Aloysia gratissima:
Whitebrush / Bee Brush
Grows 3-6' high and as wide. A densely branched
shrub with small, fragrant, silver-green leaves. Can be
scraggly, but pruning improves appearance.
White to violet-tinged flowers with yellow throats crowded
on 3" spikes have a strong vanilla smell.
Blooms spring to early fall, attracts bees and butterflies.
Toxic to horses, mules and burros.
Needs well-drained soil. Drought tolerant. Full sun.
Semi-evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Aloysia wrightii:
Oreganillo, Bee Brush
Grows at a moderate rate to 5' high and as wide.
Aromatic leaves can be used as substitute for oregano.
Small, sweet-scented white flowers on spikelets bloom
in spring, attracting bees and butterflies.
Water monthly. Full sun. Deciduous.
Hardy to 15°F.
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii:
Flame Honeysuckle
A shrub growing to 3' high and 4' wide. Green leaves.
Reddish-orange, tubular flowers bloom all summer into fall.
Attracts hummingbirds. Readily reseeds. Shear in
winter to encourage new growth.
Drought-tolerant. Needs well-drained soil.
Full sun. Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 7b-11.
Anisacanthus thurberi:
Desert Honeysuckle
A shrub growing to 6' high and as wide. Green,
short-stemmed, narrow leaves either opposite each other or in clusters.
Orange to red, tubular flowers bloom during warm season followed
by small seed capsules. Attracts hummingbirds. Drought-tolerant.
Needs well-drained soil.
Full sun. Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 8b-11.
Bouvardia ternifolia:
Firecracker Bush
A shrub growing to 4' high. Dark green leaves,
oval to lance-shaped.
Red tubular flowers 1.5" long,cluster at branch tips.
Blooms entire summer. Attracts hummingbirds.
Needs well-drained soil. Drought tolerant once established.
Supplemental water needed for best performance.
Water lightly - do not soak - every one or two days until established.
Part to full shade in hot climates.
Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 7-15.
Buddleja marrubiifolia:
Woolly Butterfly Bush
A moderate grower to 5' high and as wide. Fuzzy
silvery-gray leaves. Ball-shaped clusters of orange
flowers about 1/2" across appear in summer and
fall, attracting butterflies. Full sun.
Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Calliandra californica:
Baja Fairy Duster
A native shrub growing 4-6' high and nearly as wide.
Tiny green leaflets. Flower clusters have red stamens that
resemble miniature dusters. Blooms sporadically in summer.
Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
A food plant for the Ceraunus Blue butterfly caterpillar.
Seed pods snap open unexpectedly, flinging seeds widely.
May attract mites or mealybugs.
Very drought tolerant but supplemental summer water prompts
more blooms. Full sun. Drought- and cold-deciduous.
USDA hardiness zones 9-10.
Calliandra eriophylla:
Fairy Duster
Grows 0.5' to 3' high and 2' to 3' wide. Leaves are
dark green, tiny, acacia-like. Pink powder-puff flowers
vary from nearly red on first day of bloom to nearly white.
Blooms in spring and late summer to fall, followed by small
pods. Pods spring open unpredictably when ripe, scattering
small seeds which attract quail and other ground feeding birds.
Deep water monthly or as required. Can be browsed by critters,
especially when irrigated. Nitrogen-fixing roots.
Does not transplant once deep tap root established.
A good ground cover and soil-binding shrub.
Full sun to part shade; better with part shade in low rainfall
regions. Cold and drought deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 7b-11.
Chrysactinia mexicana:
Damianita Daisy
Slowly grows to 2' high and as wide. Tiny, needlelike, aromatic,
dark green leaves are deer and rabbit resistant. Fragrant yellow
1" daisies cover entire plant, blooming spring and fall.
Dandelion-like seed does not store well, must be planted immediately.
Needs soils with good drainage. Water monthly or more often to
encourage bloom. Shear lightly in early spring to encourage new
growth; cutting too low kills plant. Full sun, light shade, or
reflected heat. Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Cordia parvifolia:
Little Leaf Cordia
Fast grower to 6' high and 8' wide. Grey-green leaves
with serrate margins 1" long and 1/2" wide.
White flowers, 1-1.5" wide in clusters, bloom in spring
and again in fall with rainfall. Moderate water may encourage
blooming in summer. Propagate by cuttings.
