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 […]
Pyracantha Shrub
A thorny, dense shrub commonly called scarlet firethorn, valued for white spring flowers and abundant orange-red berries that attract birds. Special Features Showy, long-lasting berries; bird habitat and food; thorny security barrier; tolerates drought once established, but performs better with supplemental desert irrigation. Problems & Solutions Fire blight can cause blackened shoots; prune affected branches […]
Raywood Ash
Raywood ash (Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa ‘Raywood’) is a deciduous shade tree with finely textured foliage and burgundy fall color. It can grow in Phoenix but may struggle with extreme heat and drought stress. Special Features Fine-textured canopy, summer shade, and wine-red to purple fall foliage. Typically seedless; fall color varies with weather and growing […]
Waxleaf Privet
A dense evergreen shrub with glossy, leathery leaves, commonly grown as a hedge, privacy screen, or small tree. Adapted to Phoenix landscapes with irrigation and protection from intense reflected heat. Special Features Glossy foliage, dense screening, pruning tolerance, and flowers that attract pollinators. Tolerates heat with adequate irrigation but is not a low-water desert shrub. […]
Modesto Ash
A fast-growing Arizona ash cultivar with a broad canopy, dense summer shade, and yellow fall foliage. Adapted to desert heat but needs regular irrigation to thrive in Phoenix. Special Features Dense shade, rapid establishment, and golden-yellow fall color. Usually sold as a male, seedless cultivar; pollen can trigger allergies. Problems & Solutions Susceptible to ash […]