Red Yucca: Neither Red, Nor a Yucca

When I first discovered seed collecting, one of the very first seeds I tried to harvest was that of the Red Yucca. I was attracted to the ease with which they could be identified and plucked from their flower spikes. The sheer number of seeds that can be found in just one pod is quite rewarding. 

After doing a quick internet search on how to sow the seeds, I settled on the technique of adding moist soil to a shallow container and resting the seeds on top. I covered the container with a lid and checked daily to monitor the moisture level and watch for any activity. 

Jump to:

• Seed Sprouting Instructions
• Plant Characteristics
• FOR SALE: Plants and Seeds
• References

The fact that I started seeing sprouts only three weeks later may have been due to the freshness of my seeds and that I had not submerged them at all in the soil. As jet black as these half-moon shaped seeds are, their first roots are shockingly white!

I didn't particularly like how unstable the seedlings looked with so much of the root sticking out over the soil, so in subsequent planting, I have buried the seeds approximately 1/4-inch deep. I believe I used a pencil eraser to make holes in the dirt in which to place the seeds before brushing soil back over them.

The seedlings' roots still ended up showing themselves a bit on my second round of planting, but they sprouted just as reliably as the first time. 

This is one of those instances where you just can't take the instructions you find on the internet as gospel when it comes to plants. Just because it's been documented in an article doesn't mean that's the best or the only way to do it. It was on my Red Yucca growing journey that I became aware of just how "wild west" gardening information can be online.

Watching these seedlings grow has been a really satisfying experience for me! I'm also really impressed with how hardy they are in general.

By the way, I have some of these seedlings for sale in the Facebook Marketplace right now. I also have seeds on Etsy.

So, you've read this far and you still want to know about this plant that is the Red Yucca, eh? Okay! Let me share what I've learned!

Hesperaloe Parviflora (hes-per-AL-oh, par-vi-FLOR-uh) is an evergreen perennial succulent from the family Asparagaceae formerly Agavaceae. Some of it's common names include: 

• Red Yucca
• Redflower False Yucca
• Hummingbird Yucca
• Coral Yucca
• Yellow Yucca
• Samandoque
• Red hesperaloe
• Texas Red Yucca

In spite of the most common names referring to yucca, this plant isn't a yucca at all. Red Yucca's leaves resemble a yucca, but it is actually a member of the century plant family. And the "red" part? I've seen the blossoms in pink, coral, and yellow, but I've yet to come across any truly red flowers in person or online. Please comment below if I'm wrong!

The flowers bloom starting in late spring, and usually last until mid-summer, or longer in areas with mild winters. In colder winter climates, the flowers can re-bloom in fall. The blossoms of the Red Yucca attract hummingbirds and butterflies. 

Though the flower spikes can rise to a height of 6-feet, the green foliage only grows up to 3-4 feet. The plant can sprawl to 6-feet in diameter. The leaves of the Red Yucca are classified as evergreen, but they can take on a reddish-bronze or plum tint in winters.

When the flowers are fertilized, they develop green carpulate capsules. When these pods turn brown and dry and the pointed tips just begin to separate (like the mouth of a demogorgon in Stranger Things), their seeds are ready to harvest.

Red Yucca naturally grows in hot, dry conditions, and prefers full sun. It can tolerate light shade, but the growth and blooming may be slowed or stunted. This plant is also quite winter-hardy and can be grown in USDA zones 5 and above.

It has low water requirements and is highly drought tolerant, though a bit of water during the blooming season will encourage more flowers. First year plants also appreciate regular, moderate watering.

Seed Sprouting Instructions

1. Start the seeds indoors. Fill your seed-starting container(s) with at least a couple of inches of lightly dampened cactus soil or other fast draining soil mix. (I have successfully used regular potting soil.)
   
   
2. Use the eraser end of a pencil or similar implement to poke 1/4-inch deep holes in the soil in which to place the seeds. Choose something that has a wide enough diameter to allow your seeds to lay horizontally in the holes.
   
