Pindo Palm
A cold-hardy feather palm with arching, blue-gray fronds and edible, aromatic fruit used for jelly. Commonly sold as Butia capitata, landscape pindo palms are usually Butia odorata. Special Features Edible jelly-making fruit; graceful, recurved fronds; good cold tolerance for Zone 9b; moderate drought tolerance once established. Problems & Solutions Extreme desert heat, reflected sun, and […]
Petite Pink Oleander Tree
A dwarf pink-flowering oleander trained into a small tree, with a rounded evergreen canopy and excellent tolerance of Phoenix heat. Special Features Compact size; long flowering season; heat, drought, and reflected-heat tolerance once established. Problems & Solutions All parts are highly poisonous if ingested; keep away from children and pets, wear gloves when pruning, and […]
Petite Red Oleander Shrub
A compact oleander cultivar with showy red flower clusters and narrow, leathery green leaves, well suited to Phoenix heat. Special Features Compact size; long flowering season; excellent heat tolerance and good drought tolerance once established. All parts are highly poisonous if ingested. Problems & Solutions Aphids and scale may occur; monitor and treat with labeled […]
Petite White Oleander Shrub
A compact white-flowering oleander with narrow, leathery leaves and abundant summer blooms, well suited to Phoenix heat. Special Features Compact size; excellent heat tolerance; drought tolerant once established; tolerates reflected heat and urban conditions. All parts are highly poisonous if ingested. Problems & Solutions Aphids and scale may occur; use strong water sprays for aphids […]
Pink Oleander Shrub
A tough, evergreen flowering shrub with narrow, leathery leaves and clusters of pink flowers, well adapted to Phoenix heat. Special Features Heat, drought, and urban-condition tolerant; useful for dense screening. All plant parts are highly poisonous if ingested. Problems & Solutions Aphids and scale may occur; manage with water sprays or labeled treatments when needed. […]
Cream de Mint Pittosporum
Compact evergreen shrub with variegated green-and-cream foliage and fragrant white spring flowers. Tolerates heat better than many variegated shrubs but scorches in unshaded reflected heat. Special Features Variegated cream-and-green foliage; fragrant flowers; salt tolerant; good low-water shrub once established Problems & Solutions Aphids and scale (insecticidal soap or horticultural oil); root rot in heavy, overwatered […]
Wheeler’s Dwarf Pittosporum
Compact, mounding evergreen shrub with dense, glossy dark green foliage and fragrant white to cream spring flowers. Well suited for low borders, mass plantings, and foundation use in low-desert landscapes. Special Features Fragrant flowers; salt tolerant; heat tolerant once established; dense foliage suppresses weeds Problems & Solutions Root rot if overwatered (ensure drainage); aphids and […]
Purple Hopseed Bush
A tough, upright evergreen shrub with narrow, leathery leaves that turn bronze-purple, especially in cool weather; well suited to Phoenix landscapes. Special Features Heat, drought, and wind tolerant; colorful foliage and papery seed capsules; useful as a low-water privacy screen. Problems & Solutions Poor drainage and overwatering can cause root rot; allow soil to dry […]
Pyracantha Victory
A vigorous, thorny shrub with glossy green leaves, clusters of white spring flowers, and abundant bright red berries in fall and winter. Special Features Showy red berries attract birds; dense, thorny branches provide wildlife cover and an effective security barrier. Heat tolerant with adequate irrigation. Problems & Solutions Fire blight and scab can occur; remove […]
Red Wonderful Pomegranate
A heat-tolerant fruiting shrub or small tree with glossy leaves, orange-red flowers, and large, red pomegranates containing sweet-tart, deep-red arils. ‘Wonderful’ typically ripens in fall in Phoenix. Special Features Edible fruit; self-fruitful, so one plant can produce a crop; excellent heat tolerance; drought tolerant once established; attracts pollinators. Problems & Solutions Fruit splitting: maintain even […]