Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Giant Hesperaloe
Giant Hesperaloe is a big, upright clump of stiff green leaves edged with coarse white fibers, about 6 feet tall and wide. In summer it sends up flower stalks 10 to 15 feet tall, lined with creamy white flowers that hummingbirds visit by day and bats by night. It takes full sun and reflected heat and needs little water once rooted. Use it as a bold accent, in a large pot against a wall, or massed in a median.
Best for: bold focal points, big pots against a plain wall, median and streetside mass plantings, and hot spots with reflected heat.
The stiff, upright clump reaches about 6 feet tall and wide, and flower stalks rise 10 to 15 feet above it. It works as a single bold accent plant.
Planted in a large pot along a big, plain wall, the upright leaves and white fibers stand out against the backdrop. Keep the pot back from walkways, since the leaf tips are sharp.
It is used in medians and as a streetside mass planting for a bold effect. It takes full sun, reflected heat and rocky soil with little water once rooted.
The leaf tips are sharp, so keep it off narrow walkways. Too much water can rot the roots. Rabbits eat the leaves of new plants, so chicken wire helps at first.
- Mass planting8 ft apart
- Spaced accents12 ft apart
Water it regularly the first year without overdoing it, since wet soil can rot the roots. Let it dry a little between soakings.
Once rooted, a deep soak once or twice a month from spring to fall keeps the leaves looking good. It needs little water in winter.
Cut spent flower stalks at the base and remove old leaves as they die. It needs no other pruning.
Rabbits eat the leaves of new plants. Ring young plants with chicken wire until they are rooted.
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.
How big does Giant Hesperaloe get?
The leaf clump reaches about 6 feet tall and wide, and in bloom the flower stalks rise 10 to 15 feet. It grows slowly, so buy a larger size if you want presence sooner.
How much room does Giant Hesperaloe need?
Plant them about 8 to 12 feet apart center to center, since each clump grows about 6 feet across. Leave open sky above for 10 to 15 foot flower stalks, and see the Spacing tab for both options.
When does Giant Hesperaloe bloom?
It blooms mainly in summer, and some plants bloom here and there from spring into fall. The creamy white flowers sit on very tall stalks, so cut them at the base once they finish.
What pollinates the flowers?
The flowers open at night and are visited by bats, and hummingbirds come to them during the day. Leave the stalks up until the flowers are done.
How often should I water Giant Hesperaloe?
Water it regularly the first year without overdoing it. Once rooted, it gets by on little water. A deep soak once or twice a month in the warm season keeps it looking good.
Are the leaves sharp?
The leaf tips are sharp. Keep it back from narrow walkways where people brush past.
Can I plant Giant Hesperaloe near a pool?
Yes, it is used as an accent around pools. Give it enough room that swimmers do not brush the sharp leaf tips.
How cold hardy is Giant Hesperaloe?
It is rated hardy to about 0°F, with ratings from about -10°F to 5°F. Either way, Valley winters do not hurt it, so it needs no frost cover.
What soil does it need?
Plant it in soil that drains well, and rocky desert soil suits it. Avoid heavy soil that stays wet, since it can rot the roots.
How do I trim Giant Hesperaloe?
Cut spent flower stalks at the base and remove old leaves as they die. It needs no other pruning, so skip the shears.
Do rabbits eat Giant Hesperaloe?
Yes, rabbits can eat the leaves of new plants. Put a ring of chicken wire around it until it is rooted.
How is it different from Red Yucca?
Giant Hesperaloe is much bigger, about 6 feet tall and wide, with stiff upright leaves and sharp tips. Its flowers are creamy white on 10 to 15 foot stalks. Red Yucca is smaller, with soft leaves and coral-red flowers.
Giant Hesperaloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Giant Hesperaloe is the big cousin of Red Yucca, a clump of stiff, upright leaves from the Chihuahuan Desert that reaches about 6 feet tall and wide. Its creamy white flowers ride on stalks 10 to 15 feet tall. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard: size, water, bloom, where to place it and how it compares with Red Yucca and Pink Parade.
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.
How big does Giant Hesperaloe get in Arizona?
The upright clump of leaves grows about 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Flower stalks reach 10 to 15 feet. It is a slow grower.
Giant Hesperaloe vs Red Yucca
Both are Hesperaloe, close relatives of agaves and yuccas. Giant Hesperaloe is about twice the size, with stiff leaves, sharp tips and creamy white flowers. Red Yucca has soft leaves and coral-red flowers on shorter stalks.
Giant Hesperaloe vs Pink Parade
Pink Parade is a cross between Giant Hesperaloe and Red Yucca. It stays about 3 to 4 feet tall and wide with pink flowers on 8 foot stalks. Giant Hesperaloe is the larger plant with white flowers.
How often do you water Giant Hesperaloe in Phoenix?
Water it regularly the first year without overdoing it. Once rooted, it needs little water. A deep soak once or twice a month in the warm season keeps the leaves looking good.
When does Giant Hesperaloe bloom?
Mainly in summer, with some plants blooming from spring into fall. The creamy white flowers open at night for bats, and hummingbirds visit by day.
Where to plant Giant Hesperaloe
Full sun or reflected heat, in soil that drains well. It shines as a single accent, in a big pot along a wall, or massed in medians. Keep it off narrow paths because the leaf tips are sharp.
How cold hardy is Giant Hesperaloe?
It is rated hardy to about 0°F, with ratings from about -10°F to 5°F. It also handles heat and rocky soil.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.