Pink Muhly
Muhlenbergia rigens is deer grass, not pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris). These details describe M. rigens, a Southwestern native bunchgrass with arching foliage and tall, slender flower spikes. Special Features Heat and drought tolerant once established; provides wildlife shelter, erosion control, and movement in the landscape. Problems & Solutions Poor drainage and overwatering can cause root […]
Prickly Pear Santa Rita
A shrubby prickly pear cactus with rounded, blue-gray pads that develop striking purple and pink tones, especially during cool weather or drought. Commonly sold as Santa Rita prickly pear. Special Features Distinctive purple coloration; highly heat and drought tolerant; flowers attract native bees, and fruits provide wildlife food. Problems & Solutions Overwatering causes root and […]
Prickly Pear Engelmann’s
A Sonoran Desert native cactus with broad, flattened green pads, prominent spines, and colorful edible fruits. Special Features Excellent heat and drought tolerance; attracts native bees; fruits feed birds and mammals. Pads and fruits are edible after careful removal of spines and glochids. Problems & Solutions Overwatering causes root and pad rot; improve drainage and […]
Prickly Pear Green
A large, tree-like prickly pear cactus with broad, flattened green pads and edible fruit. Often nearly spineless, but pads and fruit still bear irritating hairlike glochids. Special Features Heat and drought tolerant; edible young pads and ripe fruit after proper removal of spines and glochids; flowers attract pollinators and fruit attracts wildlife. Problems & Solutions […]
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 […]
Pyracantha Victory
A vigorous, thorny shrub with glossy green leaves, clusters of white spring flowers, and abundant bright red berries in fall and winter. Special Features Showy red berries attract birds; dense, thorny branches provide wildlife cover and an effective security barrier. Heat tolerant with adequate irrigation. Problems & Solutions Fire blight and scab can occur; remove […]
Quiver Tree Aloe
A sculptural tree aloe native to southern Africa, with a thick, golden-tan trunk, repeatedly forked branches, and rosettes of succulent leaves. Currently classified as Aloidendron dichotomum. Special Features Distinctive branching silhouette, attractive peeling bark, and excellent drought tolerance once established; flowers attract nectar-feeding wildlife. Problems & Solutions Root and crown rot from excess moisture, especially […]
Red Oak
Northern red oak is a large eastern North American shade tree with pointed, lobed leaves and acorns. Quercus rubra is poorly adapted to Phoenix’s extreme summer heat and alkaline soils, despite its cold hardiness. Special Features Broad shade canopy, wildlife-supporting acorns, and russet to red fall color in suitable climates. Fall color is unreliable in […]
Regal Mist
A clumping ornamental grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Lenca’, prized for airy clouds of rosy-pink flowers above fine-textured green foliage. Special Features Showy pink flower clouds; heat and drought tolerant once established; generally deer resistant; provides cover and seeds for wildlife. Problems & Solutions Poor drainage can cause crown or root rot; improve drainage and avoid overwatering. […]
Royal Palm
Majestic tropical palm with a smooth, pale-gray trunk, prominent green crownshaft, and large, arching featherlike fronds. Marginal and generally unreliable outdoors in Phoenix Zone 9b because of frost, extreme dry heat, and low humidity. Special Features Striking architectural trunk and crownshaft; tropical appearance; self-cleaning canopy; flowers attract pollinators and fruits feed birds. Problems & Solutions […]