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.
If there are any errors, please email the webmaster at the bottom of the page so that we can correct it for everyone.

Mountain Man will show you scales of plants denotes plants usually in production

Ravenna Grass Burned out on Pampas grass? Ravenna grass, native to the Mediterranean and Africa, makes a great alternative. It has a large, bold silhouette, showy flower spikes, and is even hardier than Pampas grass, down to -10° F. During warm weather it quickly forms a 5 foot clump of 1 inch wide, medium green leaves. In the summer, 12 to 14 foot flower spikes develop, and shimmering creamy silver plumes appear in August and September. The foliage and flower spikes of this impressive grass turn a dramatic copper color in the winter months. Clumps can be sheared back in early spring. This adaptable grass thrives in both cold climates and the intense heat of low deserts, although it requires long warm summers for flower development. Reseeding can become a nuisance in very warm regions, so drip irrigation is recommended. It seems to thrive in any soils. The flower spikes are coveted for fresh and dried arrangements. Use it as a background screen for smaller shrubs and grasses. USDA Zone 6.

Coyote Willow is an extremely hardy large shrub or small tree that can grow to 15' tall by about 6' wide. Native from 4500 - 9000' across most of the Southwest, Coyote Willow is at home along riverbanks and areas of ample moisture. This plant can tolerate any kind of soil or climate, as long as adequate water is available. This plant is great for erosion control and use on disturbed soils. Leaves are long, narrow, silvery then light green. Great winter color from twigs. Zone 4.

The black willow is a deciduous tree that grows 20-30 ft. tall . It can be defined by its narrow light green leaves. This tree is native to California and is drought tolerant. The black willow is a beneficial insect plant. Zone 6.

Low mounding perennial with long bloom spreads by underground runners. Produces a small, silvery foliage which serves as a background for bright blue flowers. Bruised leaves have spicy fragrance. Native to eastern Mexico 7-9000' in desert habitat Grows to mature size of 2' tall and wide. Heaviest bloom in spring and early fall, intermittent throughout the rest of the season. Full sun, well drained site. No fertilizer. Drought tolerant. Zone 8.

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Chaparral Sage Native to the coastal chaparral zone of southern California, this evergreen shrub has performed extremely well in both low and middle deserts. In very hot climates, plant chaparral sage in situations where it will have some relief from the summer sun. Allow plenty of room for this plant to grow, as it can reach a mature size in excess of 5 feet tall by 6 feet wide. The soft gray-green foliage of chaparral sage is extremely aromatic. The flower spikes are this plants most striking feature, with clusters of blue-violet flowers stacked like shish-kebobs along the spike. Salvia clevelandii also attracts butterflies and hummingbirds into the garden. Chaparral sage requires well-drained soil, and is hardy to 10º F. USDA Zone 8.

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Native to a mountainous region of Mexico, this little evergreen salvia provides spectacular color in the fall and spring months. This profuse bloomer produces blue-purple flowers that attract hummingbirds. Low-growing and somewhat sprawling, this herbaceous perennial grows to about 2 feet tall by 2-3 feet wide. Salvia coahuilensis is similar in appearance to Salvia chamaedryoides, but has greener foliage. It prefers light shade in the low deserts, and is the perfect size to plant under mesquites and palo verdes. Prune back heavily in the winter to provide more stems for spring blossoms. It is hardy to 20° F. USDA Zone 9.

Scarlet Sage For vivid red color in shady locations, scarlet sage is hard to beat. In the spring and fall, hummingbirds feast on the nectar in its brilliant red blossoms. Growing to a mature size of 2-3 feet tall by 4 feet wide, this plant can become very weedy and rangy, requiring regular pruning to keep it looking good. Also, be aware that scarlet sage reseeds readily. In cold climates, it acts like an annual, so this reseeding comes in handy! Native to Texas and Mexico, this plant tolerates most soils, including clay soils. The lush green leaves are cold-tender, burning back in the mid-20's. We also grow another selection of Salvia coccinea, called 'Peaches and Cream', which has a bicolored flower of, you guessed it, peach and cream. In all other respects, it looks and acts like the scarlet sage. USDA Zone 9.

