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 […]
Rosemary ‘Tuscan Blue’
An upright Mediterranean herb with aromatic, needlelike leaves and showy blue flowers. ‘Tuscan Blue’ is valued for culinary use, evergreen structure, and tolerance of Phoenix heat when properly established. Special Features Fragrant, edible foliage; heat and drought tolerant once established; attracts bees and other pollinators. Problems & Solutions Root and crown rot in wet soil: […]
Sea Lavender
A Canary Islands perennial with broad, leathery leaves and airy clusters of purple-and-white flowers; best in a sheltered Phoenix location away from reflected heat. Special Features Drought and salt tolerant once established; attracts pollinators; excellent long-lasting cut and dried flowers. Problems & Solutions Extreme heat and afternoon sun can scorch foliage (provide afternoon shade); wet […]
Sea Squill
A Mediterranean bulbous perennial with a massive, often partly exposed bulb, broad winter-growing leaves, and tall flower spikes. Also known as Drimia maritima. Special Features Large architectural bulb, dramatic leafless flower spikes, and excellent drought tolerance once established. All parts are highly toxic if ingested. Problems & Solutions Bulb rot in wet soil, especially during […]
Swan Hill Olive
A nearly fruitless olive cultivar with silvery evergreen foliage, a broad canopy, and a picturesque trunk that becomes gnarled with age; well suited to Phoenix landscapes. Special Features Essentially fruitless with very low pollen production; minimal fruit litter, attractive bark, and excellent heat and drought tolerance once established. Problems & Solutions Poor drainage can cause […]
Upright Rosemary
An aromatic Mediterranean shrub with upright woody stems and narrow, needlelike leaves valued for cooking and drought-tolerant landscaping. Special Features Fragrant, edible foliage; drought tolerant once established; attracts bees and other pollinators. Problems & Solutions Root rot in wet or poorly drained soil: improve drainage and reduce watering. Spider mites may occur during hot, dry […]
Weeping Acacia
An Australian evergreen tree with gracefully weeping branches and narrow, silvery blue-gray foliage; well suited to Phoenix’s hot, dry climate. Special Features Elegant weeping form; silvery foliage; heat and drought tolerance; thornless branches. Problems & Solutions Poor drainage and excessive irrigation can cause root problems; allow soil to dry between deep waterings. Train young trees […]
Wilson Olive
Wilson olive (Olea europaea ‘Wilsonii’) is a nearly fruitless olive valued for its silvery foliage, sculptural branching, and adaptation to Phoenix heat. Special Features Nearly fruitless selection with much less fruit litter than standard olives; heat tolerant, drought tolerant once established, and attractive to architectural landscapes. Problems & Solutions Poor drainage can cause root rot; […]
Carob Tree
A long-lived Mediterranean evergreen tree with a broad, dense canopy, leathery compound leaves, and edible brown pods used to make carob powder. Special Features Excellent heat and drought tolerance once established; dense shade; edible pods; adaptable to Phoenix’s alkaline soils. Problems & Solutions Young trees can suffer frost damage; protect during freezes and choose a […]
Mastic Tree
An evergreen large shrub or small multi-stem tree from the Mediterranean, valued for dense dark green aromatic foliage and tolerance of heat, drought and poor soils. Small red-to-black ornamental fruits attract birds. Excellent low-water screen or hedge for hot, dry climates. Special Features Drought and reflected-heat tolerant; aromatic resinous foliage; bird-attracting berries; alkaline-soil tolerant Problems […]