locations here. But I've always wondered whether a trachy in a courtyard (maybe with only Christmas lights) would be a long term survivor. Also, I believe after a decade or more in a southern exposure, a Sabal Louisiana or Birmingham would be showing trunk.

[Collectorpalms]

There were some tall windmills for a couple winters at a car dealership around a mall around 2000. Lasted a couple winters before they were gone.