Desert Sage The combination of silver foliage and round clusters of blue-purple flowers make Desert sage a lovely little ornamental. Desert sage is adapted to a wide range of temperatures, growing from 2000 to 7000 foot elevations in Nevada, Arizona, and California. It is hardy to 10°F, yet handles the heat in low deserts better than most salvias. This aromatic shrub is evergreen, with small, rounded silver leaves growing along stiff branches. Desert sage only grows to about 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide, and fits into most landscape situations. In the late winter and spring the plant is covered with whorls of blue flowers. Plant Desert sage in full sun and extremely well drained soil. USDA Zone 8.

Mealy Cup Sage This clone is quite different from the selections of Salvia farinacea sold as bedding plants. This native of Texas is a long-lived, colorful perennial that thrives in tough desert climates. This petite perennial grows to two to three feet tall and wide, with a sprawling, relaxed form. The herbaceous stems are lined with narrow, bright green leaves. Spectacular flower spikes are produced from spring through fall, attracting hummingbirds to the garden. These spikes are densely packed with rich violet-blue flowers, and the soft white hairs covering the calyx create a stunning contrast of blue and silver. Texas Violet™ is hardy to 0° F, recovering quickly in the spring. Regular summer irrigation will maintain lush foliage and enhance flower production. This clone is not fussy about soil type, growing well in sand or clay. This clone was discovered by botanist Greg Starr of Tucson. USDA Zone 7.

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Autumn Sage This clone of autumn sage was our attempt to select a plant with more heat tolerance. While it handles the Phoenix summers better than any other selection we have found, it still requires some protection from intense afternoon sun. It works well on east exposures, and can even handle full shade, although flower production will be limited. In the spring and fall this small 3-foot shrub blooms profusely with small hot pink flowers, attracting hummingbirds and humans alike. The small, glossy, dark green leaves of this plant make it a nice addition to the oasis zone of a garden. Pruning off old flower spikes enhances blooming, and nitrogen fertilization helps to carry plants through the summer heat. It is hardy to 0º F. USDA Zone 7.

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Mexican Bush Sage It's hard to keep your hands off of this plant when it's in bloom! The purple flower spikes are soft and velvety, and its narrow gray-green leaves have wooly white undersides, making Mexican bush sage a great plant to include in a sensory garden. Growing to at least 4 feet tall and wide, this salvia prefers some light shade, even at higher elevations. It also seems to handle heavy soils better than other salvias. In the Phoenix area this plant will look stressed if it doesn't receive adequate irrigation during the summer months. Mexican bush sage freezes back at 25° F. A severe pruning (to the ground!) in early spring will remove any frost damaged foliage and encourage fresh growth. USDA Zone 9.

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This is a 3 way hybrid between Salvia mojavensis, clevelandii and dorrii. The first cross was between S. clevelandii and S. mojavensis. The resulting plant was then crossed to S. dorrii. It keep the interesting flowering spikes of the cleveland but introduces compactness. Flowers are dark cobalt blue and while not large are showy. This salvia is one that has done well in the low desert where many have met their death. The three thumbnails above represent Salvia x 'Trident', Salvia dorrii var. dorrii and the second parent the cross of S. clevelandii and of S. mojavensis. Where death is often the result of planting any of these three species in the low desert, salvia lovers are going to find a friend in this plant. The bloom season is long and the plant is undemanding. Zone 6.

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Gray Santolina Gray leaves tightly arranged on gray stems. Flowers are yellow buttons appearing above foliage. There are several compact selections of this plant. Full sun to maintain tight habit.

Green Santolina Low evergreen border or ground cover plant. Good for rock garden. Delicate fine textured bright green aromatic foliage. Mediterranean native. Yellow button like flowers can be removed to maintain good form.

Deciduous extremely adaptable tree to 40'. Slow to moderate. Often forms bosque of trees. Fine small tree for small spaces. Native Az to Tx. Full sun. Drought resistant. Seed may be poisonous. Can form large groves of one sex by rhizomes. Crown of clean pinnately compound leaves forms upright oval. Attractive creamy white late spring to summer. Females have panicles of small translucent yellow orange drupes. Good Yellow Fall Color.

California Pepper Fast-growing evergreen tree that will mature to a height of 25-40' and as wide. Its bright green leaves are divided into many narrow, 1 1/2-2" long leaflets. Pruning is necessary to maintain form. Rosy berries in fall. Tree will prevent other plants from growing underneath it. The foliage can cause skin irritations in some. Prone to Texas Root Rot.

