Red Yucca
Hesperaloe parviflora
Red Yucca is one of the most reliable desert accent plants for Arizona landscapes. It gives homeowners color, structure, movement, and low-water performance without looking messy or overgrown when maintained correctly.
Skarz / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 — license
Schedule: Very infrequent — often monthly or less once established. None when soil is cool and damp.
Emitters: Single low-flow emitter offset from base, or hand-watering only.
Overwatering is the #1 cause of cactus and agave loss. AE designs cactus zones on their own valve.
Arizona yards have very different microclimates. West-facing walls, glass, artificial turf, pavers, travertine, porcelain, and pool decking all increase reflected heat. AE considers these before confirming placement.
- Low root impact
AE verifies pool deck, paver, foundation, wall, and utility clearances before final planting.
Quick Facts
- Plant type
- Yucca
- Mature size
- Approx. 3–4 ft foliage, with taller flower stalks
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water use
- Low
- Bloom season
- Spring through fall depending on conditions
- Flower color
- Red / coral
- Foliage
- Green
- Evergreen / Deciduous
- Evergreen
- Thorns / spines
- Mild
- Litter level
- Low
- Pool area
- Good with placement
- Pet/kid placement
- Use with care
- Maintenance
- Low
- Privacy value
- Low
- Shade value
- Low
- Native
- Southwest native
About Red Yucca
Red Yucca might be AE's most-used flowering accent. Hummingbirds love the coral-red flower stalks, which can bloom from spring through fall.
Best uses: Modern desert landscapes, pool-adjacent planting with proper placement, entry walkways, raised planters, around boulders, along walls, mass planting, color accents, hummingbird-friendly landscapes
AE Designer Opinion
Design Uses
- Modern desert landscapes
- Pool-adjacent planting with proper placement
- Entry walkways
- Raised planters
- Around boulders
- Along walls
- Mass planting
- Color accents
- Hummingbird-friendly landscapes
Care & Maintenance
- Low once established
- Establishment watering: deeper, more frequent the first summer; taper after
- Remove old flower stalks as needed
- Generally durable, but appearance may vary with cold exposure
- Full sun
Common Homeowner Mistakes
- Planting too close to tight walkways where leaf tips poke at passersby
- Forgetting to remove old flower stalks
- Overwatering, which causes flop
Placement Warnings
⚠ Sharp leaf tips; avoid tight walkways
- Sharp leaf tips
- Avoid tight walkways
- Avoid areas where kids or pets constantly brush against plants
- Remove old flower stalks when needed
AE reviews final placement based on sun, irrigation, drainage, mature size, and overall design.
Pairs Well With
- Blue Agave
- Golden Barrel Cactus
- Deer Grass
- Desert Spoon
- Texas Sage
- Palo Verde
- Lantana
- Damianita
More Arizona Plants Like This
Ready to Build Your AE Plant Wishlist?
Add Red Yucca and your other favorites to your wishlist, then send it to the AE design team for the final plant palette.