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From April to November, Red Hesperaloe blossoms brighten our desert landscape and feed many hummingbird families.
From April to November, Red Hesperaloe blossoms brighten our desert landscape and feed many hummingbird families.
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Recently we identified the Asparagus Fern as a member of the lily family, therefore it is not really a fern. It’s now time to check out a currently blooming Chihuahuan Desert native often referred to as Red Yucca, though really not a yucca.
Botanically this same plant is classified as Red Hesperaloe (Hesperaloe parviflora). Early botanists thought it looked enough like an aloe plant that they named it “Western (hesper) Aloe.” It is actually a close relative to the large Agave family. Now who among us is not confused?
Presently Red Hesperaloe plants are full of bright blossoms showing off in medians, common areas, along driveways and sidewalks, in commercial mass plantings, and in our own landscapes. The deep pink, coral or red flowers crowd the length of leaning stalks up to 5 feet long. Its blue-green evergreen leaves, 3 to 4 feet long, have a relaxed, loose appearance resembling coarse grass.
The nodding, bell-shaped flowers usually bloom from April to November. To the delight of hummingbirds, the blossoms open intermittently along the long stalks for months. Woody pods follow and remain usually until cut off. If pods are allowed to dry on the stalk, they can be broken open and seeds collected for planting. Otherwise the spent bloom stalks can be removed when convenient.
Hesperaloe can be planted at any time, keeping in mind that they will spread to form large, dense clumps. Old clusters may be divided in late winter or spring and reset to form new plants. Full sun is recommended for best flowering, but it will grow in part shade. A slow grower, this succulent tolerates any well-draining alkaline soil.
Although drought tolerant, Hesperaloe looks better with summer supplemental water every 3 to 4 weeks, relying on rainfall in winter. It is cold hardy down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Neither insects nor disease are a problem. The only maintenance required is end-of-season removal of spent flower stalks.
This tough plant is a wildlife favorite. Sweet flowers attract hummingbirds, deer browse the foliage, rabbits hunt them, and their roots are on the javelina “preferred list.” Javelina are known to root out the entire plant, eating the succulent roots and tossing the leathery leaves away. It is recommended to install sturdy fencing around any Hesperaloe planted outside yard walls.
Besides the common coral-red flowered variety, Hesperaloe cultivars are available with soft creamy-yellow flowers. There is also a hybrid called “Brake Lights” with lush deep-red blooms. Any of these grow well in containers. Each of these forms are currently blossoming at The Arid Garden, off Camino Encanto in Desert Hills.
Hesperaloes are valuable accent plants in the desert, adding more “western character” to the Southwest landscape, regardless of what they are called.
Mary Kidnocker is a University of Arizona Master Gardener who lives in the Green Valley area. Her articles are featured weekly.
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