False yucca facts for kids

Quick facts for kids False yucca
Hesperaloe parviflora
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Asparagaceae
Subfamily:	Agavoideae
Genus:	Hesperaloe Engelm.

Hesperaloe (also called false yucca) is a group of flowering plants. They belong to the Asparagaceae family, which also includes plants like asparagus.

These plants look a bit like yucca plants. They are perennials, meaning they live for many years. Their long, thin leaves grow in a circle at the base. Their flowers grow on tall stalks. These stalks can be branched (called panicles) or unbranched (called racemes).

Hesperaloe plants grow naturally in dry areas. You can find them in Texas, United States, and parts of Mexico. People sometimes grow them in gardens. They are good ornamental plants for dry climates. This is because they are xerophytes, meaning they need very little water.

What's in a Name?

The name Hesperaloe comes from two words. "Hesperos" is a Greek word. It means "western." The second part, "aloe," is because these plants look like aloe plants. So, the name basically means "western aloe."

Types of Hesperaloe

There are several accepted types, or species, of Hesperaloe. Here are some of them:

Image	Scientific Name	Where it Grows
	Hesperaloe campanulata	Nuevo León, Mexico
	Hesperaloe chiangii	San Luis Potosí, Mexico
	Hesperaloe engelmannii	Texas, USA
	Hesperaloe funifera	Coahuila, Nuevo León, Sonora, San Luis Potosí (Mexico), Texas (USA)
	Hesperaloe malacophylla	Tamaulipas, Mexico
	Hesperaloe nocturna	Sonora, Mexico
	Hesperaloe parviflora – Red Yucca	Coahuila (Mexico), Texas (USA)
	Hesperaloe tenuifolia	Sonora, Mexico

See also

In Spanish: Hesperaloe para niños