Hesperaloe parviflora

Common Names

Red Yucca, Coral Yucca, Hummingbird Yucca, Samandoque, Texas Red Yucca, Red Flower Yucca, Redflower False Yucca, Red Flowered False Yucca, Yellow Yucca

Summary

Red Yucca is a dense, clumping, stemless evergreen semi-succulent native to the Chihuahuan desert from west Texas to northeastern Mexico, and it is distinct from true yucca. It forms grass-like blue-green rosettes with arching leaves 60–120 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, with white threadlike hairs along the margins, and reaches a clump height of 3–4 ft and width up to about 6 ft, while tall flowering stalks to 4–6 ft bear red to coral tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds.

It favors full sun and well-drained soils, is very drought- and heat-tolerant, and hardy to USDA zone 5; tolerates a range of soils if drainage is good and requires deep summer watering with drying between irrigations. Growth is slow to moderate and it is container-friendly; propagation is by seed or division; uses include desert and rock gardens, mass plantings, patios or poolside accents, and the plant requires minimal maintenance with pruning of spent flower stalks for neatness.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-4 feet

Spread

3-4 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun. Tolerates partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained sandy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil, preferably sandy or gravelly.

Soil pH

6.5-7.2, circumneutral to mildly acidic soil

Bloom Color

Red to pink, including coral red and salmon.

Bloom Time

Spring and Summer

Foliage Color

Blue-green

Fall Foliage Color

No fall color change

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow to moderate growth rate

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Stem cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators