The Tropical Hibiscus is well-known for its large, showy blossoms that vary in color from brilliant yellows and reds to peaceful pinks and whites in warm weather. Their lustrous, green foliage can differ as much as their blossoms, from dense to open, depending on variety. Typically associated with the flora and fauna of tropical locations…
Height: 6 – 8 feet Width: 8 – 10 feet Bloom color: Lavender Pink/Purple Flowering season: Summer, Fall USDA minimum zone: 9 Cold hardiness: 20° F
Triangle-leaf Bursage is so prominent in the Sonoran Desert that it’s hard to imagine any natural areas in Tucson without it! This plant plays an important role in the desert community by protecting the delicate seedlings of other native plants from the heat, sun, and foraging animals. On developed land, however, this unsung hero serves…
Height: 1 – 2 feet Width: 4 – 6 feet Bloom color: Blue Flowering season: Spring, Summer USDA minimum zone: 7 Cold hardiness: 10° F
Every landscape in the Southwest should have at least one of these heat and drought tolerant beauties! They seem to be made specifically for our arid climate, greeting the scorching desert heat with solid blankets of white flowers that butterflies find enticing. Trailing White Lantana is a fast grower that stays low and spreads wide,…
Height: 6 – 9 feet Width: 4 – 6 feet Bloom color: Dark Pink Flowering season: Late Spring, Early Summer USDA minimum zone: 5 Cold hardiness: -10° F
Every landscape in the Southwest should have at least one of these heat and drought tolerant beauties! They seem to be made specifically for our arid climate, greeting the scorching desert heat with solid blankets of lavender flowers that butterflies and occasional hummingbirds find enticing. Purple Trailing Lantana is a fast grower that stays low…
Trailing Indigo Bush is definitely one of the most successful groundcovers used in the Southwest. This low-growing, evergreen has the ability to form roots wherever its stems touch the ground, making it an excellent soil stabilizer, and enabling it to rapidly spread 6-8 feet or more while maintaining a mounding height of only 2 feet.…
Height: 8 – 10 feet Width: 3 – 6 feet Bloom color: n/a Flowering season: n/a USDA minimum zone: 9 Cold hardiness: 25° F