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Hesperoyucca whipplei

chaparral yucca

Asparagaceae

Southwestern North America (California, Baja California)

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Fragrant (moderate)

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterVery Low · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 7–11

Overview

Hesperoyucca whipplei, formerly Yucca whipplei, is an evergreen rosette-forming succulent of dry slopes in California and Baja California. It builds a dense, near-spherical rosette of stiff, blue-green to grey-green leaves 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) long, each tapering to a sharp, rigid terminal spine and edged with small teeth. The rosette spans 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) and stays low for several years. When mature, the plant sends up a single stout flowering stalk 6-14 feet (1.8-4.3 m) tall bearing hundreds to thousands of pendent, bell-shaped flowers, creamy white and often flushed purple. The flowers are scented at night and are pollinated almost exclusively by the yucca moth Tegeticula maculata, whose larvae feed on a portion of the developing seeds. The main rosette is monocarpic: it dies after flowering and setting seed, though some forms produce offsets that continue the clump. The terminal leaf spines are needle-sharp and can cause puncture wounds, which limits placement near paths. The plant withstands heat, drought, and poor rocky soils but rots in wet, heavy ground.

Native Range

Native to southern California and Baja California, Mexico, on dry slopes, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and desert margins from near sea level to about 8,000 feet (2,400 m).

Suggested Uses

Used in dry gardens, rock gardens, and xeriscapes, and on banks and slopes for erosion control. It serves as a sculptural specimen in desert and Mediterranean-climate plantings. Its sharp spines make it unsuited to paths and play areas.

How to Identify

Recognize it by a dense globe of rigid, grey-green leaves, each ending in a stiff dark spine, with small teeth along the margins. A solitary tall flower stalk topped by a dense panicle of creamy, purple-tinged bells rises in spring. Unlike tree-forming yuccas, it stays as a stemless or short-stemmed rosette.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2' - 14'

Width/Spread3' - 4'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~5 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs from April to June after a build-up of several years, with desert and low-elevation plants opening earlier. The tall stalk elongates quickly and flowers over about 4-6 weeks. The rosette dies once seed has set.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

creamy white, often flushed purple

Foliage Description

blue-green to grey-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 8-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Very Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

5-10 years to first flowering, then monocarpic

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Hesperoyucca whipplei needs full sun and sharp drainage on sandy, gravelly, or rocky soil. Once established it survives on rainfall alone across most of its range and needs no summer irrigation. Excess water and heavy clay cause crown and root rot, so raised or sloped positions suit it. It tolerates heat and reflected light against walls and paving. No feeding is required in lean soils. The spiny rosette is left unpruned; only the spent flower stalk and dead rosette are cleared after seeding.

Pruning

Cut down and clear the dried flower stalk after seed has shed. Where the main rosette has died, remove it once any offsets are established. Old leaves can be trimmed from the base to expose the rosette form.

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Toxic to pets

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Succulents

Hesperoyucca whipplei

chaparral yucca

Asparagaceae

Southwestern North America (California, Baja California)

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Fragrant (moderate)

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterVery Low · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 7–11

Overview

Native Range

Native to southern California and Baja California, Mexico, on dry slopes, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and desert margins from near sea level to about 8,000 feet (2,400 m).