Low water once established. Drought tolerant.
Well drained soil. Do not overwater.
Full or reflected sun. Evergreen but drought-deciduous.
USDA hardiness zones 9-12.
Dalea frutescens:
Black Dalea
Grows to 4' high and 5' wide. Small, fine-textured
green leaves. Rose-purple flowers in short spikes bloom late
summer to mid fall. Attracts bees and butterflies. Food
plant for Southern Dogface caterpillar. Prune late winter if needed.
Needs very well-drained soil. Drought tolerant but moderate
water improves growth - do not overwater. Never fertilize.
Full sun. Cold-deciduous.
Variety 'Sierra Negra' has USDA hardiness zones 7-9.
Dalea pulchra:
Indigo Bush
Grows to 5' high and as wide. Small silver-green leaves.
Purple flowers in clusters bloom late winter to early spring.
Attracts butterflies. Caterpillar food plant for several
species of butterflies. Seeds attract birds.
Prune lightly in late spring after flowering to encourage growth.
Needs very well-drained soil; water no more than once a month.
Never fertilize. Full sun produces best blooms.
Evergreen except drought-deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Echinocereus coccineus:
Scarlet Beehive Cactus
A stem succulent, spiny shrub that slowly grows to 15" tall
in clumps of up to 50-100 stems. Showy flowers, with rounded
petal tips are light to dark red or near orange. Separate male and
female flowers on same plant with high nectar volumes.
Attracts hummingbirds. Blooms late April to June on mature clumps.
Very drought tolerant. Needs some extra water for bloom but
requires very well-drained soil or root rot possible. Full sun.
USDA hardiness zones 4-9.
Ericameria laricifolia:
Turpentine Brush
Grows to 3' high and slightly wider.
Tiny, narrow, dense, green or blue-green leaves give entire shrub
a rounded brush appearance. A hardy shrub with a great look for
the garden. Yellow flowers, covering entire plant, bloom October
to November and attract butterflies.
If shrub becomes unattractive after several years, cut it to the
ground and the plant will reappear, months later, looking well
trimmed. Once established, it stays green with only monthly rain
or water. Drought tolerant, tolerates neglect. Full sun: leggy
and unattractive in shade. Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 7-10.
Hesperaloe parviflora:
Red Yucca
A succulent that slowly grows to 3' high and 4' wide.
Leaves are narrow, arching, tough and stiff, spreading to form
a grass-like clump without thorns. Reddish tubular flowers
with yellow throats, blooming in late spring and summer,
hang from narrow spikes on stalks up to 6' high.
Attracts hummingbirds. Drought-tolerant.
Full sun, light shade, or reflected sun. Evergreen.
USDA hardiness zones 6-12.
Lantana montevidensis:
Trailing Lantana
A shrub growing to 2' high. Woody trailing stems
can grow on ground to 5' long. Killed back by freezing
weather. Usually grows back in the spring.
Dark green leaves with rough hairy texture are 1" long.
Leaves emit an unpleasant odor when crushed. Poisonous
to livestock and pets.
Small lavender flowers in rounded clusters bloom mid-summer
to frost. Attracts butterflies. Unripe berries are toxic.
Well drained soil. Drought tolerant. Full sun to part shade,
more flowers in full sun. Evergreen but killed to ground below
28°F. USDA hardiness zones 8-10.
Leucophyllum candidum:
Violet Silverleaf
Grows to 3' high and as wide.
Small gray-green foliage appears silvery. Deep violet flowers
bloom sporadically spring through fall. Variety 'Thunder Cloud'
has more blooms and is more compact. Needs well-drained soil.
Low to moderate water once established.
Full sun. Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 8-9.
Nandina domestica:
Heavenly Bamboo
A bamboo-like plant growing to 5' tall and half as wide.
In full sun, green leaves turn orange-red to bronzy-red in winter.
Pinkish-white blossoms in late spring or early summer followed
by sprays of red berries, attracting birds.
Birds transfer seeds of this aggressive plant to the wild where
it out-competes native plants. Some popular varieties, such as
'Harbor Dwarf' and 'Nana', have no flowers or berries.
Spreads by rhizomes. Invasive in moist soil. Good erosion control.
Full sun to part shade.
Evergreen; cold-deciduous below 10°F. USDA hardiness zones 6-11.
