Sure it happens! If it is a tree of some maturity and value and you just want it gone, a landscaper may very well want to dig up for resale or a pending project. And sometimes they will even pay YOU for the privilege!!

However, some old yucca plants hardy qualify as a mature tree of value :-) Still, Joe Q Public might be interested in a couple of free-for-the-digging plants. Advertise on craigslist or your neighborhood Facebook page.

It occasionally happens, but usually for easy to transplant plants when there is very high demand, and low nursery supply. Also that the stock is one that may be slow to get to specimen size, so the nursery supply is not mature enough for the demand spike, and won't be for a while. Under these conditions, the competition for the plants cause prices to spike enough to make private specimen purchases worthwhile. Various palms and segos have had their day. But these are very narrow conditions for when purchasing and digging is cost effective, and worth the additional risk. Another way is if the plant is a rare species or difficult to obtain for some reason.

First step would be to get a proper identification for the plant you want removed. Yucca can be a daunting one to eliminate, because they have large root systems and are happy to resurrect themselves from seemingly small, or dead, root fragments.

If your yucca is in a tree form (Joshua tree, soaptree, etc.), I think there may be some interest and you should check with your local contractors. They would come with a digger and a crane. If it's a low-growing yucca without a trunk, I'm afraid they're a dime a dozen.

Thanks everyone!! This is very helpful.

JoJo - well, I do think it is a tree type, but I searched and it's not soaptree. I'll keep looking.

gyr_falcon - good point! I don't know what the demand is. I will work on getting an id - if they are low-water trees, then those would be in style here for sure. Lots of folks ripping out lawn.

gardengal48 - as much as we might want them gone, getting them up would be way beyond what I could expect from a craigslister (nothing against c-list, I love me my c-list...) Getting paid would be great, but it seems unlikely.

Thanks again!!!

It may be a Y elephantipes. I'll try to get some pics.