Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Chuparosa - Yellow
Chuparosa Yellow is the less common yellow-flowered form of chuparosa, a Sonoran Desert native. Clusters of yellow tubular flowers top the gray-green stems, most heavily from winter into spring. It grows just like the red form, in full sun and reflected heat on little water, with the same size, bloom season and care.
Best for: a yellow accent in native gardens, a yellow version of the classic red chuparosa, and winter color in hot, sunny beds.
Most chuparosa blooms red, and yellow plants are less common. The yellow tubes stand out against the gray-green stems from winter into spring.
It is the same plant as red chuparosa, only yellow. Both grow about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. They take the same water and care, so the two mix well in one bed.
It takes full sun and the reflected heat off walls and buildings. A soak a couple of times a month in summer keeps it going.
Long freezes near 26°F can damage it. In shade it gets leggy and blooms less. It drops leaves in drought and after hard frosts.
- Group planting3 ft apart
- Open planting4 ft apart
Water every 3 to 4 days for the first two weeks, then every 5 to 7 days. By weeks 7 and 8, water about every 10 to 14 days.
Water about twice a month in summer and monthly the rest of the year. More regular water gives a fuller plant.
Remove frost damage in early spring, then trim lightly in late spring if it gets leggy.
Full sun gives the most flowers and a tighter shape. It takes reflected heat off walls.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is yellow chuparosa the same plant as red chuparosa?
Yes. It is the same native species with yellow or yellow-orange flowers instead of red. Size and care are the same, so plant and water it just like red chuparosa.
How common is the yellow form?
The yellow form is less common than red. Red is the usual color, and yellow shows up on only some plants, so it makes a less common accent.
When does it bloom?
The big bloom runs from winter into spring, and flowers can show up in other months too. Drought or a freeze pauses it, and more regular water keeps it blooming.
Do hummingbirds visit it?
Yes. Chuparosa is a top hummingbird plant, and its name means hummingbird in Spanish. Plant it where you can watch them in winter and spring.
How big does it get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. Plant it where it has that full room so you never need to cut it back hard.
How much water does it need?
Once rooted, water about twice a month in summer and monthly the rest of the year. Water more regularly if you want more leaves and flowers.
How cold hardy is it?
It handles quick dips into the low 20s, but long freezes near 26°F can damage it. Trim the frost damage off in early spring.
Does it need pruning?
It needs only a little pruning. Remove frost damage in early spring, and trim lightly in late spring if it gets leggy.
What soil does it need?
It grows in any well-drained soil, such as rocky, sandy or gravelly ground. Backfill the hole with the native soil and skip amendments.
Does it keep its leaves all year?
It keeps most of its leaves in a mild year. Drought or a hard freeze can drop them, and they grow back.
Chuparosa - Yellow for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Chuparosa Yellow is a yellow-flowered form of the red chuparosa native to the Sonoran Desert. This page covers how it compares with red, bloom season, size, water, cold and pruning.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
What is yellow chuparosa?
It is a yellow-flowered form of chuparosa, the native hummingbird shrub. It grows on rocky slopes from the Phoenix area south into Mexico. Red is the usual color, so yellow plants are less common.
Yellow chuparosa vs red chuparosa
It is the same plant, with the same size and care. Only the flower color differs, yellow or yellow-orange instead of red.
When does yellow chuparosa bloom?
It blooms mostly from winter into spring, with flowers off and on in other months. Drought and freezes pause the bloom.
How often do you water chuparosa?
Once it is rooted, water it about twice a month in summer and monthly the rest of the year. Water new plants every few days at first, then stretch it out over two months.
How big does yellow chuparosa get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. Give it room, since it spreads into a rounded, brambly shrub.
Is chuparosa cold hardy in Phoenix?
Quick dips into the low 20s are fine. Long freezes near 26°F can damage it. Trim the damage in early spring.
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