Landscaping can make any home instantly brighter and more inviting. That being said, it is crucial that you find plants that are tailored to your particular zone and climate. Making sure you have the right plants is key to making sure your landscaping is beautiful year-round. For arid places like Arizona and the American desert areas, plants that require little water are a must. Here are five landscaping shrubs and bushes that fare well in low moisture conditions.
5 Desert Landscaping Shrubs and Bushes For Your Yard
1. Bougainvillea
This low lying plant generally grows to be about 3 feet high to 40 feet tall when fully matured. The plant enjoys full sun and partial sun making it ideal for a few different positions in your landscaping. This vine puts off bright flowers and the foliage is a silvery green. For those that want a pop of color in their landscaping, this is a fantastic option. This is a plant that requires low water and is evergreen so it will stay beautiful all year round. Bougainvillea does have thorns but they are tipped with a black waxy substance and are easily avoidable.
2. Purple Sage
This is a wonderful plant that is part of the sage family but that has purple flowers. It does have the typical sage like leaves but it has purple flowers and a purplish leaf. This is a plant that can grow very large if it is not tended to and if it is not trimmed back ever so often. There are a few different types of purple sage and if you are not sure what type you are looking for, a landscape designer can help you find and plant the variety you want. This is a semi ever green plant and it is not known to blossom during the winter months.
3. Oleander
If you are looking for a lower lying plant this is a wonderful option. The oleander is often referred to as an evergreen shrub or small tree. It is toxic so you should make sure to plant it away from pets that may ingest it. Oleander loves full or reflected sunlight and is perfect for those that want something low lying and low maintenance. It has deep green foliage and is perfect as a space filler in any desert landscaping and the purplish pink flowers are stunning. This is also an ever green plant so it is perfect to keep color in your landscaping even during winter months.
4. Lantana
If you want some fantastic color and have a large space to fill, this is the plant for you. This gets to be about 2 feet high and 4 feet wide at full maturity. The foliage is bright green juxtaposed against the bright red and orange of the blossoms. This plant does attract beautiful wildlife like hummingbirds, other birds, and butterflies that like to eat the nectar of the flowers. Though it attracts wildlife, the leaves are poisonous so you may want to plant it away from pets. The flowers do change over time in color making it a very interesting plant.
5. Ornamental Grass
Ornamental grasses are perfect for desert landscaping because they require very little water, love direct sun, and many are native to the area. Your landscape designer can help you choose which grass is right for you. Some of the most common varieties are monkey grass and pampas grass. Monkey grass is very low lying and does not get extremely large even when untended. Pampas grass, on the other hand, can get up to eight or nine feet tall if you do not trim it.
Though people automatically think cacti when they hear about desert landscaping, there are plenty of wonderful options that you can choose from. Any of the plants listed here and so many more make for wonderful additions to your landscaping. Before you go to a nursery to purchase plants, make sure to consult with a landscape designer such as Blooming Desert to make sure you’re selecting the right plants for your yard.