Common name:Brittlebush
Botanical name:Encelia farinosa
Silvery gray mounding shrub grows to 3' x 4'. Yellow daisylike flowers appear winter to spring. Short lived individual plants but will reseed easily. Good for naturalistic landscapes. Rapid growth following rain. Overgrown and fragile if overwatered. Seeds attract birds. Native to Sonoran & Mojave deserts.
Common name:Arizona Rosewood
Botanical name:Vauquelinia californica
Large evergreen shrub or small tree grows slowly to 10' x 8'. Single or multi-trunked. Great as a screen hedge or small shade tree. Clusters of small white flowers in early summer. Accepts full sun to partial shade. Native alternative to oleander. Native to Sonoran Desert.
Designer: Carol Stuttard, Homeowner
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.
Apply a 2" layer of mulch around plants to reduce moisture loss.
Choose organic mulches, such as shredded bark, compost, or aged sawdust.
Inorganic mulches such as gravel are also acceptable.
Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.
