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Chaparral Yucca
Hesperoyucca whipplei
  
About Chaparral Yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei) 59 Nurseries Carry This Plant Chaparral Yucca (Hesperoyucca whipplei) is a flowering plant closely related to, and formerly usually included in, the genus Yucca. It is native to Southern California and Baja California, Mexico, where it occurs mainly in chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and oak woodland plant communities at altitudes of 950 to 8200 feet. It often grows in sandy washes in the desert or inland valleys.

It produces a stemless cluster of long, rigid leaves which end in a sharp point. The leaf edges are finely saw-toothed. The plant typically takes 5 to 10 years to reach maturity, at which point it amazingly shoots up a flower spike to about 10 to 15 feet in about 2 weeks. Those spikes bear a spectacular display of hundreds of bell-shaped white to purplish flowers.

The fruit is a dry winged capsule, which splits open at maturity to release the seeds. It is pollinated by the California Yucca moth (Tegeticula maculata); this relationship has become a classic example of symbiosis. Working at night, the female California Yucca moth collects up to a dozen sacks of pollen grains called pollinia and forms them into a massive ball. She then flies to another plant and lands on the ovary of a flower. Standing with her head near the stigma, she inserts her ovipositor into the ovary wall and lays a single egg. She then rubs her pollen mass against the central stigmatic depression, ensuring pollination. The pollinated ovary will now produce many seeds, ensuring an ample food supply for the larva.

Although many associations of Yucca and Yucca moth exist, the California Yucca moth and the Chaparral Yucca form an exclusive relationship. After the flowers have been pollinated, the Chaparral Yucca dies, though the stalk will typically stay upright for several more years.

Chaparral Yucca is used in xeriscaping in Southern California but reportedly is difficult to grow outside its native range. It is extremely drought adapted and thrives in clay soils.

Local Indigenous peoples use this plant extensively. Fiber from the leaves is used for sandals, cloth, and rope. Young flowers are edible but may be bitter. The Kumeyaay of San Diego County boil the flowers in water and then pour off the water three times before eating them. The stalk of the plant can be eaten. Fruits can be eaten raw, roasted, or pounded into meal. Seeds are roasted and eaten whole or ground into flour.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Succulent

Size
Size
2 - 12 ft tall
2 - 3 ft wide

Form
Form
Fountain

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Moderate

Dormancy
Dormancy
Evergreen

Fragrance
Fragrance
Slight

Flower Color
Flower Color
Cream, Pink, Purple, White

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Spring

Wildlife Supported
 
Attracts the Yucca moth, which co-evolved with this plant. Also attracts California Thrashers.

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 confirmed , 6 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun

Moisture
Moisture
Extremely Low, Very Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 1x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Very Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 25° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Prefers rocky soils. Soil PH: 6 - 8

Common uses
Common uses
Groundcovers, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
Mission Manzanita, Spiny Redberry California Buckwheat, California Sagebrush

Maintenance
Maintenance
This plant has few or no pest problems. Pruning is not required; it may need to be removed, however, when it dies after flowering. If you have room, leave it to allow the Yucca moth larvae time to mature.

Propagation
Propagation?
Easily propagated by seed. For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
1, 2, 3, 7*, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Dry slopes

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 5.4" - 50.2", Summer Precipitation: 0.14" - 2.76", Coldest Month: 33.5" - 55.6", Hottest Month: 53.9" - 83.9", Humidity: 0.98" - 34.55", Elevation: 26" - 8290"

Alternative Names
Botanical Names: Yucca whipplei,Yucca whipplei ssp. cespitosa
Common Names: Spanish Bayonet, Quixote Yucca, Common Yucca, Foothill Yucca Our Lord's Candle


Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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