Common name:Mexican Feather Grass, Needlegrass
Botanical name:Nassella tenuissima
Soft, flexible foliage move with a breeze. Grows to 2'. Goes somewhat dormant during summer but green spring & fall. Prefers a sunny, well-drained site. This plant can be invasive in some areas, so use caution. Native to N. Mexico, Tx, Mex & Arg 5-8000'. To keep reseeding to a minimum, drip irrigation will be best. Cut back in early spring to remove dormant foliage and dried seed heads. Can also tolerate dry shade. 14" x 10" Finest textured of ornamental grasses. Very dr tolerant. Cool Grower
Common name:Mexican Palo Verde, Jerusalem Thorn
Botanical name:Parkinsonia aculeata
Prickly stems. Very fast growing with sparse foliage & very long narrow leaves. Yellow flowers with orange red throats spring for month+. Very messy, thorny, weedy & shortlived. Usually found on limestone soils in areas with moisture but is strongly drought tolerant. Withstands saline conditions. Can be cold or drought deciduous. Half hardy to Dallas. Light airy tree. Green bark.
Common name:Kiwi Libertia
Botanical name:Libertia peregrinans
Libertia peregrinans is a perennial. Grows to 2 ft. high, and 1 ft. wide. Narrow, stiffly errect olive green leaves have an orange to brownish orange center stripe. Branching clusters of inch-wide flowers on stems shorter than leaves.
Common name:Our Lord's Candle
Botanical name:Yucca whipplei
Stemless, it produces dense clusters of rigid, gray-green lvs 12-18" long. Its drooping, bell-shaped flowers appear on large, branched spikes 3-6'. Plants die after blooming, much like agaves, but only individual rosettes will die off, others in in clump will continue to live & eventually bloom. Overall plant grows 3' x 6'. Native Calif. into Baja usually in chaparral 1-4000'. Prefers well drained soil. Drought tolerant but will lose lower leaves with extended drought. Great accent. Sharp
Sustainable landscaping is a term coined to mean sensible landscape practices that work within the limits of the Eco-system. This means within the limits of your local rainfall, soil conditions and sun patterns.
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| Designer: Jill Salmon: Apache Gardens | Towering Grasses |
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.
Be sure to fix all leaks promptly no matter how small they may seem.
Remove irrigation water and fertilizer from areas where you don't want weeds to grow.
