Staff July 7, 2016
\nXeric Plants
\nPhoto: iStock<\/p>\n
It may seem odd to talk about plants for dry areas when much of Texas has been inundated this spring by rains of near biblical proportions. But climate conditions continue to change \u2014 at the beginning of June, areas of the West experienced ongoing abnormally dry to exceptional drought intensities, and much of the Northeast was affected by drought. Even Hawaii was declared by the USDA\u2019s Drought Monitor to be characterized by extreme drought to unusually dry intensities. The Upper Midwest, blessed with the wealth of the Great Lakes, was beginning to show signs of emerging drought, and sooner rather than later, those states that enjoy plenty of natural water will be required to share.<\/p>\n
Forecasting changes in availability of water, as well as predicting which areas will be affected by crippling drought, is a science for the masters. So let\u2019s leave it to them, and let\u2019s concentrate on identifying those plants that can tolerate challenging moisture situations.<\/p>\n
To explore a few woody and perennial plants that are rugged enough to withstand reduced supplemental water \u2014 and are able to provide pleasing forms and delightful colors \u2014 we turned to horticultural consultant Nicholas Staddon.<\/p>\n
Hesperaloe parviflora \u2018Perpa\u2019 Brakelights\u00ae<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Photo: Monrovia<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cMy first selection is a Hesperaloe parviflora, the red yucca,\u201d Staddon says. \u201cThere\u2019s a variety which has been on the market for a couple of years, actually probably about four years, called Brakelights (Hesperaloe parviflora \u2018Perpa\u2019 Brakelights\u00ae PP# 21729). It\u2019s the result of a breeding program run by Ron Gass, who owns Mountain States Wholesale Nursery, and it is, without a doubt, one of the most floriferous Hesperaloes on the market.\u201d \u201cBrakelights\u00ae is a smaller, more compact grower\u201d than the species, Staddon describes. \u201cHesperaloes over a period of time can get very big and very rambunctious.\u201d This slow-growing selection, however, forms a 2-foot clump of very narrow, blue-green leaves, from which spring extended flower stalks sporting brilliant blooms. \u201cThis is the reddest of all the hesperaloes,\u201d Staddon claims. \u201cAnd she sets little or no seed, so because of that, she has an extended flowering season. She will rebloom on the same stem, which is very unusual. Depending on where you are, the blooming season might change a little bit, but in my garden [in southern California], I\u2019ve had a Brakelights that started blooming in September and the flower is just coming to its end now [early June].\u201d<\/p>\n Chilopsis linearis \u2018Monhews\u2019 (Timeless Beauty\u00ae)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is a smaller tree or large shrub, the desert willow. It\u2019s a plant that is really gaining in popularity, and breeders are doing more work with it,\u201d Staddon claims. \u201cThey can get quite large, and they tend to be more multistemmed. They are deciduous, but they provide a profuse season of flowering; great for the pollinators as well,\u201d Staddon concludes.<\/p>\n In general, desert willow is fast growing and can reach to 25 feet tall and wide at maturity in full or part sun. It\u2019s hardy to Zone 6.<\/p>\n Muhlenbergia capillaris \u2018Lenca\u2019 (Regal Mist\u00ae)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Deer grass \u2014 Muhlenbergia capillaris \u2014 is becoming more and more popular out West, according to Staddon. \u201cMuhlenbergias are almost a household name in the Southwest,\u201d he states. \u201cProbably one of the best known varieties is Regal Mist\u00ae; once again it\u2019s a seedling selection from Mountain States. Rarely do you ever see just one of these. They\u2019re planted en masse, and in mid- to late summer they have this marvelous seed set, where the tops of the plants will get covered with these great purple flowers. And if you plant them where you get an afternoon breeze coming through, the seed heads will actually move with the wind. That alone makes you feel cool.\u201d<\/p>\n Staddon says that Regal Mist has \u201cby far the most visual display; real nice pink flowers at the end of the season. She\u2019s evergreen, so she\u2019s going to show in the spring and all year around.<\/p>\n \u201cI think one of the things that people love about them so much is whether they have flowers on them or not, they still look absolutely just fantastic,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n Regal Mist\u00ae reaches about 3 feet tall and wide and has a fast growth rate. It thrives in full sun and locations with reflected heat in Zone 6. According to Mountain States, reseeding has not been an issue.<\/p>\n Cupressus sempervirens \u2018Monshel\u2019 (Tiny Tower\u00ae)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) is \u201ca plant that has ruled the roost in the Southwest for many years \u2014 really, up and down the West Coast,\u201d Staddon says. \u201cIt\u2019s just synonymous with that Mediterranean climate out here. It\u2019s used as a wind break, it\u2019s used as an accent plant, it\u2019s used as a container plant.\u201d<\/p>\n Cupressus sempervirens \u2018Swane\u2019s Golden\u2019<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The species is slow growing and can reach up to 100 feet or so, but there are two cultivars that Staddon deems worthy of mention:<\/p>\n \u201cOne is a Monrovia introduction called Tiny Tower\u00ae, and Tiny Tower has probably been out there for 15, 16 years,\u201d he states. \u201cIt\u2019s used extensively by homeowners and also by the design community. It\u2019s a much smaller growing flavor of the species \u2014 it probably will top out at about 30 to 35 feet [by 3 feet wide], and it maintains a really nice, upright, narrow habit. It tends to do better in the warmer, drier climates, so in the Southeast, even though it might be warm down there, they might get some spider mites.