Common name:Mexican Palo Verde, Jerusalem Thorn
Botanical name:Parkinsonia aculeata
Light, airy tree with prickly stems and green bark. Very fast growing with sparse foliage & very long narrow leaves. Yellow flowers with orange red throats spring for at least a month. This is a messy and shortlived palo verdy. Usually found on limestone soils in areas with moisture but is strongly drought tolerant. Withstands saline conditions. Can be cold or drought deciduous.
Common name:Arizona Cypress Blue Ice
Botanical name:Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Ice'
Arizona native conifer tree grows at a moderate rate to 50' x 20' wide. Foliage has a distinct silvery blue cast. Accepts full sun. Is drought tolerant and resistant to wind. Needs good drainage.
Designer: El Paso Desert Botantical Gard | El Paso Desert Botantical Gardens 8 |
Photographer: GardenSoft |
Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.
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.