Plant of the Month – August
Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’ Plant Form: Perennial grass Water Use: Very low Mature Size: 2-3 ft. tall and wide Exposure: Full sun Bloom Time: Spring (Mar – May), Summer (June – Aug) Native to: Southern California, Canada, North America, Mexico Hardiness: Cold hardy to -30°F Blue Grama Grass is a long-lived bunchgrass with distinctive seed heads that look like curved combs or blonde sets of eyelashes. Its unique seed heads hover horizontally above green foliage from summer […]
Plant of the Month – May
Smokey Coast Rosemary Westringia fruticosa ‘Smokey’ Plant Form: Evergreen Shrub Water Use: Low Mature Size: 3-6 ft. tall x 4-5 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun, part shade Bloom Time: Spring (March – May), Summer (June – August) Native to: Australia Hardiness: Cold hardy to 20°F Smokey Coast Rosemary is a rugged Australian native with dainty evergreen leaves covered in soft white hair that makes the whole plant appear “smokey”. Its dark green leaves are edged in creamy white margins, creating […]
Plant of the Month – December
Ocotillo Fouquieria splendens Plant Form: Deciduous succulent shrub Water Use: Very low, low Mature Size: 8-20 ft. tall x 5-10 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun, reflected sun Bloom Time: Spring (March – May), Summer (June – Aug) Native to: Southern California, southwest US, Mexico Hardiness: Cold hardy to 0-10°F Ocotillo is an iconic symbol of the southwest that forms a vase-shaped shrub with up to 100 wand-like, thorny stems that radiate from the crown. Small, oval, fleshy leaves appear […]
Plant of the Month – November
Desert Broom, Broom Baccharis Baccharis sarothroides Plant Form: Semi-deciduous shrub Water Use: Very low Mature Size: 6-12 ft. tall x 6-7 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun Bloom Time: Summer (June – August), Fall (September – October) Native to: Southern California, southwest US, Mexico Hardiness: Cold hardy to 15°F Desert Broom has branches that are so green, you won’t notice that it drops its small, narrow leaves during drought, making this rounded shrub look like a giant, green broom. This fast-growing, […]
Plant of the Month – October
Desert Wild Grape Vitis girdiana Plant Form: Deciduous vine Water Use: Low, moderate Mature Size: 10-30 ft. tall and wide Exposure: Full sun, part shade Bloom Time: Spring (March – May), Summer (June – August) Native to: Southern California, California Channel Islands Hardiness: Cold hardy to 0°F Desert Wild Grape is a fast-growing, deciduous vine that produces small but edible black grapes for birds and people. The silvery-green foliage turns color and drops in winter, but the persistent tendrils remain […]
Plant of the Month – September
Deer Grass Muhlenbergia rigens Plant Form: Ornamental Grass Water Use: Low Mature Size: 2-6 ft. tall and wide Exposure: Full sun, part sun Bloom Time: Fall (September – November) Native to: California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, northern Mexico Hardiness: Cold hardy to -10°F Deer Grass is an adaptable, large bunch grass with blue-green foliage that softens desert landscapes wherever it is planted. Fast-growing, it typically reaches mature size in one or two years, with leaves reaching lengths of three […]
