Re: re. Hesperaloe parviflora

At 02:24 PM 8/25/2006, Brent A. Hine wrote:
Here in Vancouver BC we've grown one against a south-facing wall for a number of years <snip>...during summer we receive nearly no rainfall in July and August. .. it is a happy plant!
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On the other hand, they also grow very well in Tucson, where (if we are lucky) we get about half of our yearly rain in July and August. (Average rainfall being about 10-12 inches/year).

They are native to the Chihuahuan desert. I would bet that they will accept a fair amount of rain *if* they have good drainage, and also that they would prefer fairly lean, gritty soil. The Pima County Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners web site says they are hardy to 12 degrees F--reflecting the fact that deserts can get pretty darn cold in winter.

They are definitely hummingbird plants and can be really spectacular when in bloom, especially en masse. The city of Tucson Dept. of Transportation uses them a lot in median plantings.

I have some in my front yard and neglect them almost completely; they do just fine.

Katherine Waser
Tucson, AZ (where we've had LOTS of rain this summer, yay!)

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