Brazilian Pepper Evergreen medium sized tree to 30'. Moderate to fast growing. Foliage is pinnately compound and dark shiny green. On female trees in fall, bright red berry-like fruit. Fruit persists all winter. Brazil. Full sun. Good Drainage.

Feathery Cassia An evergreen shrub that grows to 4-6' tall and wide. It has leaves that are narrowly pinnate, forming feathery sprays of silvery foliage. Its showy yellow flowers appear at branch tips from late winter through early summer. A very tough plant, this variety will survive under desert conditions or near the coast. It will even tolerate clay soils if kept dry during the summer. The plant is damaged below 20 degrees F.

Native in Baja and Sonora. Dark green shrub reaching 5' at maturity. Deciduous. Long blooming period spring thru fall. 1" bright yellow flowers usually in pairs. Full sun. Roots are quite hardy. Needs well drained soil.

Dark green foliage, Evergreen. Fall flowering with golden yellow flowers. Will not tolerate overwatering.

Hardy evergreen shrub to 3' tall by 2' wide. The oval leaflets of this plant are covered with soft, velvety hairs. Plants are very drought tolerant, but will grow more rapidly with supplemental irrigation.

Desert Cassia This is a hardy, evergreen shrub that will grow to 5-6' tall and wide. The green foliage of this plant differentiates it from other cassias. Abundant clusters of yellow flowers appear from late winter to spring.

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Outback Cassia Many people have remarked that the coloration of this attractive shrub is similar to manzanita. Outback cassia, an Australian native, has glossy green leaves and red stems. It grows to about 5 feet tall and wide, with a rounded form. In the springtime it is covered with yellow flowers, followed by decorative reddish-bronze seedpods. Outback cassia should be planted in full sun and well-drained soil. It doesn't appear to be acclimated to cool, moist climates, but loves our hot dry heat. Its cold tolerance hasn't been determined, but it is probably hardy to the mid 20's F. USDA Zone 9.

Silver Cassia A compact shrub to 3-5', it bears shiny, silver grey phyllodes. It has a compact, wispy appearance. Its showy, small dark yellow flowers appear in branched terminal clusters December thru April. It should receive sun to part shade with little or no summer watering. The plant performs best with good drainage. It is damaged below 20 degrees F. Australian.

Native on coastal mesas and plains in Baja. Dark blue green foliage. Compound leaves 2-4 paris of broadly oval thick, leathery leaflets. Bark is gray black. Bright yellow 3/4" flowers February thru April and Sept thru November. Full sun. for richly colored foliage and flowers. Well drained site and some additional water. Harden off in fall. Below 38f can damage. Naturally a compact grower.

Scarlet Wisteria Tree can grow as a large shrub or small tree to 10' tall and wide. Foliage is medium to light green, pinnate, and reminiscent of a Honey Locust. Orange to red pea flowers are produced in 8" long spikes from late spring through summer. Plants are adaptable to any soil type, but require frequent irrigation to grow well. Can be an invader in areas that are hot and receive ample precipitation. Full sun to partial shade. Native to Argentina.

One of the more widely cultivated Cassias native to the Americas, this winter-deciduous shrub differs from its Australian counterparts in that it blooms from early summer well into the fall months. The bright yellow flowers are quite showy, formed in clusters on the branch tips. The foliage consists of compound leaves formed on spurs with 3 to 7 bright green leaflets. The rather woody form is rounded, growing to 5 or more feet high. It is very heat and drought tolerant and blooms more profusely if the shrub is allowed to become very dry and then watered thoroughly. Hardy to 10° F. USDA Zone 8

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Succulent prostrate groundcover rapid to 5" high and 3' across. Long flowering season during warm months. Small pink flowers. Extreme heat tolerant and sun tolerant. Will not tolerate foot traffic.

Herbaceous. Rapid grower in warmer areas. Succulent leaves are rich purple on fleshy stems. Small flowers are pink, lavender or purple. Mexican native. It will grow in the low desert in sun or shade. Frost can take it to the ground.

Jojoba Evergreen, extremely tough, durable, tolerates exposures full sun, heat to part shade. Seed grown forms vary widely. Good wildlife food. Dark gray-green & leathery leaves. Slow to moderate growth rate. Very drought tolerant. Can be as large as 8' tall x 10' possibly larger. Densely branched. Foliage damaged in low 20s killed below 15f. Dioecious. 5-5000' on gravelly slopes S Arizona, California, Baja. Accepts pruning. Tolerant of adversity.

