The Hummingbird’s Choice Award goes to … Chuparosa! If Arizona’s hummingbirds could vote on a state flower, it would be Chuparosa (Justicia californica). A mainstay of most wildlife gardens, this long-suffering desert beauty asks little and gives much. It can be grown long and lanky, spindly branches vining into trees — or pruned to take on a more civilized appearance. …
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The Pink Trumpet Vine, Podranea ricasoliana, exuberantly blooms in fall with flared, trumpet-shaped flowers. If looking for seasonal color, be sure to add this one to your plant palette. Note – be sure to properly identify at the nursery as it can commonly be mistaken for Bower Vine or Pandorea jasminoides. DESCRIPTION The lush green leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers of …
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Provides a stunning display of the bright pink clusters What a perfect name for this beautiful late summer blooming vine. The elegant Antigonon leptopus or Queen’s Wreath (also called Coral Vine) is one of those show-stopping plants that has likely caused near automobile accidents with their stunning display of the bright pink clusters. The rich, green, heart-shaped leaves seem to …
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“Now is an ideal time to start planning for the fall planting season and looking at options for transforming your yard.” Our most popular publication, Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert, has been relaunched. A refreshed and updated version is now available to help residents add some extra flower power by incorporating desert-appropriate, drought-tolerant plants into their yards to create …
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Creosote Bush, Larrea tridentata is the perfect plant for us to feature during these hot summer months. It’s one of the toughest plants you’ll find, and with a little extra water, they are green and attractive in the landscape! Description – What does the Creosote Bush look like? Whenever it rains in the desert, Creosote Bush lends a distinctive fragrance …
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It’s summer in the desert… and it’s brutally hot! Many of our spring blooming plants are taking a rest. So, what can we expect to see blooming now? Turns out, there are three tough, heat-hearty plants that are perfect for the 4th of July! Check out these plants, having ‘hot fun in the summertime’ and offering blooms for your landscape …
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Desert Ironwood, Olneya tesota Dense, thorny, and strong like steel, the Desert Ironwood Tree (Olneya tesota) is an under recognized super tree of the Sonoran Desert. It is naturally found along washes and hillsides of Arizona’s deserts under 3,000 ft of elevation. It offers valuable protection for understory plants and habitat for our native wildlife. When in their natural environment, …
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Yellow Bells provide a burst of summer color to desert xeriscape gardens. Spectacular clusters of bright yellow, bell-shaped flowers attract hummingbirds and cover these large shrubs or small trees from April through November. Pencil-like seed pods that develop in the fall provide food for over-wintering songbirds. The bright green foliage offers a cooling effect during the hot summer months. Yellow Bells …
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When you ask most people what they want in their garden, their most common answer is, “color”. One of the best plants that I like to recommend for warm-season color is the coral fountain. Also known as the firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis). It has beautiful, cascading foliage that resembles the movement of water. Deep orange flowers begin to appear in …
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Shamrocks Aren’t the Only Green Plant to Celebrate in March I hear that wearing green will make you invisible to leprechauns so you can avoid being pinched. Some say it will bring you good luck. Even beyond March and St. Patrick’s Day, green is often used for interior decorating for its calming effect? You’ve likely heard about television guests waiting …
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This spring, learn how beautiful water conservation can be. Spring is in the air; in the sweetness of the citrus buds, in the warmth against your skin, and in the vibrant colors of blooming shrubs. Time to put your garden gloves and shovel to work and get your landscaping on par with the rest of Mother Nature. Water – Plant …
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This month, our plant of the month blog features another plant description from a newly revised book, Cool Plants for Hot Gardens by Greg Starr! In his book, Greg features 150 water-smart choices for the Southwest – it’s no wonder why we like the book so much here at Water – Use It Wisely! He includes a fun category of the “Etymology” …
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