Shrubs

Brilliant red blooms against angular gray stems. Chuparosa are semi-evergreen plants that grow naturally in low deserts from AZ to CA up to about 2500 ft. in elevation. They require low water once established, even during summers. They are opportunistic plants when it comes to available water. However, as long as the soil is well-drained, they will grow ever larger and carry their lush foliage all year. In natural environments, plants shed foliage during drought to conserve precious moisture. The stems are gray, succulent, and somewhat brittle. Flowers are formed at stem ends to give blooming plants a fiery silhouette, especially when back lit. They bloom from fall to spring. Never shear them. Periodic, selective thinning or pruning after flowering will control size and shape.

Velvety foliage topped with bright orange blooms. Bright green oval, highly pubescent leaves grow along green prominently jointed stems. In full sun they will grow quite dense and will grow large if they are well-watered. They can tolerate more drought but leaves will typically be smaller and more sparse. They look most lush in the morning sun, with afternoon shade. They are quite comfortable growing beneath desert legumes like Mesquite, Palo Verde or Ironwoods, although they will typically stay lower and spread wider. No matter where you plant them, bright orange narrow tubular flowers form in clusters at the ends of each branch to provide a sweet display. The heaviest blooming is during spring, but plants will throw out blooms nearly all year. Excessive watering encourages more and larger foliage and inhibits flowering, not what you want.

A colorful explosion of pink, yellow, and magenta round blooms against dark green foliage will make you smile. ‘Confetti’ is a well-behaved, adaptable multi-colored Lantana selection. Lantanas are subtropical native, woody perennial flowering plants. Most modern garden selections are self-sterile which means more blooming and not dropping or reseeding fruits. Plants have compact growth with oval to round, rough dark green leaves and slightly prickly stems. After flowering plants can be lightly pruned or sheared for size control, but choosing the right sized cultivar for the space is important to help reduce how frequently the Lantanas need to be trimmed. Cutting them back too frequently can eliminate flower displays. Regular, supplemental water during the hottest months keeps them healthy and happy.

Mostly red colored round blooms against dark green foliage. ‘Dallas Red’ is a wide and sprawling, adaptable red colored Lantana selection. Lantanas are subtropical native, woody perennial flowering plants. Most modern garden selections are self-sterile which means more blooming and no dropping or reseeding fruits. Plants have compact growth with oval to round, rough dark green leaves and slightly prickly stems. After flowering plants can be lightly pruned or sheared for size control, but choosing the right sized cultivar for the space is important to help reduce how frequently the Lantana’s need to be trimmed. Cutting them back too frequently can eliminate flower displays. Regular, supplemental water during the hottest months keeps them healthy and happy.

Dark pink with yellow colored round blooms against dark green foliage. ‘Irene’ is a compact growing, well-behaved, multi-colored Lantana selection. Lantanas are subtropical woody perennial flowering plants. Pollinated flowers can produce dark purple fruits prized by birds. Flowers are highly attractive to all Lepidoptera sp. Plants have compact growth with oval to round, rough dark green leaves and slightly prickly stems. After flowering plants can be lightly pruned or sheared for size control, but choosing the right sized cultivar for the space is important to help reduce how frequently the Lantana’s need to be trimmed. Cutting them back too frequently can eliminate flower displays. Regular, supplemental water during the hottest months keeps them healthy and happy.

Deep orange & yellow colored round blooms against dark green foliage. ‘Radiation’ is a well-behaved, adaptable multi-colored Lantana selection. Lantanas are subtropical native, woody perennial flowering plants. Most modern garden selections are self-sterile which means more blooming and not dropping or reseeding fruits. Plants have compact growth with oval to round, rough dark green leaves and slightly prickly stems. After flowering plants can be lightly pruned or sheared for size control, but choosing the right sized cultivar for the space is important to help reduce how frequently the Lantana’s need to be trimmed. Cutting them back too frequently can eliminate flower displays. Regular, supplemental water during the hottest months keeps them healthy and happy.

Solid gold colored round blooms against dark green foliage. ‘New Gold’ is a popular, well-behaved Lantana selection from Texas. Lantanas are subtropical native, woody perennial flowering plants. ‘New Gold’ are self-sterile which means more blooming and no dropping or reseeding fruits. Plants have compact growth with oval to round, rough dark green leaves and slightly prickly stems. After flowering plants can be lightly pruned or sheared for size control, but choosing the right sized cultivar for the space is important to help reduce how frequently the Lantana’s need to be trimmed. Cutting them back too frequently can eliminate flower displays. Regular, supplemental water during the hottest months keeps them healthy and happy.

Lavender blooms on woody groundcover. These woody perennial long-blooming plants are as easy as they come. Low maintenance, durable, adaptable with dark green rough leaves that grow on low growing woody stems. With extra water plants are aggressive. Give them time and space to fill out. Good for erosion control, slopes, terraced beds, large containers, spilling over walls, and as low foundation shrubs. In spring to early summer copious amounts of round lavender blooms cover the plant. Plants pruned often to limit their size will start growing more upright and less flat.

Large growing native durable evergreen shrubs. A shrubby symbol of the southwest, creosote bush occurs on rocky slopes, desert plains and mesas from low deserts up to 5000 ft. in elevation in pockets across the southwest. Only dropping out where rainfall amounts increase, and cold temperatures prevent their establishment. They are slow to moderate growing, primarily evergreen with some leaf drops during cold of winter and during summer drought. In urban landscapes with supplemental irrigation plants grow faster and hold their foliage well to become dense, dark green foundational shrubs. Light gray, woody upright stems hold small, resinous distinctively fragrant shiny leaves. Small yellow blooms appear heavily in spring and sporadically during summer monsoon rains. Flowers are followed by small round seed capsules covered with fuzzy silver cilia that glisten in the sun. Give them room to grow and never shear them. Simply thin old branches to encourage new lush growth from the center.