Spring in Arizona transforms the landscape. Flowers of all kinds are blooming – some plants for the only time all year. Make time for the botanical garden, a drive to the desert, or a visit to the arboretum this March to catch some of these flowers in bloom.
Native PENSTEMON
Penstemon parryi is our stalwart neon pink showstopper here in the valley. I’ve mentioned it so many times on nextdoor and facebook and my website. It’s a full sun perennial with four foot flower spikes of adorable hot pink flowers. It feeds the native pollinators. It requires less water in summer, not more. And when it’s not blooming, it blends into the landscape as an evergreen groundcover.
I’ve seen it out near Dynamite Blvd on the side of the road. That’s how local this plant is. Many plants in AZ horticulture come from other arid regions of the world, but Parry’s penstemon is from the sonoran desert.
Palmer’s penstemon, coral penstemon, and Penstemon pseudospectibilis get a mention for occasionally being found here in the valley, though not as often as I would like. Does anyone have one of these penstemon, or a different one? Please let me know!
Mexican Evening primrose (Oenothera berlandieri)
The primrose is another flower I’d like to see more often in low desert gardening. With a bit of protection, this colorful small perennial native to the Chihuahuan desert forms a carpet where irrigation is available and blooms light pink nocturnal flowers. They’re airy and informal for those of us who enjoy the meadow look.
This spring I’m trying a planting using mexican primrose and ruellia together. They have a similar level of invasiveness and preference for water, as far as I know. Hopefully I can update in a year from now whether the experiment was a success or not.
If you aren’t a fan of plants that are hard to control, enjoy the spring bloom and be grateful you don’t have these in your yard.
Lady Banks Rose (Rosa banksia)
The queen of Tombstone Arizona, the lady banks rose bursts into bloom for a few short weeks in the spring in a spectacular way. It’s definitely a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of flowering season.
This huge rose vine grows lavishly in the desert. Do not underestimate the amount of space it needs. It loves full sun conditions and just uses the sunshine to fuel more growth. It does need a good amount of water too. This is not a very drought tolerant plant.
The lady banks rose is beautiful but needs a specific place in the landscape. Many yards do not have the space for it. The Boyce Thompson Arboretum has a lovely one. I’m not sure how close it is to blooming at the time of publication.
Available for consultations
I love to teach clients about low desert gardening and help them feel more confident in their gardening. The valley has a unique climate and unique soil, and setting up a thriving garden here requires more forethought and knowledge.
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Paige Maloney | Arizona Landscape Designer 