Jojoba has long been a favorite shrub for desert landscapes. This Arizona native is evergreen, extremely tough and durable, and tolerates exposures from full sun and reflected heat to part shade. Seed-grown jojoba vary widely in mature size and form, although most of them can reach a size of 6-8 feet tall by 8-10 feet wide, especially if ample water is available. 'Vista' is a compact, dense, smaller selection of jojoba, and is vegetatively propagated to maintain these characteristics. Jojoba fruit contain a liquid wax, which is extracted for use in cosmetics and other products. Wildlife also feed on the brown seed. Jojoba is hardy to 15° F. USDA Zone 8.

Small deciduous unarmed multi-trunked tree. In full sun reaches 10-12' tall resembling umbrella. Foliage dark lustrous green & fernlike. Blooms pale pink-lav wisteria flowers marked with cream yellow in E Spring after leaves in 6" racemes. Can grow in sun or as an understory tree. In dense woods, can be vinelike. Seeds resemble black eyed peas follow & hang like necklaces. Finer leaved, larger and faster than secundiflora and easier to transplant in winter than secundiflora.

Texas Mountain Laurel If you catch a whiff of grape bubble gum on the air in February and early March, look around to see if there is a blooming Texas mountain laurel nearby. The large purple clusters of wisteria-like flowers look as good as they smell! Most Texas mountain laurels have glossy green foliage, providing a perfect foil for these showy blossoms. 'Silver Peso', a clone with silver-grey foliage, is occasionally found in the nursery trade. Texas mountain laurel is evergreen, thornless, and is one of the cleanest small trees around. It is a good choice for patio areas, growing slowly to 15 feet tall and wide. This popular tree is often difficult to find in large sizes, so you might have to plant a five or fifteen gallon and wait patiently for it to develop a canopy. Deep, infrequent summer irrigation will encourage faster growth. One word of caution: this plant produces thick, hard seed pods which contain poisonous orange-red seeds. However, the seed pods are very difficult to break open. (I finally broke one open by jumping up and down on it repeatedly.) If you're concerned about the seeds, simply clip off the seed pods before they mature. Texas mountain laurel is very cold hardy, to 10º F. USDA Zone 8.

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Large purple clusters of wisteria like flowers smelling of grape bubblegum. Silver-grey foliage. Evergreen. Thornless and one of the cleanest trees around. Deep infrequent summer irrigations will encourage faster growth. Seeds are poisonous but extremely hard. Grows slowly to a mature size of about 15' tall and wide.

Unarmed, evergreen shrub to nine feet. Quite tender. Flowers in summer in terminal racemes of bright yellow, pea like. Leaves densely pubescent with a gray hue.

Large clumping grass can reach about 6' tall & wide. Native across much of North America, Quebec west to Dakotas, south to Arizona, Florida, & Mexico. Striking accent with green to blue-green foliage that will color to yellow-orange in the fall. Flower panicles late summer to early fall are copper-colored. Extremely tolerant of cold, widely adaptable. Provides erosion control, great dried flowers and good for livestock. Best in full sun. Drought tolerant when established.

Globe Mallow Celebrate spring with a rainbow of colors by establishing a population of Globe mallow in your garden! This native perennial has a relaxed, sprawling form that mixes well with other desert plants. Although a light orange flower color is the most common, other color selections have been made from wild populations, ranging from white to lavender to pink to red. So far, one cutting-grown clone is available, Louis Hamilton™, which has large watermelon-red blossoms. Our blocks of regular Sphaeralcea ambigua contain a mix of several lovely flower colors. Globe mallow starts to look rangy after flowering, and should be cut back to about six inches tall in the early fall. Soon after, it will generate many fresh herbaceous stems from the woody base, quickly reaching a height and width of three feet in one growing season. The small, grayish-green, three lobed leaves are covered with tiny hairs that can be quite irritating. Be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves when pruning this plant! Globe mallow is hardy to 0º F, and is extremely drought tolerant. It performs best in full sun and reflected heat exposures. USDA Zone 7.

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A showy extremely drought tolerant native perennial with a relaxed sprawling form. Louis Hamilton™ is a cutting grown clone that has watermelon-red flowers. If it starts to look rangy after flowering it can be cut to 6" for a fresh start. This globe mallow has small, grayish green three lobed leaves. It grows best in full sun and will tolerate reflected heat. Hardy to 0°F. USDA zone 7.

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