Garden Oracle / Drought and Heat Tolerant Gardening / Tucson - Phoenix - Arizona - California

Growing Hesperaloe parviflora:
Red Yucca

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Description
Form: A succulent treated as a shrub.
Lifespan: Perennial.
Leaf retention: Evergreen.
Growth rate: Slow to moderate depending upon water and temperature.
Mature Size: The flower stalks can grow to 6' (1.8m) high. The narrow leaves at the base usually cover an area 2' (0.6m) high and 3' (1m) wide.
Flowers: Reddish tubular flowers, with yellow throats, sprout from narrow spikes on pink stalks. Some cultivars have yellow flowers.
Bloom: Mid-spring to fall.
Fruit: A round seed capsule containing flat, black seeds.
Leaves: Long, narrow, blue-green, arching, stiff blades grow from a central base. White fraying fibers line the leaf margins.
Stems: No thorns or spines.
Roots: Fibrous.
Wildlife: The flowers attract hummingbirds and foraging deer. The leaves are resistant to deer but not javelina.
Toxic / Danger: The leaves and fruit contain saponins which are poisonous.
Origin: Native to Texas and northern Mexico.

Cultivation and Uses
USDA hardiness zones: 5-11.
Heat tolerant: Yes.
Drought tolerant: Yes.
Sun: Full sun.
Water once established: Once a month during drought.
Soil: Very well drained, pH 5.1-9.0 (highly acidic to highly alkaline).
Prune: Remove old flower stalks as needed. Never cut the leaves.
Litter: Low.
Propagation: Seed or root division. The plant may eventually develop offsets, or pups, that can be removed carefully for transplant.
Uses: Ornamental.

Comments
Now recognized as a member of the Asparagus family (Asparagaceae), it was formerly classified in the discontinued Century Plant family. It is not a true yucca, although distantly related.



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Hesperaloe parviflora: Red Yucca - flowers

Hesperaloe parviflora: Red Yucca - seed pod

Hesperaloe parviflora: Red Yucca

Latest update: March, 2024
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