Common name:Beavertail Prickly Pear
Botanical name:Opuntia basilaris
Low, spreading cactus grows at a moderate rate to 1' x 3'. Pads are blue-gray with small brown spines. Flowers are magenta to pink and appear in the spring. This cactus offers vibrant spring color to your yard. Accepts reflected sun. Native to the Sonoran and Mojave deserts.
Common name:Compass Barrel
Botanical name:Ferocactus cylindraceus
Globe-shaped cactus grows slowly to 2' x 1-1/2'. Stem is medium green and spines are red/yellow. Flowers are yellow to orange and apper late spring to early summer. Good for naturalistic landscapes. Accepts reflected sun. Native to Sonoran and Mojave deserts.
Common name:Red Yucca
Botanical name:Hesperaloe parviflora
Upright rosettes grow quickly to 3' x 5' wide. Spectacular accent for desert landscape. Leaves are dark green and strap-like. Coral red flower spikes emerge in spring & remain on plant till end of summer. Tolerates tough conditions including reflected heat and frost. Attracts humingbirds. Native to western Texas and northeastern Mexico.
Designer:
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.
Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.
