Botanical Name: Hesperoyucca whipplei
Common Name: Our Lord's candle, Chaparral yucca
Type of Plant: monocot: perennial
Character evergreen
 
Habit of Growth:
Overall Shape a very distinctive clumping plant, with numerous stiff narrow swordlike leaves arising from a basal rosette to form a rounded mound
Height 1' - 3'
Spread equal
Growth Rate slow
 
Environment:
Exposure outdoors full sun required; needs heat
Soil prefers dry, coarse, sandy or rocky areas; tolerates clay
Hardiness hardy (zones 12-23): thrives on hot dry slopes below 4000'
 
Morphology:
Leaves narrow, stiff, lance or swordlike, gray-green; 1'-3' long, 3/4" wide, terminating in a sharp, apical spine
Flowers creamy white, bell-shaped, very showy, 2"-3" long; borne on an erect 6'-10' flower stalk; May-June (stalk can grow up to 14" a day!)
Fruit a capsule; 1 1/2"-2" long, oval, holding flat black seeds
 
Propagation:
seed
 
Usage:
a dramatic, small accent shrub, valued for its distinctive clumping form; excellent for dry slopes, rock gardens, container plant; good in desert, subtropical, Spanish-theme landscapes; spectacular when in flower
 
Landscape Care:
Watering extremely drought-tolerant after established; can tolerate frequent irrigation if drainage is good
Fertilizing none
Pruning none
Pests/Diseases heart-rot where plant receives frequent overhead watering
Special Conditions plant dies out entirely after blooming
 
Origin: Southern California/Northern Baja
Family: Liliaceae
 
Notes:
 
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