Salvia clevelandii:
Blue Sage / Cleveland Sage
A semi-woody shrub growing 3'-5' high and as wide.
Gray-green leaves have intense fragrance.
Blue trumpet-shaped flowers in layered spikes on ends of branches.
Blooms about one month in early summer.
Seed and large masses of this plant may attract quail.
Drought tolerant. Extra water can increase size.
Better with poor, well-drained soil. Full sun.
Evergreen in USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Salvia greggii:
Autumn Sage
A woody-stemmed shrub growing 1-4' high and as wide.
Many cultivars are available for this species. Trumpet-shaped
flowers, 0.5-1" long, can be red, white, or pink.
Blooms summer to fall. Deadhead spent flowers to prolong blooming.
Attracts hummingbirds.
Prune yearly. Drought tolerant, do not overwater.
Needs well-drained, non-fertilized soil. Full sun.
Evergreen in warm climates. Can die to ground in hard freeze.
USDA hardiness zones 7-9.
Yucca baccata:
Banana Yucca
Slowly grows to 3' tall. Sharp-pointed leaves 2' long.
Flower stalk to 6' high. Yellow-white flowers, from red buds,
to 5" long, bloom April to July.
Edible fruit is green to purple in color, shaped like a large,
long sweet potato. Full sun to part shade. Evergreen.
USDA hardiness zones 7-11.
Amelanchier utahensis:
Utah Serviceberry
A shrub or small tree that slowly grows 15' high and as
wide. Ovate green leaves. Fragrant white flowers 0.5" wide
bloom in spring. Edible purple or black fruit in clusters
attracts birds. In zone 8b, provide western shade or locate
on northeast-facing slope. Deciduous.
USDA hardiness zones 5-8.
Arctostaphylos pungens:
Pointleaf Manzanita
Grows 2' to 6' high. Taller than wide with water; wider
than tall in dry soil. Green leathery leaves usually pointed
at both tip and stem end. Red bark makes plant distinctive.
White flowers, 1/4" wide, bloom January and February,
followed by edible, if not tasty, red-brown berries.
Manzanita burns quickly and intensely so it must be situated
at least 30' from any structure. Drought-tolerant.
Needs well-drained soil. Appears best when growing near
an area where water collects or runs by. Full sun or part shade,
better appearance in part shade.
Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 6-9.
Atriplex canescens:
Four-Wing Saltbush
Narrow gray-green leaves, dense growth. Grows 4' to 8' high
and as wide. Moderate to rapid growth with irrigation. Entire plant
is edible when not fertilized: leaves accumulate nitrates.
Male and female flowers on separate plants, but plants can change
sex after unusually cold, dry, or heavy-bearing years.
Tiny and clustered, male flowers are green, female flowers yellow.
Blooms spring and summer. Flowers not noticeable except in high
rainfall years. Seed attracts birds.
Atriplex canescens is a food plant for the Pygmy Blue
caterpillar. The caterpillar requires a species of ant to attend
to it. If insecticide has been sprayed on the plant or at the base
to kill ants, it will be absorbed by the plant and affect
the plant's aroma. Pygmy Blue Butterflies will then not lay
their eggs on it, reducing the number of butterflies.
This plant also attracts lacewings and ladybugs which feed
on the scale insects and mealybugs which may attack the plant.
Bottom line: do not allow insecticide anywhere near this plant!
Atriplex canescens is fire resistant and thrives in harsh
desert conditions. Browsed by animals. Watering monthly when there
is insufficient rain improves appearance.
Wide and deep roots provide good erosion control on slopes
and small gullies. Cut branches back by one-third in winter
or shear into a hedge. Very drought tolerant. Full sun. Evergreen.
USDA hardiness zones 6-10.
Bauhinia lunarioides:
Orchid Tree
Grows 6-12' high and as wide. Growth rate and height depend
on water. Leaves are shaped like small green butterflies.
Fragrant, white to pinkish flowers bloom in spring, followed
by small bean pods. Attracts butterflies and pollinating insects.
Needs well-drained soil and deep soaking monthly.
Full sun to part shade but bushier in full sun.
Evergreen but cold-deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 9-10.
