False Red Yucca 'Ding Dong'

This little-known agave relative, named in 1987, is a native of the mountainous areas of the state ofTamaulipas, Mexico & growing in sha...Read Morede in the Mexican mountains.

Seeds were collected in 1991 by John Fairey of Peckerwood Gardens.

The glossy, evergreen rosette (no spines) makes an attractive clump to 18" tall x 3' wide. After it is well established, you will enjoy the 5' tall, glossy red flower spikes that are adorned with lovely reddish bells with green tips in March/April. In hot Texas climates, afternoon shade is best.

Beschorneria septentrionalis x decosteriana (False Red Agave)
There is truly no limit to what a plant breeder with a good imagination will try. Plantsman Martin Grantham, formerly of the UC-Berkeley Botanic Gardens, decided to breed beschornerias since those with the showiest of flowers were not very winter hardy. For us, this winter-hardy hybrid has made a 3' clump of wide, gray-green, non-spiny foliage, topped in mid-spring with a giant 2" thick, bright red stalk that reaches an amazing 7' tall. The main stalk branches toward the tip with smaller red horizontal stalks, which are in turn adorned with long tubular red flowers tipped in green. Keep in mind that these are seed grown and each plant may be slightly different.

Height: 60-85"
Culture: Sun to Light Shade
Zone: 7b-10