Tough Plants: Summer 2011
Typically xeric: Yucca
Rattlesnake Master [Eryngium yuccifolium]
Shrubs
Less than “typical” but very tough: Caryopteris ‘Worchester Gold’
Crape myrtles of all sizes and colors
Crape myrtle
Ceonothus or New Jersey Tea [a native]
Holly
Vitex agnus-castus or Chaste Tree
Pyracanthas
Callicarpa or Beautyberry
Berberis
Yew [suffering in direct sunlight]
Juniper on the berm did not fare as well as predicted
Virburnum Blue Muffin really suffered
Perennials
Variegated iris did well
Artemisia Powis Castle is outstanding
Agastache rupestris [Sonoran Sunset]
a combination of Sporobolus grass, Nepeta, Euphorbia
Nepeta is hard to beat
Ceratostigma or Plumbago
Liriope is fail safe
Sedums were a mixed success: taller ones survived best
Asclepias tuberose or Butterfly weed
Asclepias
Verbena bonariensis
Russian sage
Russian sage even better with a bit of water
Euphorbias of all kinds thrived: Bonfire, Blackbird, Chameleon, Helena, amygdaloides
Euphorbia
Euphorbia
Euphorbia
Gaura
Sedum
Annuals
Salvia
Nicotiana or Flowering Tobacco
Gomphrena Firecracker
Pennisetum rubrum [sometimes listed as a perennial]
Gallardia [sometimes overwinters]
From members’ gardens
Marjorie Harris weeding Japanese Blood Grass
Datura inoxia ‘Angel’s Trumpet’.—from Rebecca Nickols garden
Curly top ironweed, from High Country Gardens, in Jeanie Skibiski’s garden
Society garlic
Pennisetum
Echinacea
Rose of Sharon
Hydrangea
Privet
Trumpet Vine
Euonymus
Mums
Golden Anise hyssopEchinacea
Amsonia
Cosmopolitan ornamental grass
Lessons we’ve learned!
Variety matters [Agastache Ava vs Sonoran Sunset and Orange Flare]
Stachys byzantia melted….
but Stachys Helen von Stein held up well
Aspect [facing the afternoon sun] matters
a bit of shade really helps marginal plant
a bit of water makes a difference in the size of the plant: Vivian Rye with okra
Vivian with last year’s okra
Don’t pull up plants too soon!
Plants can die out at the top
and revive with the first rains
Plant close together
the denser planting makes things look more lush
use rocks and berms and other architectural features to make the xeric plants look at home and enable them to survive winter as well as summer