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:Blue Sage Allen Chickering
Botanical name:Salvia X clevelandii 'Allen Chickering'
The 'Allen Chickering' is a California native sage, growing as an evergreen shrub to 5' x 5'. It bears rounded whorls of light lavender blue flowers that appear in skewered clusters in spring and often again in fall. The leaves are dark green. The plant does best when cut back after flowering to prevent seed formation. Does best with some afternoon shade.
Common name:Alligator Bark Juniper
Botanical name:Juniperus deppeana
A tree with scale like leaves, this juniper can reach a size of 40' high and 30' wide. The distinctive bark is hard, dark brown gray, cracked into small square plates, thus resembling alligator skin. Orange pollen fills the air in winter, which causes strong allergic reactions for some people. Irrigate weekly after the Juniper is established, especially during the summer. Flowers are inconspicuous. This tree is very slow growing and thus suited for a patio or in a container.
Designer: Wynn Anderson | UTEP Campus 19 |
Photographer: GardenSoft |
Physical weed control, including mulching, or hand removal protects the watershed from harmful chemicals.
Water-wise plants can be beautiful as well as practical.
Ask at your local nursery for the types of plants that have minimal watering needs.
Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.