Caesalpinia gilliesii:
Yellow Bird of Paradise
Grows rapidly 5' to 10' high and slightly more than half
as wide. Small green acacia-like leaflets. Yellow flowers with
red stamens 3" long bloom April to September. Seed pods
are poisonous. Roots are nitrogen-fixing; do not fertilize.
Best in well-drained, poor soil.
Needs full sun to avoid fungal infections during rainy season.
Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Caesalpinia pulcherrima:
Red Bird of Paradise
Grows rapidly 3' to 10' high and as wide. Small green
acacia-like leaflets. Flowers with yellow, orange or red petals
bloom in summer. Seed pods, roots and stems are poisonous.
Sharp thorns. Roots are nitrogen-fixing; do not fertilize.
Prefers well-drained soil. Mulch heavily by mid-November.
Damaged at 32°F, root hardy to 15°F.
Full sun. Cold deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 9b-12.
Ceanothus greggii:
Desert Ceanothus / Wild Lilac
Grows to 8' high and 6' wide. New stems are pinkish, older
stems turn light gray. No spine at tip of stem. Small thick
leaves are glossy green above and felty gray underneath.
Crowded clusters of small white to pinkish flowers have
fragrant lilac scent and cover entire plant. Blooms
late winter and early spring.
Seed capsules open in summer, scattering seeds that attract
quail and other ground-feeding birds. Watering more
than once a month attracts foraging deer. Has nitrogen-fixing
roots, do not fertilize. Full sun to part shade. Evergreen.
USDA hardiness zones 7-9.
Cordia boissieri:
Texas Olive
Grows to 30' high and 35' wide. Growth rate, slow to
moderate, depends upon water. Large green leaves.
Two inch diameter, clustered, white flowers with yellow throats,
bloom spring through fall. In Mexico, it is said to attract
butterflies and hummingbirds. Small fruit, edible but untasty,
resemble olives but are unrelated. Birds are attracted to the
fruit.
Produces abundant flower and leaf litter. Can be
pruned into a tree form. Low to moderate water. Full and
reflected sun. Evergreen but frost-deciduous. USDA hardiness
zones 9-10.
Dodonaea viscosa:
Hop Bush
Grows to 15' high and as wide depending on water.
Long, narrow, shiny green leaves.
Small, unshowy, yellow-green flowers without petals, bloom
in spring. Papery, winged seed capsules, initially greenish,
then turning reddish to brown, attract birds.
Can be pruned into a tree or informal hedge. Plant is
slightly toxic.
Well-drained soil. Low to moderate water. Full sun.
Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 8-11.
Erythrina flabelliformis:
Coral Bean
A shrub growing up to 10' high. Green fan-shaped leaves.
Curved spines on stems. Red tubular 3" long flowers
in clusters at tips of stems bloom in spring before leaves appear.
Attracts hummingbirds.
Long brown pods with bright red toxic beans.
Drought tolerant. Well-drained soil. Full sun.
Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 9-11.
Fallugia paradoxa:
Apache Plume
Grows to 6' high and 5' wide. Tiny green leaves.
White flowers 2" wide with yellow centers bloom spring
and summer.
Feathery, pink seed head plumes in fall. Rabbit and deer
resistant. Wide and deep roots make this plant useful in
erosion control on banks and slopes. Full sun to part shade.
Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 5-10.
Forestiera neomexicana:
New Mexican Privet, Desert Olive
Fast growing shrub or, with pruning, small tree to 12'
high and 9' wide. Medium-green leaves turn yellow in fall.
Separate male and female plants. Tiny, yellow flowers on
male plant bloom in early spring before leaves appear. Pollen
is not troublesome, unlike the
European olive.
Several plants should be grown in the same vicinity to ensure
fruit set.
Female plant produces small, blue-black, edible, quarter-inch
fruit which attracts birds and can be used as an olive
substitute. Also planted as a hedge or screen. Drought tolerant.
Full sun to part shade. Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 4-9.
Fouquieria splendens:
Ocotillo
A shrub slowly growing to 20' high. With very spiny
green canes having deciduous oval green leaves, it is
sometimes mistaken for a cactus.
Orange to red flowers 1" long in clusters at top of canes.
Blooms in spring. Attracts hummingbirds. Drought tolerant.
Needs well-drained soil. Full sun.
Drought-deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 8-10.
