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 in red, white, and blue!
RED
Flame Honeysuckle, Anisacanthus quadrifidus v. wrightii
As the common name suggests, the 1 ½-inch-long tubular flowers are brilliant red to orange in color. They show their stuff from June to November. Native to areas of the Chihuahuan desert, the deciduous, irregularly branching shrub can reach a height of 3 feet with a 4-food spread. You’ll definitely attract butterflies and hummingbirds with this one. Plant in full sun to partial shade.
WHITE
Little Leaf Cordia, Cordia parvifolia
White, paper-thin, delicate, bell-shaped flowers form in clusters on the branches, looking fresh and cool in the middle of summer. You likely will see blooms from spring through fall, but they seem to favor the summer monsoon season. Native to areas of the Chihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts, this large, rounded shrub can grow 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide. The flowers are a nectar attractant for Sulphur butterflies. Plant in full sun for best blooming.
BLUE
Guayacán, Guaiacum coulteri
Vivid, blue to violet flowers appear sporadically from April to September, clinging tightly to the twisted branches. Native to areas from Sonora to Oaxaca, Mexico, it is in the same family as the creosote bush. Guayacán can be grown as a shrub or small tree and can reach a height of 8-12 feet and can spread about 10 feet wide. The flowers attract bees and butterflies, and the seeds attract birds. Plant in full sun to partial shade.
So be patriotic in your landscape with these heat-hearty plants. Conserving water around your home is a great way to do your part while also saving you money! Although you may be a drop, your actions create a ripple.
Did you know that up to 70 percent of water use is outdoors? That’s why we love desert plants and feature them each month. It’s still a great time to plant non-tropical plants in your landscape, and you can learn more about these and other plants on our Arizona Low-Water-Use Plants page. Visit our page on Planting Trees and Shrubs for tips on plant selection and how to plant properly. Also, be sure to read through all of our featured Plant of the Month blogs!
You may also enjoy learning more about these plants in our past blogs:
Donna DiFrancesco is a horticulturist and Conservation Coordinator with the City of Mesa, AZ, one of nineteen Water – Use It Wisely partners to offer water-saving advice and programs.