Common name:Desert Marigold
Botanical name:Baileya multiradiata
Fast growing perennial reaches 1' x 1'. Soft silvery gray leaves. Bright yellow daisy like flowers appear year round. This undemanding plant reseeds easily. Accepts reflected sun. Be careful not to overwater. Native to southwest U.S. and northern Mexico.
Common name:Creosote Bush
Botanical name:Larrea tridentata
Open, angular evergreen shrub grows to 6'x 6'. Dark green, foliage is fragrant after a rain. One of the most abundant plants in the southwest desert. Extremely drought tolerant. Good informal screen. Native to North American deserts.
Common name:Brittlebush, Desert Encelia
Botanical name:Encelia farinosa
This deciduous mounding shrub typically has gray leaves that can reach 3' tall and wide. However, the leaves will turn white in drought conditions. Bright yellow 1" wide daisies appear in spring and summer. There is rapid growth following rain but this shrub is short-lived. Individual plants will reseed to repopulate. It does well in hot areas but cannot tolerate clay soils due to root rot. It will become overgrown and fragile if overwatered. It will suffer frost damage at 25 degrees F.
Designer: Carol Stuttard, Homeowner
Photographer: GardenSoft
Physical weed control, including mulching, or hand removal protects the watershed from harmful chemicals.
Apply a layer of mulch around plants to reduce moisture loss.
Choose organic mulches, such as shredded bark, compost or aged sawdust.
Attract, or buy beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings to control pest outbreaks in your garden.
