The “tough as nails” Red Yucca

Red Yucca blooms

The tough beauty – Red Yucca.

Firstly, Red Yucca is not a real Yucca! And secondly, the flowers are not really red either. So, now that the misleading common name is fully exposed, perhaps there should be a move to more correctly call this plant the “Rose-Coral Yucca Imposter”. Red Yucca, (Hesperaloe parvifolia) is a succulent in the Agave family.

Deceptive name aside, Red Yucca is a very useful plant in many landscapes. Thin, tough foliage gives it excellent heat, drought and cold protection for Southwest gardens. Bright tubular flowers bloom for months and are a great bee, butterfly and hummingbird attracting feature.

Red Yucca is native to Texas and can be found residing in the western portions of the Edwards Plateau as well as growing west into the Chihuahuan desert of Arizona and Northern Mexico.

Although it is not a true Yucca it

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