Common name:Mexican or Texas Needle Grass
Botanical name:Nassella tenuissima
The Mexican Fan Grass is a beautiful, fine, airy grass that is emerald green in color. It has many soft yellow-beige flower stalks in the spring. This grass grows 1' x 2' and is drought tolerant.
Common name:Mountain Agave
Botanical name:Agave montana
This medium-sized artichoke-like agave reaches a mature size of 3' x 5'. Leaves are glossy green to light green, with large teeth and a terminal spine. Highly toothed leaf margins leave distinctive prints on other leaves. Very tolerant of cold, heat, drought , and poor soils. Can be planted in full sun,although partial shade is best in the low desert. Native to NE Mexico.
Common name:Red Yucca
Botanical name:Hesperaloe parviflora
Upright rosettes grow quickly to 3' x 5' wide. Spectacular accent for desert landscape. Leaves are dark green and strap-like. Coral red flower spikes emerge in spring & remain on plant till end of summer. Tolerates tough conditions including reflected heat and frost. Attracts humingbirds. Native to western Texas and northeastern Mexico.
Common name:Palo Verde Desert Museum
Botanical name:Parkinsonia 'Desert Museum'
This semievergreen tree will grow quickly to 25' x 25'. It has a beautiful vase-shape and makes a makes a nice specimin tree. Bright yellow blooms appear from spring through summer. There is seasonal leaf and flower litter. Overwatering may cause imbs to break. Look for selections that offer a vareity of bark colors and textures and thornless selections.
Common name:Italian Cypress
Botanical name:Cupressus sempervirens
This narrow tree will grow to about 25' tall and has small, green, scaled leaves.
Common name:Gold Mound Lantana
Botanical name:Lantana 'Gold Mound'
This mounding groundcover can reach 3' tall and has small, leathery green leaves with very round golden yellow flowers. Attracts butterflies.
Common name:Green Cloud Texas Ranger
Botanical name:Leucophyllum frutescens 'Green Cloud'
Selected from the wild in Cameron City, TX. Chosen for dark green leaves and purple violet flowers. Has largest leaves of the clones and is a frequent summer flowerer. Fast and relatively carefree. Also one of the largest of growers. Good for low maintenance gardens with low water requirements. Must have well drained soil.
Common name:Texas Mountain Laurel
Botanical name:Sophora secundiflora
Large evergreen shrub or small tree grows slowly to 8' x 6'. Dense glossy foliage. Large purple clusters of wisteria like flowers appear in spring and smell like grape bubblebum. Light tan pods follow blooms and contain bright red seeds. Seeds are poisonous but extremely hard. Thornless & drops very little leaf litter. Susc. to caterpillars. Lush looking. Native to Chihuahuan Desert.
Designer: Sallie Homan | Oasis Garden 3 |
Photographer: GardenSoft |
Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.
Remember to check your irrigation system at least once a month, especially your valves, sprinkler heads, and drip emitters.
Drip and other smart irrigation delivers water directly to roots, allowing no excess water for weeds.