Common name:Amur Maple
Botanical name:Acer ginnala

This plant is a broad crowned tree with attractive foliage. The small medium green, deeply lobed leaves turning brillant orange-red to wine-red in fall. Small, panicles of very fragrant creamy white flowers come in the spring. It can be grown as either a single or multi-stemmed tree. Its irregular growth habit creates an interesting silhouette. It will become chlorotic if planted in alkaline soils. Good in full sun. -Fort Collins Nursery

Common name:Brittlebush, Desert Encelia
Botanical name:Encelia farinosa

Gray mounding shrub 3' x 3'. White if very dry. Bright yellow 1" daisies spring and summer. Sonoran & Mojave deserts on sandy or gravelly soils. Rapid growth following rain. Short lived individual plants but will reseed to maintain populations. Drought dormant. Deciduous. Damaged in mid 20s. Good in hottest areas. Lance or ovate leaves. Aphids will attack as will flea beetles. Careful of root rot in heavy soils. Overgrown and fragile if overwatered.

Dealing With Drought

More than half of the water used at your home is for outside purposes. Studies show that on average, half of the water used outdoors is wasted. The leading cause of waste is incorrectly set and poorly managed irrigation controllers. The second biggest cause of wastage is broken irrigation equipment that goes undetected. There are a few basic things you can do to make a big difference in your water use.

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