Master Plant Descriptions

PLANT DATABASE This information is for everyone to use to promote dissemination of what we believe to be correct.
We do not grow everything on these lists all of the time but are providing information often difficult to find.
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Mountain Man will show you scales of plants denotes plants usually in production

Fire Bush Fast grower to 25' in frost free areas and with some additional moisture. Leaves can be gray green to bright green. Flowers in clusters from pink to red and are very abundant during summer. Evergreen in warm areas. Fruit is small and dark purple. Can survive in colder areas but will be killed to the ground. Mexican native. Sun, reflected heat or some shade. Zone 9.

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Evergreen. Gray barked large shrub or small tree. Moderately fast to 30' by 12'. Feathery compound leaves. Flowers are small white puffballs in late spring and early summer or after rains. Often blooms more than once a year. Native in South Texas and NE Mexico. Drought resistant. Full sun, reflected heat to part shade. Showy in bloom. Some frost damage to young plants. Zone 8.

Low growing to about 1'. Gray green shiny but prickly leaves. Can become a clump 3' across. Moderately fast grower. Native along west coast of Mexico. Full or part sun. Good drainage. Can be damaged by hard freezes.

Dune sunflower is a fast-growing perennial that will grow to about 18" tall by 2-3' wide. Large, 3" yellow flowers bloom heaviest through the warm months, but also blooms intermittently during the rest of the year. Plants are adaptable to wet, coastal climates, or arid situations with supplemental irrigation.

Upright, irregular sunflower to 10' tall by 3' wide. Flowers appear primarily in spring and summer, and show 3" wide yellow-gold blooms. Plants can survive with little irrigation, but look better with an occasional watering throughout the warm season. Cut to ground each winter

Evergreen blue clumping grass grows 12-18 in. tall and wide. Showy flowers 1-2 ft. above the foliage. Looks good alone as well as in mass plantings. Likes dry hill sides and is drought tolerant. Mediterranean native. Not well adapted to low desert.

Bell Flower Hesperaloe The foliage and form of Bell flower hesperaloe closely resemble Hesperaloe funifera. This spiky accent plant has stiff, ½" wide, lime green leaves, with white fibers along the margins. However, it is a smaller species, growing to only 3 feet tall and wide. In the summer it sends up a tall spike of light pink flowers that attract hummingbirds. Plant bell-flowered hesperaloe in full sun and well drained soil. Native to Nuevo Leon, Mexico, this plant is hardy to 10 º F. USDA Zone 8.

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Giant Hesperaloe is an excellent, low-maintenance accent plant with a bold, striking form. This clumping, stemless, upright plant grows to 6' tall and wide. Giant Hesperaloe has stiff, broad, lime green leaves with coarse white fibers along the margins. In the summer it blooms, sending up a 12-15' tall flower spike of creamy white flowers. Giant Hesperaloe should be planted in full sun and well-drained soil. It tolerates reflected heat exposures like a champ, and is hardy to 0° F. USDA Zone 7.

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Night-blooming Hesperaloe If you're a night owl, this is the plant for you! While the rest of us are snug in our beds, you can watch the flowers open. You'll need a ladder, though, because the flower spikes are over 12 feet tall. This accent plant looks like a cross between Hesperaloe parviflora and Nolina microcarpa. The dense rosette of narrow leaves can form a clump to 5 feet tall by 6 feet across. The narrow, grasslike, light green leaves are up to 4 feet long. They are deeply channeled, with fine white threads along the margins. It is a summer bloomer, producing small, greenish-lavender flowers. Use Hesperaloe nocturna in part shade or full sun, in well-drained soil. Although it is quite drought tolerant, a thorough watering every two weeks during the warm months is recommended. Removal of the spent flower spikes is the only maintenance required. Night-blooming Hesperaloe is hardy to 15° F. USDA Zone 8.

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Red Yucca Armchair gardeners rejoice! Hesperaloe parviflora is one of the most carefree plants you'll find, and it produces long-lasting flower spikes throughout the summer. The common red-flowering plants have been a staple in southwestern landscapes for years, but the yellow-flowering selection is a more recent introduction. The two flower colors make a stunning combination! Hesperaloe parviflora forms a three-foot clump of stiff, leathery, grey-green leaves. The tubular flowers attract hummingbirds. This tough plant thrives in full sun, reflected heat, and even tolerates some light shade if drainage is adequate. Hesperaloe parviflora also makes a great container plant, and is a clean choice for pool areas.This native of Texas and northern Mexico tolerates temperatures to -20° F. USDA Zone 5.

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Red yucca is a spectacular accent for desert gardens anywhere. Plants tolerate drought, full sun, reflected heat, poor soils, and cold down to at least 0f. Red yucca forms rosettes of leaves to about 3-4' tall by 6' wide. The yellow flower stalks emerge in spring and remain on the plant until the end of summer.

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'Moy Grande' is a unique variety of hibiscus, since its open-faced pink flowers can reach 12" across. This hibiscus is surprisingly root-hardy as well, able to survive even in zone 5 winters. 'Moy Grande' can reach a mature size of about 5' tall and wide. Does well in full sun to partial shade, and thrives in the heat. Rich, moist soil is ideal for healthy growth and heavy flowers. The largest flowered perennial rose mallow hibiscus in existence was bred by Mr.Ying Doon Moy formerly of the San Antonio Botanical Garden. It is a cross between Hibiscus grandiflorus and Hibiscus mocheutos. Hardy to –20° F. USDA Zone 5.

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Big Galleta is a perennial, shrub-like grass most often used for revegetation and erosion control. This native of North America usually occurs in sandy soils up to 5000 feet in elevation. It has a rough appearance; with coarse blue-green leaves forming a dense clump to 3 feet tall by 4 feet wide. From spring through fall it produces slender, dense spikes of greenish flowers. Big galetta is fast growing, long-lived, very drought tolerant, and hardy to 10° F. It should be planted in full sun and well-drained soil, and cut to the ground every few years. Be aware that this grass is allergenic. USDA Zone 8.

This is an outstanding perennial, providing a splash of gold all year in low desert gardens. It is native to rocky slopes and dry mesas across the Southwest, at elevations ranging from 4000 to 7000 feet, and is hardy to -20° F. At higher elevations, the color will be concentrated in the summer months. This compact, dense little perennial forms a clump of slender green leaves to 12 inches tall by 15 inches wide. Yellow-gold, daisy-like blossoms perch above the foliage on tall, leafless stems. Angelita daisy should be planted in full sun and well-drained soil. Expect it to go dormant when temperatures drop below about 10° F. Because this colorful beauty has such a long bloom period, old seed heads can cause it to look scruffy from time to time. You should remove spent flowers every few months to keep the plants looking fresh and new flowers forming. USDA Zone 5.

Desert Lavender Durable desert shrub 6-10' tall x 6-12' wide. Grey foliage contrasts well with clusters of violet-purple flowers spring thru winter. Can exist on rainfall alone but will accept supplemental water to speed up growth. Slightly frost tender. Leaves are powder gray. Full sun & heat tolerant. Drought resistant. May need to be sheared to maintain compact habit. Native to hot dry slopes to 3000' in low & intermediate areas Sonoran desert. Upright grower. Well drained site. Harden for winter. Zone 8.