Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Hesperoyucca whipplei

Our Lord's Candle · Spanish Bayonet · Chaparral Yucca

Family AsparagaceaeGenus Hesperoyucca

Also published as Yucca whipplei. You are in the right place.

A tall cream flower spike rising from a hillside dotted with spiny rosettes
The whole plantRebouCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herb, Shrub, SubshrubPLANTS Database
Height
4 ft1.2 mPLANTS Database
Flower
WhitePLANTS Database
Blooms
Late SpringPLANTS Database
Native range
California, Mexico NorthwestGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Growing conditions

Sun
Shade tolerance: HighPLANTS Database
Soil
Adapted to coarse, medium textured soilsPLANTS Database
Soil pH
6.4-8.5PLANTS Database
Moisture
Moisture use: LowPLANTS Database
Watering
Drought tolerance: HighPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

40% germination in 14–28 days.

40-50%, fresh or after six months dry at 70.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, YuccaPublic domain
Show the original text
Yucca (Liliaceae). V. whipplel germ. 70(40-50% in 2-4 w) with either fresh seed or seed DS 6 m at 70. Germination dropped to 3% when sown at 40 even after four cycles.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Yucca. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

    3%, even after four cycles.

Germination happens during step 1; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

3% germination.

3%, and four cycles did not improve it. Do not sow this one cold.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, YuccaPublic domain
Show the original text
Yucca (Liliaceae). V. whipplel germ. 70(40-50% in 2-4 w) with either fresh seed or seed DS 6 m at 70. Germination dropped to 3% when sown at 40 even after four cycles.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Yucca. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

Add to My Garden

View species page