Hesperaloe parviflora

Red Yucca

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What is Red Yucca?

Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) is a drought-tolerant evergreen succulent native to Texas, New Mexico, and northeastern Mexico. Also known as coral yucca, hummingbird yucca, redflower false yucca, and samandoque, this southwestern native thrives in hot, dry climates. Landscape designers and homeowners choose Red Yucca for its vibrant flower displays, minimal water needs, and ability to attract hummingbirds and pollinators to desert gardens and xeriscape landscapes.

How Big Does Red Yucca Grow?

Red Yucca forms a compact rosette of slender, sword-shaped evergreen leaves reaching 2-3 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide. The foliage maintains its deep green color year-round, providing consistent texture and visual interest. During bloom season, flowering stalks shoot up 4-6 feet above the foliage base, creating dramatic vertical accents without requiring excessive space. With moderate growth, Red Yucca gradually expands into attractive clumps over several years, making it ideal for filling landscape beds and borders.

What Color Are Red Yucca Flowers?

Red Yucca produces stunning tubular flowers in shades of coral-pink, salmon-red, and deep coral that bloom along tall arching stalks. The pendulous bell-shaped flowers create eye-catching contrast against the green foliage and arid landscape backgrounds. Blooms appear from late spring through early summer and can persist for several weeks, providing extended seasonal color. Some varieties may rebloom sporadically throughout summer and fall with adequate moisture, offering bonus floral displays.

Where Should You Plant Red Yucca?

Plant Red Yucca in full sun locations receiving 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for best flowering performance. This plant thrives in intense heat and bright southwestern exposures. Well-draining soil is essential - avoid heavy clay or areas with standing water that cause root rot. Red Yucca excels in xeriscaped gardens, rock gardens, desert landscapes, gravel mulch beds, cactus and succulent gardens, pollinator gardens, roadside plantings, slope stabilization projects, and water-wise commercial properties throughout USDA zones 5-11.

How Much Water Does Red Yucca Need?

Once established (typically 6-12 months), Red Yucca displays excellent drought tolerance and survives on minimal supplemental water. During establishment, water deeply every 7-10 days to encourage strong root development. Mature plants benefit from occasional deep watering during extended dry periods to promote vigorous flowering and healthy growth. Avoid frequent shallow watering or overwatering which can stress plants and cause root issues. Red Yucca survives on natural rainfall alone in many southwestern locations, making it perfect for low-water and sustainable landscapes.

How Do You Maintain and Prune Red Yucca?

Red Yucca requires minimal maintenance, making it ideal for low-input landscapes and busy homeowners. Remove spent flower stalks at the base after blooming finishes to keep plants tidy and encourage potential rebloom. Critical pruning note: never shave or cut the foliage rosette down to the base as this destroys the plant's natural form and can kill it. Only prune dead or damaged individual leaves at their base. Red Yucca rarely needs fertilizer and thrives with minimal intervention once established in well-draining soil.

Does Red Yucca Attract Hummingbirds and Pollinators?

Red Yucca is an exceptional hummingbird plant and pollinator magnet. The tubular coral-pink flowers are specifically adapted to attract hummingbirds, which are frequent visitors throughout the bloom season. Butterflies, native bees, and other beneficial insects also feed on the nectar-rich flowers. The extended bloom period provides consistent food sources when many desert plants aren't flowering. Dense evergreen foliage offers year-round shelter and habitat for small desert wildlife, lizards, and ground-dwelling birds, supporting biodiversity in developed landscapes.

How Do You Use Red Yucca in Landscape Design?

Landscape architects and designers specify Red Yucca for versatile applications: focal point specimens in desert and xeriscape gardens, mass plantings for dramatic color impact, mixed perennial borders with other drought-tolerant plants, rock garden accents, container gardens and large decorative pots, median strips and parking lot islands, foundation plantings, slope and erosion control, pollinator and hummingbird gardens, and low-maintenance commercial landscapes. Red Yucca works effectively in both residential and commercial settings, providing reliable performance with minimal care requirements.

What is the Cultural and Historical Significance?

Indigenous peoples of the Southwest have valued Hesperaloe species for generations. Native tribes traditionally used plant parts in herbal medicine for various treatments and ailments. The strong, fibrous leaves were harvested and processed for traditional crafts, basketry, rope making, cordage, and weaving projects. The plant's drought adaptations and usefulness made it culturally important for survival in harsh desert environments. Red Yucca continues to represent the resilient beauty and practical wisdom of southwestern Indigenous plant knowledge.

What Are Common Problems with Red Yucca?

Red Yucca is generally pest and disease-free when planted in appropriate conditions. The main challenge is root rot caused by overwatering or poor drainage - always plant in well-draining soil and avoid supplemental irrigation in heavy soils. Occasional leaf spot may occur during unusually wet periods but rarely causes significant damage. Agave snout weevils can occasionally affect plants but are uncommon. Red Yucca's fibrous leaves may fray at the tips naturally, which is normal and doesn't indicate health problems.

Why Choose Red Yucca for Your Landscape Project?

