Parry’s Penstemon
A Sonoran Desert native perennial with blue-green foliage and airy spikes of bright pink tubular flowers; well suited to Phoenix desert gardens. Special Features Attracts hummingbirds and native bees; drought tolerant, desert adapted, and readily self-seeds in suitable conditions. Problems & Solutions Root and crown rot can occur in wet soil; ensure excellent drainage and […]
Firecracker Penstemon
A Southwestern native perennial with upright spikes of brilliant red tubular flowers above a low clump of leathery green leaves. Special Features Attracts hummingbirds and native pollinators; drought tolerant, cold hardy, and well suited to low-water gardens. Problems & Solutions Root and crown rot in wet soil: improve drainage and keep mulch away from the […]
Pink Gaura
Pink gaura is an airy, clump-forming perennial with slender stems bearing butterfly-like pink flowers. Botanically Oenothera lindheimeri, formerly Gaura lindheimeri. Special Features Heat tolerant and drought tolerant once established; attracts bees and butterflies; flowers move gracefully in breezes. Problems & Solutions Root rot in wet soil: improve drainage and avoid frequent shallow watering. Summer scorch […]
Purple Prairie Clover
A native prairie legume with slender stems and dense, thimble-shaped clusters of bright purple flowers. Attracts bees and butterflies and fixes nitrogen. A Great Plains species better adapted to milder summers; low-desert performance is uncertain. Special Features Nitrogen-fixing roots improve soil; excellent pollinator plant; drought tolerant once established. Problems & Solutions Root rot in poorly […]
Rain Lily
A clump-forming bulb with narrow, grasslike foliage and white, crocuslike flowers that often appear after rain or deep watering. Special Features Rain-triggered flowering; naturalizes through bulb offsets; suitable for small spaces and containers. All parts are toxic if ingested. Problems & Solutions Bulb rot in poorly drained soil: improve drainage and avoid standing water. Leaf […]
Ruellia Brittoniana
Mexican petunia, botanically accepted as Ruellia simplex, is a vigorous perennial with upright stems, narrow leaves, and abundant trumpet-shaped flowers. Special Features Heat tolerant; attracts bees and butterflies; tolerates varied soils and periodic drought once established. Problems & Solutions Spreads aggressively by rhizomes and, in fertile varieties, seed. Use containers or contained beds and remove […]
Ruellia Brit Mixed
A heat-tolerant perennial commonly called Mexican petunia, with narrow leaves and abundant trumpet-shaped flowers. Ruellia brittoniana is a synonym of Ruellia simplex; mixed selections may include purple, pink, and white blooms. Special Features Excellent heat tolerance; attracts bees and butterflies; long flowering season; tolerates occasional drought once established. Problems & Solutions Spreads aggressively by underground […]
Ruellia Britt Pink
A vigorous, pink-flowering Mexican petunia with narrow green leaves and upright stems. Ruellia brittoniana is also known as Ruellia simplex. Special Features Heat tolerant; attracts butterflies and bees; long flowering season; tolerates occasional wet soil and some drought once established. Problems & Solutions Can spread aggressively by rhizomes and seed; use containers or contained beds […]
Ruellia Britt Purple
A heat-tolerant perennial commonly called purple Mexican petunia, with slender, lance-shaped leaves and abundant trumpet-shaped flowers. Ruellia brittoniana is now generally classified as Ruellia simplex. Special Features Heat tolerant; attracts bees and butterflies; provides a long season of purple flowers; tolerates varied growing conditions. Problems & Solutions Can spread aggressively by rhizomes and seed; contain […]
Ruellia Britt White
White-flowering Mexican petunia, commonly sold as Ruellia brittoniana ‘White’ and botanically classified under Ruellia simplex. An upright perennial with narrow leaves and abundant trumpet-shaped flowers. Special Features Heat tolerant; attracts bees and butterflies; long flowering season; tolerates occasional wet soil and some drought once established. Problems & Solutions Can spread aggressively by rhizomes and, in […]