Plant of the Month – September
Turpentine Bush Ericameria laricifolia Plant Form: Evergreen shrub Water Use: Very low Mature Size: 2-3 ft. tall x 2-4 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun, part sun Bloom Time: Summer (August), Fall (Sept-Nov) Native to: Southeast California to Texas, northwest Mexico (between 3,000 – 7,000 feet) Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 0°F Turpentine Bush is a dense evergreen shrub with bright green, needle-like leaves that smell like turpentine when crushed. Golden yellow flower clusters from late summer to fall turn this […]
Plant of the Month – July
Sugarbush Rhus ovata Plant Form: Evergreen Shrub Water Use: Low Mature Size: 8-15’ tall & wide Exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade Bloom Time: Spring (March – May); fruit Summer (June – August) Native to: California, Arizona, & Mexico (at elevations 3,000 – 5,000 feet) Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 0°F Sugar Bush is a very long-lived, evergreen, aromatic shrub with lush, deep green, leathery leaves that are slightly folded like a taco shell. Maroon twigs and leaf stems, as well […]
Plant of the Month – March
Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata Plant Form: Perennial Flower Water Use: Very Low Mature Size: 18”- 20” tall & wide Exposure: Full Sun Bloom Time: Spring – Summer, Fall (April – July, and again in Oct. if summer rain occurs or if watered) Native to: All of Western US and Mexico at elevations below 6,000 feet Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 10°F Desert Marigold is a cheery, fast-growing but short-lived perennial with bright yellow flowers from spring through fall. At lower […]
Plant of the Month – August
Cimarron Sage Blue Ranger Leucophyllum zygophyllum Plant Form: Evergreen shrub Water Use: Low Mature Size: 3 ft. tall x 3-4 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun, reflected sun Bloom Time: Summer (June – Aug), Fall (Sept – Oct) Native to: Texas, Mexico, SW US Hardiness: Cold hardy to 10°F Cimarron Sage is a petite variety of normally much larger Texas Rangers, all known for their masses of flowers produced in response to summer and fall rains. This evergreen shrub is prized […]
Plant of the Month – Channel Islands Snapdragon
Island Snapdragon Gambelia speciosa Plant Form: Evergreen shrub Water Use: Very low Mature Size: 3-4 ft. tall x 8-10 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun, part sun Bloom Time: Spring (Mar-May), Summer (June-Aug) Native to: Channel Islands, CA, & Guadalupe Island, Mexico Hardiness: Cold hardy to 30°F Island Snapdragon is a magnet for hummingbirds with its bright clusters of lipstick-red, snapdragon-like flowers on the tips of arching stems from spring through mid-summer. This vine-like perennial, native to several offshore islands of […]
Plant of the Month
Apache Plume Fallugia paradoxa Plant Form:Semi-evergreen shrub Water Use: Very low Mature Size: 4-6 ft. tall x 5 ft. wide Exposure: Full sun Bloom Time: Spring (Apr – June) Native to: So. Calif, SW U.S. Hardiness: Cold hardy to -10°F Apache Plume is one of our showiest native desert shrubs. Rose-like, white flowers in spring produce eye-catching, silky pink seed plumes that cling to the stems into winter, adding months of interest. These feather-like seed heads are said to resemble […]