Red Yucca delivers exceptional performance in challenging southwestern climates with minimal resource inputs. This reliable native plant combines vibrant coral-pink flowers that attract hummingbirds, evergreen year-round interest, extreme drought tolerance once established, minimal maintenance requirements, excellent heat tolerance, cold hardiness to zone 5, and proven performance in various soil types. For landscape professionals seeking a sustainable, low-water plant that provides consistent visual impact and ecological benefits, Red Yucca represents a smart specification choice for residential, commercial, and municipal projects across the Southwest and beyond.

FAMILY

Asparagaceae

MATURE HEIGHT

3 to 4 ft

GROWTH HABIT

Hesperaloe parviflora, commonly known as red yucca, is a stemless, evergreen, perennial succulent that forms a dense, fountain-like clump of long, narrow, arching, blue-green leaves. The foliage typically reaches a mature size of 3-4 feet (0.9-1.2 m) in height and spreads slowly to about 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 m) wide via offsets. In late spring to mid-summer, tall, showy, branching flower stalks, which can extend up to 5-8 feet (1.5-2.4 m) high, emerge from the center of the plant, bearing numerous coral-red to pink tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds.

WATER REQUIREMENT

Drought Tolerant

HARDY TO

0°F

NATIVE REGION

Chihuahuan Desert

TYPE

Succulent accent

SOIL TYPE

Hesperaloe parviflora thrives in a wide range of native desert soil types, including sandy, loamy, caliche, and rocky substrates. The essential requirement for this plant is superior, sharp drainage, as it is highly susceptible to root rot in heavy, damp soils. It is not particular about soil pH and performs well in anything from acidic to highly alkaline conditions (pH 5.1-9.0), often thriving in poor, unamended soils. When planting, amending the soil with sand, gravel, or perlite is recommended in areas with poor natural drainage.

MAINTENACE TIPS

Once established, this highly drought-tolerant perennial is low-maintenance and needs minimal supplemental watering. Deep, infrequent watering (every 2-4 weeks during the growing season) is sufficient to encourage growth and flowering, allowing the soil to dry out significantly in between. Avoid overwatering, especially during the winter months, and ensure the plant is not in waterlogged conditions to prevent fungal issues. Fertilization is rarely necessary in the ground, but a light, slow-release fertilizer can be applied in spring if desired, particularly for container-grown plants.

ELEVATION

to 5800 feet

3 to 6 ft

MATURE WIDTH

LEAF SHAPE

Hesperaloe parviflora produces evergreen, succulent, narrow, and linear leaves that grow in a dense basal rosette, forming an arching, grass-like clump. These leaves are typically blue-green, but can acquire purple or reddish-bronze tints in colder winter months. A distinctive characteristic is the presence of numerous fine, white, thread-like filaments or hairs that peel along the margins of each leaf. The leaves have a slightly pointed, but typically soft, tip and lack the sharp spines found on related genera like Agave.

FLOWER COLOR

Coral Red

FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS

The Hesperaloe parviflora produces numerous small, narrowly tubular to bell-shaped flowers that are typically coral-red to pink, though yellow forms exist. These vibrant blossoms, which measure up to 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) in length, bloom on tall, arching, and often branching stalks called inflorescences, which can reach 4 to 6 feet in height, rising well above the evergreen, strap-like foliage. The flowers open successively from the bottom up along the stalk, providing a long blooming season from late spring into summer and sometimes fall, making them a significant nectar source for hummingbirds. After blooming, the flowers develop into woody, pistachio-like seed capsules containing flat, black seeds.

FRUIT/SEED

The fruit of Hesperaloe parviflora is a woody, dehiscent capsule that is green when developing and ripens to brown. These capsules are typically ovate or rounded, measuring about 30 to 40 mm (approximately 1 to 1.5 inches) long and 25-30 mm wide. Each capsule contains numerous flat, black, disc-shaped seeds, which are about 9-10 mm long, 6-8 mm wide, and 1 mm thick. The entire fruit structure can reach up to 3 cm in length, and the seeds themselves are an efficient way for the plant to propagate. Some cultivated varieties, however, are essentially sterile and produce very few or no seed pods, channeling their energy into prolonged flowering.

SUN EXPOSURE

Full Sun

POLLINATORS

Hesperaloe parviflora is primarily pollinated by hummingbirds in the wild, though some sources suggest garden-grown plants may also be visited by bats, bees, and hawkmoths. The species is also a food source for other wildlife, with deer being noted for feeding on the foliage and flower stalks, and aphids sometimes appearing on the blooming flowers. Solitary bee species utilize the dried stems for creating nests for their larvae.

PRUNING TIPS

Pruning is straightforward and primarily involves cosmetic maintenance. After the flowers have faded, typically in late summer or early fall, the old flower stalks should be cut back to the base of the plant using clean, sharp pruning shears. This practice maintains a tidy appearance and prevents self-seeding. Avoid pruning the evergreen, arching foliage itself, as shearing or cutting the leaves can disfigure the plant's natural shape and slow its recovery. Wear gloves and protective eyewear when pruning to avoid cuts from the tough leaf edges.