There have been a lot of new Tecoma hybrids hitting the market lately, and while many of them claim to be improvements on bloom color and production, none of them can match the drought tolerance or cold hardiness of Arizona yellow bells. This native shrub is larger than the hybrid cultivars, and it has thin,…
Xylosma was a very popular landscaping plant in Phoenix and Tucson in the 1950s, and while it may not be used as widely today, it is still a great plant that almost always looks nice and is very easy to grow. New foliage emerges as a reddish-bronze color, aging to a bright, shiny green. Flowers…
Height: 15 – 20 feet
Width: 10 – 15 feet
Bloom color: Inconspicuous; Greenish White
Flowering season: Spring, Summer
USDA minimum zone: 8
Cold hardiness: 10° F
The ‘Wonderful’ Pomegranate is nothing short of interesting in the landscape. It always seems to be doing something, whether it’s showing off its lush, shiny green foliage in the spring; its plump, red-orange flowers and edible fruit in the summer, or its bright yellow leaves in the fall. It can be grown as a large…
As the common name suggests, Woolly Butterfly Bush is a butterfly favorite, and will have them massing around its slightly fragrant, ball-shaped clusters of flowers from March through August. This evergreen shrub is tolerant of burning sun and scorching heat, and extreme drought only intensifies the beautiful, silvery sheen of the plant’s soft, fuzzy, grey-green…
Wolfberry is a drought-deciduous shrub that is a nearly effortless addition to the naturalistic landscape. Older, established plants can tolerate fairly long periods of little to no water. This low maintenance shrub can be a wonderful privacy hedge due to its dense growth habit and intricate branching structure. In late winter and spring, it gets…
Whitethorn Acacia is often prized for its usefulness as a low-maintenance barrier or buffer plant when allowed to grow naturally under desert conditions, but this plant’s versatility and hardiness make it a worthy contender for many additional spots in your garden! If left to its own devices, Whitethorn Acacia will form a thicket of thorny…
This tough, thornless Australian evergreen really loves the heat and is considered one of the cleaner trees for use around pools and near walkways, where its graceful weeping form can be showcased. It gives excellent shade and serves well as a tall screen, while also being a perfect selection for street-sides, medians, natural areas, and…
If you want an evergreen shrub with colorful flowers, but like to save water, then Oleander is the perfect plant for you! Once established, they are among the most drought tolerant flowering shrubs on the market, and with so many different colors and forms available, it’s easy to find the perfect one for your garden.…