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Field guide
Red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)
Skarz · CC BY-SA 4.0

also Hummingbird yucca

Red yucca

Hesperaloe parviflora

Family:
Asparagaceae
Elevation:
2,000 ft – 6,000 ft
Bloom:
May – Sep
Region:
Southwest

A grassy clump of arching, blue-green succulent leaves that sends up tall wands of coral-pink tubular flowers for months, one of the top hummingbird plants in Southwest landscapes. Despite the name it is not a true yucca.

Care · tuned to the Southwest

Water

Highly drought tolerant; thrives on little water once established, though occasional deep summer watering extends and increases bloom. Overwatering causes rot and floppy growth. Responds to monsoon moisture with a flush of flowering.

Sun & exposure

Full sun for best flowering, including reflected heat; tolerates light shade at the cost of fewer blooms.

Soil

Adaptable to most well-drained soils including sandy, gravelly, alkaline, and caliche ground; no amendment needed.

In the Southwest

Cold-hardy well into the high desert and evergreen through most winters. Not a true yucca and lacks the rigid spine-tipped leaves; leaf edges carry harmless curling white fibers. Deadhead or cut spent flower stalks to the base to keep it tidy. A magnet for hummingbirds.

Common problems & fixes

  • Aphids on bloom stalks — clusters on tender flower spikes, sometimes with honeydew

    Fix — Hose them off with a strong spray or treat with insecticidal soap when they appear.

  • Ragged look from spent stalks and dead outer leaves

    Fix — Cut spent flower stalks to the base after bloom and pull dead leaves — grooming, not a pest problem.

  • Root rot from overwatering in heavy, wet soil

    Fix — Plant in well-drained soil and water deeply but infrequently; it's very drought-tolerant once established.

Pets & toxicity

Contains saponins like true yuccas; chewing leaves or stalks may cause mild drooling, vomiting, or diarrhea in dogs and cats, though it lacks dangerous spines.

Easy to confuse with

  • True yuccas (Yucca spp.) — rigid, sharply spine-tipped leaves
  • Hesperaloe funifera — much larger with white flowers

Sources

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