Hesperoyucca sp.
Quixote plant, chaparral yucca, Chaparral Yucca
(c) Joe Decruyenaere, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Agavaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Hesperoyucca sp. (Quixote plant) is a native California shrub in the Agavaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Yucca: Hesperoyucca has thick flower stalks (>1 inch) with backward-bent bracts; Yucca has thinner stalks (<1 inch) with upward bracts.; vs Nolina: Hesperoyucca has bell-shaped flowers in upright clusters; Nolina has tiny flowers in spreading, feathery plumes.; vs Agave: Hesperoyucca has white flowers with superior ovary; Agave has yellow-green flowers with inferior ovary.; vs Dasylirion: Hesperoyucca has sword-like leaves and bell-shaped flowers; Dasylirion has narrow grass-like leaves and tiny clustered flowers.; vs Echinoagave: Hesperoyucca leaves lack marginal teeth; Echinoagave has prominent teeth along leaf edges like Agave.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hesperoyucca sp. native to California?
Yes. Hesperoyucca sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Hesperoyucca sp. belong to?
Hesperoyucca sp. is in the Agavaceae family, genus Hesperoyucca.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.