Hyptis emoryi:
Desert Lavender
Grows to 15' high but usually less. Grayish-green,
wooly, oval, fragrant (lavender scent) leaves are edible
(mint flavor) and can be used to flavor tea. Leaves become
smaller and grayer in dry conditions. Small, clustered,
purple flowers. Blooms spring to fall.
Attracts butterflies and bees. Needs well drained soil.
Very drought tolerant. Full sun. Frost-tender when young.
Semi-deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 8-10.
Leucophyllum frutescens:
Texas Sage
Grows to 8' high and as wide. Gray to green foliage.
'Green Cloud' variety more green and vigorous. Purple,
pink or white flowers bloom sporadically spring through fall.
Can be grown as a hedge, but shearing reduces flowers.
Needs well-drained soil. Full sun; leggy and poor flowering in shade.
Evergreen but cold-deciduous.
Hardy to 10°F if not watered or fertilized in fall.
USDA hardiness zones 8-10.
Mahonia haematocarpa:
Red Berry Mahonia
A slow growing shrub to 6-10' high and as wide.
Green, holly-like, spiny leaves make this a good
barrier plant to be kept far away from walkways. Fragrant
yellow blossoms in late winter and spring.
Abundant, edible, red berries in late summer attract birds.
Needs well-drained soil. Full sun to light shade.
Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 5-9.
Mahonia trifoliolata (berberis trifoliolata) is similar,
but has USDA hardiness zones 7-11.
Mimosa dysocarpa:
Velvetpod Mimosa
Slowly grows to 6' high and as wide as a sprawling,
rangy shrub. Green, acacia-like leaves on stems with
many large thorns. Keep away from walkways and/or
trim back. Fragrant bottlebrush flowers, bright pink
aging to white, often with pink and white stripes.
Blooms in summer. Velvet seed pods. Attracts butterflies
and pollinating insects. Birds, especially quail, eat
seeds. Needs well-drained soil. Drought tolerant. Full sun
to part shade. Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 8-10.
Rhamnus ilicifolia:
Hollyleaf Redberry
A very attractive shrub or small tree that slowly
grows to 12' tall and nearly as wide depending on water.
Dark green holly-like leaves with soft spines and red stems.
No thorns.
Tiny green flowers bloom in April and May followed by
red berries in fall. Attracts birds. Drought tolerant.
Full sun to light shade.
Too much shade gives plant scraggly appearance.
Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 8-10.
Rhus trilobata:
Three-Leaf Sumac
A slow grower to 6' high and 9' wide.
Leaves, clustered as three leaflets, smooth or fuzzy, have
an unpleasant smell when crushed. Plant is not grazed by
wildlife. Leaves turn red in the fall. Tiny yellow flowers,
often unnoticed, bloom in late winter before leaf-out.
Edible, hairy, reddish berries can be used to make a
lemonade-like drink. Attracts birds. This plant can exist
on rainfall alone and needs no maintenance. Flexible stems
can be used to make Christmas wreaths or baskets. If plant
appears scraggly after four or five years, cut it to the
ground and it will regrow into a neat, symmetrical shape.
Very drought tolerant. Full sun. Deciduous.
USDA hardiness zones 4-9.
Rhus virens:
Evergreen Sumac
A good-looking shrub with a moderate growth rate 3'
to 12' tall and as wide depending on water. Dark, glossy
green leaves. Small white honey-scented flowers, slightly
clustered, bloom late summer. Attracts butterflies.
Red berries in fall attract birds. Can be trimmed as a hedge.
Drought tolerant but accepts supplemental water. Full sun to
light shade. Evergreen. USDA hardiness zones 8b-10.
Shepherdia argentea:
Silver Buffalo Berry
Typically grows 6-10' tall, and nearly twice as wide.
Grows taller under ideal conditions. Silver-green leaves.
Separate male and female plants. Female plants produce tiny
clustered yellow flowers in spring that attract butterflies.
Showy, yellow to red berries, edible if cooked, are attractive
to birds. Roots are nitrogen-fixing and will sucker in moist
soil to produce a thicket. Do not fertilize. A tough plant
that grows under a wide variety of conditions. Has thorns.
Makes an impenetrable hedge. Drought tolerant. Full sun or
light shade.
In USDA zone 8, may need shade from southern and western
sun or a north-east facing slope.
Deciduous. USDA hardiness zones 2-8.
