Partridge Breast Aloe
Compact southern African succulent with thick, triangular leaves arranged in three ranks and marked with distinctive white bands and spots. Special Features Striking patterned foliage; compact size; drought tolerant once established; flowers attract hummingbirds. Problems & Solutions Prone to root and crown rot in wet soil; provide excellent drainage and avoid water collecting among leaves. […]
Poinsettia 4in
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a tropical shrub prized for colorful holiday bracts surrounding tiny flowers. The 4-inch designation refers to its nursery pot size, not mature size. Special Features Long-lasting, colorful bracts provide winter interest. Best treated as an indoor or protected container plant in Phoenix. Problems & Solutions Phoenix sun and extreme heat can […]
Poinsettia XL 10 in
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a tropical shrub prized for colorful winter bracts surrounding tiny flowers. ‘XL 10 in’ generally denotes a large plant sold in a 10-inch nursery pot, not a specific cultivar. Special Features Long-lasting holiday color from showy bracts. Best treated in Phoenix as a seasonal houseplant or movable container specimen rather than […]
Red Bells
Red Bells (Enkianthus deflexus) is a deciduous shrub with dangling, bell-shaped spring flowers and colorful autumn foliage. Native to Asian mountain regions, it is poorly suited to Phoenix’s extreme heat, dry air, and alkaline soils, despite potential winter-hardiness compatibility. Special Features Delicate bell-shaped flowers, attractive branching, and yellow, orange, or red fall foliage. Autumn color […]
Rubber Tree (Rubber Plant)
The nursery Rubber Tree is Ficus elastica, a tropical evergreen grown chiefly as a houseplant for its large, glossy, leathery leaves. It is frost-tender and not suited to outdoor exposure in the low desert; keep it indoors or on a shaded patio in bright, indirect light. (Note: the commercial latex tree Hevea brasiliensis is a […]
Dwarf Schefflera (Arboricola)
Tropical shrub with glossy, dark green compound leaves arranged in an umbrella-like pattern. Used as a landscape shrub only in frost-protected shade, or as a container and interior plant. Frost tender in the low desert. Special Features Glossy tropical foliage; tolerates heavy pruning and shaping; tolerates low interior light; good container and screen plant in […]
Stromanthe ‘Triostar’
A tropical foliage perennial with elongated leaves patterned in green, cream, and pink, with burgundy undersides. Best grown indoors in Phoenix rather than as a permanent outdoor landscape plant. Special Features Striking tricolor foliage; leaves shift position with the day-night cycle. Generally considered nontoxic to cats and dogs. Problems & Solutions Phoenix heat, dry air, […]
Tri Color Spider Wort
A tender, trailing perennial commonly sold as Tradescantia fluminensis ‘Tricolor’, prized for its pink, cream, and green variegated leaves. Best grown in sheltered containers in Phoenix. Special Features Colorful variegation, attractive cascading stems, easy propagation from cuttings, and suitability for hanging baskets or indoor growing. Problems & Solutions Sunburn and crispy leaves: provide afternoon shade […]
Vinca Major Periwinkle
Bigleaf periwinkle is a spreading perennial groundcover with glossy leaves and violet-blue flowers. Unlike annual vinca, it needs shade and supplemental irrigation in Phoenix. Special Features Shade-tolerant groundcover with attractive foliage; trailing stems root at nodes and provide dense coverage. Problems & Solutions Aggressive spreader and invasive in some regions; contain and keep away from […]
Acanthus ‘Oak Leaf’
A bold, clump-forming perennial with large, deeply lobed, oak-like leaves and upright flower spikes. Best suited to a sheltered, irrigated shade garden in Phoenix rather than an exposed desert landscape. Special Features Architectural foliage; showy vertical flower spikes; useful texture for shaded gardens. Established roots tolerate seasonal drought, usually by becoming dormant. Problems & Solutions […]