Velvet Sage, Mexican Bush Sage
Salvia leucantha
Velvet Sage lends beautiful color to fall and early winter gardens — attracting hummingbirds and human admirers.
- Plant Form: Flowering Perennial
- Water Use: Low – Moderate
- Mature Size: 4’ tall and wide
- Exposure: Full Sun
- Bloom Time: March – November
- Native to: Mexico, Central America
- Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 20°F
Velvet Sage is a graceful mounding shrub that is striking alone or planted in masses. Long, slender spikes of white or purple flowers encased in velvety purple bracts grace the soft branch tips from late summer into fall or early winter. Interesting combination of densely white-pubescent stems and olive-green leaves is attractive. While this drought-tolerant plant likes full sun, it appreciates afternoon shade and deep, infrequent irrigation in summer. Cut plants back after flowering or frost-damage in late winter to keep bushy and stimulate new branches from the roots in spring. Keep in mind Velvet Sage’s pattern of dying back in frost and bouncing back in spring when deciding where to plant this summer beauty. Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Angelita Daisy
Angelita Daisy is a star-performing, long-blooming, drought-tolerant addition to western gardens.
Tetraneuris (Hymenoxys) acaulis
- Plant Form: Perennial Flower/ Small Shrub
- Water Use: Low – Moderate
- Mature Size: 1’ tall, 1-2’ wide
- Exposure: Full Sun
- Bloom Time: March – November (year-round in low desert)
- Native to: Western North America
- Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 5°F or less
Angelita Daisy is a cheery, compact perennial at home either in tight spaces, or used to create impact as a groundcover when planted in masses on 1-foot centers. Slender, dark-green leaves compliment the profuse, golden yellow flowers that grow on leafless stems above the foliage. Remove spent flowers every few months to keep plants looking fresh over their long bloom period. At higher elevations, flowers are concentrated in summer months, but at low elevations, Angelita Daisy blooms all year. Thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Perfect in rock gardens, borders, containers, parkways, or combined with cacti and succulents.
Red Bird of Paradise
Caesalpinia pulcherrima
A true show-stopper when in bloom, Red Bird of Paradise stands up to heat while attracting orioles, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
- Plant Form: Deciduous Shrub
- Water Use: Low – Moderate
- Mature Size: 5-8’ tall and wide
- Exposure: Full Sun
- Bloom Time: June – November
- Native to: West Indies
- Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 18°F
Red Bird of Paradise is a show-stopper when in full bloom from early summer to fall. Brilliant orange-red and yellow ruffled flowers contrast strikingly with the deep green, fern-like foliage of this subtropical beauty. Prized for its incredible heat tolerance, and its spectacular bloom in both desert and tropical plant palettes. While it accepts almost any soil, full sun is a must for this luxurious-looking plant. Tolerates drought, but flowers best if given deep watering every two weeks in summer. Because its foliage and stems freeze at about 28 degrees, stems should be cut back nearly to ground level after winter dormancy, just before its surge of new spring growth (you’d never guess it froze back with its fast growth in spring). Attracts orioles, hummingbirds, butterflies…and people!
Society Garlic
This aromatic, clumping perennial smells and tastes like garlic — even its edible flowers!
Tulbaghia violacea
- Plant Form: Perennial Flower
- Water Use: Low – Moderate
- Mature Size: 1 foot tall (with 2-foot flower stalks), 2 feet wide
- Exposure: Full Sun
- Bloom Time: April – November
- Native to: South Africa
- Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 20° F
Society Garlic is a fast-growing, clumping perennial with many narrow, blue-green leaves from a central point. Clusters of star-shaped, rosy lavender flowers rise above clumps on 1-2 foot long stems, with peak flowering in spring and summer. May be frost damaged at 20° F, but quickly recovers. The whole plant has a garlic odor, making it bad for bouquets but good for seasoning. Besides its value as a decorative, heat-loving ornamental, the leaves can be used like garlic chives and its bulbs like garlic. Its name is said to come from a notion that you don’t get bad breath from eating it. Its sweet-scented, edible flowers are beautiful in salads. Survives extended droughts, and needs well-drained soil. Tolerates shade, but with little flowering. Ideal plant to dress up an herb garden or rock garden, as well as along borders or in containers.
This cherry, aromatic perennial releases a new batch of cocoa scent each morning.
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
- Plant Form: Perennial Flower
- Water Use: Low – Moderate
- Mature Size: 18 inches tall, 2 feet wide
- Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
- Bloom Time: April – November
- Native to: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico
- Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 5°F
Chocolate Flower smells good enough to eat, but it’s also a cheery, flowering perennial with sprays of yellow, daisy-like flowers (with colorful maroon stripes under each petal) from late spring to fall. This mounding herb blooms at night and early morning, making a new supply of cocoa scent overnight before the petals droop by afternoon. Can be used in a wildflower meadow or as an accent, and likes full sun, but tolerates filtered sun and any soil type with good drainage. Collect seed in summer to propagate more plants, and cut back in winter for fuller plants next spring. The rich scent of the flowers carries quite a distance downwind, and the fragrance of cut bouquets as a nosegay can be appreciated all day. Install near patios or breakfast nook for early morning delight. A must for any chocoholic gardener.
This cheerful mounded daisy shows flowers from pink to white as they age.
Santa Barbara Daisy
Erigeron karvinskianus
- Plant Form: Perennial Flower
- Water Use: Low
- Mature Size: 1-2’ tall, 3’ wide
- Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
- Bloom Time: April – October
- Native to: Mexico
- Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 15°F
Santa Barbara Daisy is a graceful, trailing groundcover especially beautiful when cascading over walls or pots. Dainty white flower heads turn to pink, then to mauve as they age, resulting in several colors at once on this spreading plant. Summer heat can shut down flowering, but cool fall weather stimulates flowers again until frost. Cut to ground in winter to renew plant. Prefers full sun, but can tolerate partial shade, and is very drought tolerant. Santa Barbara Daisy can be a bit invasive with moderate water. Great addition to a butterfly garden. Use this versatile perennial as a groundcover, in containers and rock gardens, hanging baskets, window boxes, and even tucked into the crevices of rock walls.
