Common Name: Beschorneria
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asparagaceae
Zone: 8 to 10
Height: 3.00 to 6.00 feet
Spread: 3.00 to 4.00 feet
Bloom Time: April to May
Bloom Description: Reddish coral and green
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Colorful, Evergreen
Attracts: Hummingbirds
Other: Winter Interest
Tolerate: Drought
Culture
Best grown in evenly moist to dry, well-draining sandy or humusy loams in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of drought once established. Hardy in Zones 8-10. May be hardy into Zone 7 if properly acclimatized and provided a warm microclimate. Propagate through division of offsets.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Beschorneria yuccoides, commonly called Mexican lily or yucca-leaved beschorneria, is a rhizomatous, more or less stemless, evergreen, herbaceous perennial endemic to rocky, forested cliffs, canyons, ravines, and slopes in the central Mexican states of Veracruz, Hidalgo, and Puebla at elevations between 8,500-11,000' above sea level. Grey-green, succulent, lanceolate leaves reaching 1.5-2' long and 2-3" wide emerge from the base of the plant with an upright to spreading habit, forming a rosette. Mature rosettes will reach roughly 3-4' wide and 3-4' tall. Plants will slowly form clumps through offsets. In spring an upright to slightly drooping, reddish-coral colored, 3-6' tall panicle emerges from the center of the rosette, bearing clusters of pendulous, green, 1.5-3" long, tubular to funnel-shaped flowers. The blooms are attractive to hummingbirds. This plant is polycarpic, meaning that the individual rosettes will not die after blooming unlike other rosette-forming succulents like some species of Agave.
The genus name Beschorneria honors Friedrich Wilhelm Christian Beschorner (1806-1873), a German botanist and physician.
The specific epithet yuccoides means "resembling Yucca" in reference to the visual similarities between the vegetative form of this species and members of the genus Yucca. In bloom they are readily distinguished. The leaves of this plant are also not as stiff or armed as many yuccas.
'BESYS' is a variegated selection of Mexican lily with leaves that feature a center yellow stripe and or striations and darker green edges. Commonly sold at nurseries and garden centers under the name FLAMINGO GLOW. This plant is protected by US plant patent number PP22162.
Problems
No major pest or disease problems of note. Scale may appear.
Uses
Rock gardens, mixed borders, large containers.