   If you are using a non-sectioned tray for planting your seeds, allow for an inch of room between each seed so they're easy to separate when it comes time to pot them individually.
   
   
3. Add one Red Yucca seed to each hole, then brush the soil on the sides of the hole inward to cover the seeds. (I use the writing end of the pencil to move the soil over the seeds.)
   
   
4. Mist the soil modestly with a spray bottle of room temperature water, and cover your container with cling wrap or a clear lid to retain moisture. Store your seeds in an area where it will receive bright, indirect light, and where the temperature will remain between 50 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
   
   
5. Check the condition of your seeds daily for moisture levels. The soil should not look or feel wet, but just cool and slightly damp to the touch. Mist with room temperature water when needed. You can expect growth within 3-4 weeks. If your seeds are lagging, try airing them out for a day before re-covering with plastic; the soil may be too moist.
   
   
6. Once sprouted, mist your seedlings every other day (or as needed) until they are ready to transplant into individual pots. The roots are robust and usually longer than the seedling is tall. I usually transplant when the seedling is between 1-2 inches tall.
   
   

Transplanting Outdoors

Gradually introduce your seedlings to outdoor conditions during their first year before planting them in the garden the next spring. Protect your seedlings with a cold frame during the winter months. 

When ready to plant, locate an area 4-6 feet in diameter to allow for the plant's mature size. Choose a spot with good-draining soil or plant on a slope if you live in a wetter area. 

During the first year they are planted in-ground, give your Red Yucca 1 inch of water per week to keep them hydrated while the roots become established. Check to make sure that the soil dries out between waterings.

You shouldn't have to worry about treating your Red Yucca for insects or other pests, but deer have been known to give them a munch. If you are concerned about deer turning your self-grown plant into a meal, grow them inside a fenced area of your property if possible.

Seed-grown plants can take two to three years to reach blooming size.

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The following categorized statistics are from wildflower.org, "Hesperaloe parviflora":

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Cactus/Succulent
Root Type: Fibrous
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Linear
Leaf Venation: Parallel
Leaf Pubescence: Glabrous
Leaf Margin: Ciliate
Leaf Apex: Acuminate
Leaf Base: Truncate
Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual
Size Notes: 2-3
Leaf: dark olive green
Flower: Flowers 35 mm long
Fruit: Seeds black to 3 cm
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink, Coral, Yellow
Bloom Time: March - July

Distribution

USA: TX
Native Distribution: Central Texas south to Coahuila in northern Mexico
Native Habitat: Prairies; rocky slopes; mesquite groves. Found in prairies, rocky slopes, and mesquite groves, mostly in Central Texas. Well-drained sand, loam, caliche, limestone.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low

Light Requirement: Sun

Soil Moisture: Dry

Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)

Cold Tolerant: yes

Heat Tolerant: yes

Soil Description: Dry soils. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Limestone-based, Caliche type

Conditions Comments: Heat and drought tolerant, red yucca is wonderful for rock gardens. The stiff leaves form a basal rosette. Flower spikes attract night-pollinating moths. The leaves are deer resistant, but the flowers can be eaten by deer. There is a naturally occurring color selection with buttery yellow colored flowers that blends well with the popular coral color.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Rocky hillside, Rock gardens, Desert landscape, Perennial garden, Blooms ornamental, Attractive, Accent, Long-lived, great for large pot culture

Use Wildlife: Deer browse the foliage, while the flowers attract hummingbirds. Nectar-hummingbirds, Fruit-deer

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Interesting Foliage: yes

Attracts: Hummingbirds

Deer Resistant: High

References:

1. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, "Hesperaloe parviflora"
2. Plant Care Today, "How To Grow Hesperaloe Parviflora"
3. SFGate, "How to Germinate Red Yucca Seeds"
4. SFGate, "How to Grow a Red Yucca from Its Own Seed Pods"