Artemisia Powis Castle
An aromatic, woody-based perennial with finely divided, silvery foliage. Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ is generally considered a hybrid of A. arborescens and A. absinthium, rather than pure A. absinthium. Special Features Aromatic, finely textured silver foliage; drought tolerant once established; generally resistant to deer and rabbits. Problems & Solutions Root rot in wet soil (improve drainage […]
Desert Cassia
An Australian desert shrub, also called feathery cassia, with fine, silvery foliage and abundant golden-yellow flowers; well suited to Phoenix landscapes. Special Features Heat and drought tolerant; fine-textured silver foliage; abundant cool-season flowers that attract bees. Problems & Solutions Overwatering and poor drainage can cause root rot; allow soil to dry between waterings. Repeated shearing […]
Convent Sage
Convent sage (Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Convent’) is a heat-loving desert shrub with gray-green foliage and showy purple flowers, well suited to Phoenix landscapes. Special Features Excellent heat and drought tolerance; low maintenance; attracts bees and other pollinators; tolerates reflected heat. Problems & Solutions Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage and reduce watering. Sparse growth in […]
Desert Lavender
A Sonoran Desert native shrub with aromatic, softly hairy, silvery-gray leaves and delicate lavender flowers; well adapted to Phoenix heat. Special Features Fragrant foliage; highly heat and drought tolerant; attracts native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Problems & Solutions Poor drainage and excessive watering can cause root rot; allow soil to dry between irrigations. Hard […]
Mulga
A thornless Australian desert tree with narrow, leathery, silver-gray foliage and a dense canopy; well suited to Phoenix landscapes. Special Features Thornless; highly heat and drought tolerant; nitrogen-fixing; attractive silver-gray foliage and relatively low litter. Problems & Solutions Overwatering and poor drainage can cause root rot; allow soil to dry between deep waterings. Dense growth […]
Brittlebush
A Sonoran Desert native shrub with soft, silvery leaves, brittle stems, and masses of yellow daisy-like flowers; well adapted to Phoenix heat. Special Features Excellent heat and drought tolerance; native pollinator plant; seeds attract birds; useful for erosion control. Problems & Solutions Overwatering or poor drainage can cause root rot; reduce irrigation and improve drainage. […]
Russian Sage
Russian sage (Salvia yangii, formerly Perovskia atriplicifolia) is a drought-tolerant, woody-based perennial with aromatic silvery foliage and airy lavender-blue flower spikes. Special Features Heat and drought tolerant once established; fragrant foliage; attracts bees and butterflies; generally resistant to deer and rabbits. Problems & Solutions Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage and reduce watering. Floppy […]
Silverleaf Cassia
Fast-growing desert shrub native to Australia with silvery-gray, flattened phyllodes that give it a striking, unusual appearance and bright yellow flowers in late winter to spring. Excellent heat and drought tolerance once established. Special Features Extremely drought tolerant; silver-gray foliage for year-round contrast; heat tolerant; attracts pollinators in bloom Problems & Solutions Reseeds and can […]
Silvery Cassia
An Australian desert shrub with fine, silvery-gray foliage and abundant golden-yellow flowers, well suited to Phoenix landscapes. Special Features Heat and drought tolerant; fine-textured silver foliage; showy cool-season flowers attract bees. Problems & Solutions Overwatering and poor drainage can cause root rot; let soil dry between waterings. Heavy shearing reduces flowers and spoils its natural […]
Texas Ranger Sage
A tough desert-adapted shrub with silvery foliage and abundant purple-pink flowers after summer rains or increased humidity; also called Texas sage or cenizo. Special Features Highly heat and drought tolerant; low maintenance; attracts bees and other pollinators; tolerates alkaline desert soils. Problems & Solutions Overwatering and poor drainage can cause root rot; irrigate sparingly and […]