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more: The Beauty of Waterwise Plants<\/p>\n Tiny Tower\u00ae is said to maintain its narrow, columnar form without pruning, making it an excellent choice for formal plantings or as a container specimen in zones 7 to 10.<\/p>\n \u201cThe other variety is called Swane\u2019s Golden,\u201d Staddon says. \u201cSwane\u2019s Golden was created by Mrs. Swane, who was a nursery owner and breeder in New Zealand, and it has been around for absolutely donkey\u2019s years. Again, it\u2019s a smaller grower, very nice upright, compact habit and has a wonderful gold cast to it; it is by far one of the most popular golds of the Italian cypress.<\/p>\n \u201cThese plants could be used as hedgerows, they could be used as accent plants in the landscape, and they\u2019re just wonderful for container plants as well,\u201d he adds. \u201cSome people will even shear them into topiary. Because they\u2019re so tight and compact, they make a great spiral. I\u2019ve never seen a plant bigger than 8 to 20 feet high. This is a really interesting plant, because it goes in cycles of fashion; it\u2019ll be fashionable for seven or eight years, and then it\u2019s not fashionable, and then everybody wants it again.\u201d<\/p>\n Swane\u2019s Golden is hardy in zones 7 to 9.<\/p>\n These C. sempervirens selections are very narrow and very columnar. \u201cBoth of these varieties are marked improvements; they do maintain a more columnar, upright growth habit. The traditional Italian cypress can get branches that can get large and the plant can open out. But these are good, narrow upright plants,\u201d Staddon explains.<\/p>\n Callistemon viminalis \u2018CV01\u2019 (Slim\u2122)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The distinctive bottlebrush plant is one that\u2019s not to be missed.<\/p>\n \u201cA plant that really is in vogue in the Southwest and Texas is Callistemon (bottlebrush); they\u2019re very, very popular,\u201d Staddon says. \u201cThere\u2019s a new one on the market that\u2019s been out a year or so, which is called Slim\u2122 (Callistemon viminalis \u2018CV01\u2019). Slim is a really upright, columnar plant. It comes from a breeding program in Australia called Tuffy Plants, and it\u2019s readily available on the market here. It\u2019s such a unique plant; so different from every other callistemon that\u2019s out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Slim is a prolific bloomer, and in spring to summer \u2014 nearly year-round in mild climates \u2014 it\u2019s \u201cfestooned with flowers, absolutely covered with flowers,\u201d Staddon describes. \u201cCallistemon has these wonderful, bright red flowers that are really favored by pollinators.\u201d<\/p>\n Callistemon citrinus \u2018Little John\u2019<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Slim reaches about 8 to 10 feet tall by 3 to 4 feet wide, much narrower than other selections, making it suitable for a variety of uses. \u201cIts primary application is for a hedge, or a triangle of three in the garden to make an architectural statement. I think this plant is going to be an absolute winner,\u201d Staddon claims.<\/p>\n Another favorite of Staddon\u2019s is Little John (Callistemon citrinus \u2018Little John\u2019), which has been around for years and \u201ccontinues to be planted in pretty much every landscape,\u201d he says. \u201cGardeners use the plant extensively in their own gardens; great for a hedge; great for a triangle of three. It\u2019s an early season, but long season bloomer, it has these wonderful, bright red flowers that are really favored by pollinators. Little John is really fun, because the foliage has a blue cast to it, so you\u2019ve got a bluish-greenish foliage against the red flowers.\u201d<\/p>\n Little John is a slow growing selection, reaching only 3 feet tall by 5 feet wide.<\/p>\n Both bottlebrush choices are hardy in zones 8 to 11.<\/p>\n Read more: Drought Continues to Challenge Growing Conditions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Staff July 7, 2016 Xeric Plants Photo: iStock It may seem odd to talk about plants for dry areas when much of Texas has been inundated this spring by rains of near biblical proportions. But climate conditions continue to change \u2014 at the beginning of June, areas of the West experienced ongoing abnormally dry to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nursery"],"yoast_head":"\n1. Hesperaloe parviflora<\/h3>\n
\nThe species is native to Texas and northern Mexico, so it\u2019s tough as nails and thrives in full sun and reflected heat to Zone 5.<\/p>\n2. Chilopsis linearis<\/h3>\n
\n\u201cIt\u2019s very versatile; it makes a wonderful single plant in a small garden, and it\u2019s been used along freeways,\u201d he adds. \u201cChilopsis has been a real foundation of many gardens and landscapes in the Southwest for many years, but more and more people are starting to discover this plant. There are lots of varieties out there; you\u2019ve got the seedling selections, which can go from kind of whitish to soft pink to soft purple. There are other great varieties on the market: There\u2019s one called Warren Jones\u2122, which has more of a soft pink flower with a yellow throat. There\u2019s a pure white called \u2018White Storm\u2019, which has wonderful pink buds and then a pure white flower. Timeless Beauty\u00ae is one of the better seedless varieties on the market.<\/p>\n\n3. Muhlenbergia capillaris<\/h3>\n
\n4. Cupressus sempervirens<\/h3>\n
\n5. Callistemon<\/h3>\n