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