Showy and durable with long lasting flower spikes, Red Yucca or Hesperaloe parviflora is one of the best perennials for the southwest desert landscape. A spectacular perennial that can be used in a mass planting or alone as an accent plant. A proven winner for any southwest desert landscape, Red yucca is extremely heat and drought tolerant making it one of my favorite plants for the Las Vegas Valley.

Although Red Yucca is most widely used, there is a yellow flowered form available at most nurseries. Leaf clumps 3-4 ft. tall and at least as wide produce 5 ft. flower stalks with salmon-pink or yellow flowers from late spring through mid summer, sometimes into fall. Once the flower stalks are spent and the flowers die off, cut the stalks at the base to give the plant a neat appearance. It is best to use drip irrigation and water thoroughly and infrequently as a rule of thumb. Although established plants can get by with little summer water, they look best and bloom better with infrequent deep soakings at least every two weeks. A mixture of both yellow and red varieties together in a mass planting can be a striking color display in your desert landscape.

Another great plant selection for your southwest desert landscape that is both low water use and low maintenance. Contact me if you have any other questions regarding this or any other plant and I will get back with you.