Red Yucca is  stemless clumping, arching succulent which has spreading grass-like foliage 3-6 feet tall.  The leathery long, narrow blue-green leaves have deep grooves and white fraying fibers along the margins.  Clumps can spread slowly up to 4 feet in width and in mid-summer the clusters of rose-pink flowers are borne on tall red flower stalks which are 6 feet in length that arch up and outward.  Flowers open from the bottom up and are attractive to hummingbirds. Individual rosettes only flower once and are replaced by younger ones.  Red Yucca is drought tolerant and does best in full sun or partial shade and likes well-drained soils. It is a good plant for desert and succulent gardens, planted in masses or used in pots.   Occasional irrigation is recommended in summer to encourage flowering but do not over water.

 

Scientific Name: Hesperaloe parviflora

Common Name: Red Yucca

 Family Name: Agavaceae                                                                                Origin: Chihuahuan desert of west Texas east and south into central and South Texas and northeastern Mexico around Coahuila.

Plant Type: perennial                                               

Leaf Cover:   evergreen                                   Density: open

Texture: medium                                                Height ft. 2’-6’

Width ft. 4’                                                            Form: clumping  

Growth Rate: slow-moderate                      Leaf Type: simple 

Leaf Arrangement: basal                              Leaf Shape: lanceolate

Leaf Size: 3’-4’                                                     Leaf Margin: develops threads

Leaf Tip:   acute                                                   Leaf Color: gray-green  

Flower Sex:   Hermaphroditic                      Flower Showy:   showy   

Flower Size: 1.25”                                          

Flower Cluster Size: 5’                                                                    

Flower Season: spring-summer                                                                   

Flower Color: pink, red, yellow        

Fruit Type: cap                                                    Fruit Size: 1 ¼”     

Fruit Edible: no                                                   Fruit Color: brown  

Fruit Showy: no                                                  Root Type: moderate 

Branching: basal clump                 

USES: background, container plant, flower effect, foliage effect, low maintenance, mass planting, rock garden, specimen plant, great choice for pool landscapes.                        

Soil Texture:  well drained                           Soil pH: alkaline  

Soil Moisture: dry to moist                         Sun Exposure: full sun   

Hardiness:  hardy 10 or less                       Climate: heat, drought, aridity

Water: sporadic                                                Fertilizer:  never                    

Pruning: remove old foliage        

Propagation: division or seed                                        

COMMENTS: Individual flowers are bell shaped.   Fruit contains flat black seeds