Plant of the Month – November
Spanish Dagger Yucca gloriosa ‘Variegata’ Plant Form: Succulent shrub Water Use: Low, moderate Mature Size: 2-4 (-8) ft. tall x 2-4 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun, part sun Bloom Time: Summer (July – Aug), Fall (Sept – Oct) Native to: Southeast U.S. Hardiness: Cold hardy to 15°F Spanish Dagger is a beautifully symmetrical shrub native to coastal plains, dunes, and sandy woods from North Carolina to Florida. Sword-shaped, spine-tipped leaves radiate from its center. The variegated form has blue-green leaves […]
Plant of the Month – October
Palmer’s Indian Mallow Abutilon palmeri Plant Form: Shrub, perennial herb Water Use: Extremely low Mature Size: 4-6 ft. tall and 3-5 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun Bloom Time: Spring (Mar – May), Summer (June – Aug), Year-round Native to: Southern California, SW U.S., Northern Mexico Hardiness: Cold hardy to 20°F Palmer’s Indian Mallow has lush subtropical foliage and fast growth that belies its extreme tolerance for heat, drought, and poor soil. This mallow is a relatively rare native of the […]
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 – 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 […]
