The selected trees and shrubs showcase just a few of the numerousdesertspeciesthatcan thrive in a desert garden. These choices are based on their common availability at the Garden’s plant sale, nurseries and their strong resilience to heat and droughtconditions.
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Withextendedsummertemperatures exceeding110ºF,it'sessentialtoprepare ourgardensbyprovidingsufficient shade,particularlyforheat-sensitive plants.Utilizingtreesandshrubscan effectivelyshieldheat-sensitivespecies, helpingthemthriveeveninthe swelteringheat.
TheEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyindicates thattheadditionoftreesandlargeshrubscan reducetemperaturesbyasmuchasninedegrees incomparisontoareaslackingshade,thereby creatingafavorable,coolermicroclimate.
Treesandlargeshrubsprovideessential protectionforheat-sensitiveplants,creating shadedenvironmentsthathelpthemendure extendedperiodsofintensesummerheat.
Optfortreesandshrubsthatareadaptedto desertconditions,astheyprovidesustainable solutions.Theseplantsareresilienttoheat, demandlesswaterandrequireminimal maintenance.
Byplantingtreesandshrubstoday,youcanset thestageforyourfutureunderstoryplantsto thriveduringtheintensesummerheat,resulting inaclimate-resilientgarden.
Treescangreatlydifferinheight, rangingfrom16feetandbeyond.It's essentialtoplanfortheirproper placement,astreesformthe foundational"bone"structureofthe entirelandscape.Oncetheymature, theybecomeenduringelementsin yourgarden.
ACACIA ANEURA
Acompacttreeperfectforlimited spaces.Itnaturallyformsa roundedshape,makingitan excellentchoiceforproviding shade.15'talland15'wide.Fullto partialsunlight.Evergreen.
CACALACO
Agreatpatiotreethatwillremain evergreeninwarmareas. A thornlessvarietyisalsooffered. Fast-growingandeasytomaintain. 15'talland15'wide.Fulltopartial sunlight.Semi-evergreen.
CHILOPSIS LINEARIS
Thisstunningtreeisacaptivating enhancementtoyourgarden, offeringessentialshadeduringthe summerwhilesheddingitsleavesin winter.Itgrowsquicklyandrequires minimalupkeep.15-20'talland1015'wide.Fulltopartialsunlight.
Choosingtheappropriate treeforitsdesignated locationiscrucial.When planningwheretoplant, ensurethatthefullygrown treewillcomfortablyfitin youryardwithoutobstructing powerlines,buildings,fences orrooflines.
Atreeadornedwithdeepgreen leaves,aromaticflowersand distinctivezig-zagstems.Once mature,itstandsasastrikingfocal pointinthegarden.30'talland 20'wide.Fullsunlight.Evergreen.
Thisslendertreeisidealfornarrow areasandoffersanelegantlookin anygarden.Itsstrikingwhite, peelingbarkbringsanaddedtouch ofcharm.20'talland10'wide.Full sunlight.Semi-evergreen. EBENOPSIS EBANO
Clickheretowatchthisvideo forguidanceonproper plantingtechniques. Examinetherootsfordefects likecirclingorkinkedroots; straightenorpruneto eliminatetheseissues.
Understandthesignificanceof thetrunkflare.Thisareaserves asthetransitionfromthetrunk totheroots,wherethetrunk widensintotheprimaryroots. Ensurethetrunkflareisvisible andremoveanyexcesssoil thatcoversit.
OLNEYA TESOTA
Thistreeservesasastriking landscapespecimen,providing excellentshadeforbothunderstory plantsandpeople.Itgrowsata slowtomoderatepace.30'talland 25'wide.Fullsunlight.Evergreen.
Confirmthatthetrunkflareis positionednodeeperthanthe soilgrade.
TRUNK FLARE
AFewTipsforCaringfor
YourNewlyPlantedTree
PARKINSONIA X ‘DESERT MUSEUM’
Thishybridboastsattractive characteristicssuchaslarge blooms,rapidgrowth,anextended floweringseasonand,bestofall,it isthorn-free.30'talland30'wide. Fullsunlight.Semi-evergreen.
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PROSOPIS GLANDULOSA
Thisexpansivetreerequiresplenty ofspacetoflourish.Theopenand irregulargrowthpatternbringsa distinctivecharmtoanygarden. 30'talland30'wide.Fullsunlight. Semi-evergreen.
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PROSOPIS VELUTINA
Asprawlingtreewithmultipletrunks thatstandsoutremarkablyinany garden.Itcastsalightshade, creatingaperfectenvironmentfor growingvariousplantsbeneathit. 30'talland30'wide.Fullsunlight. Semi-evergreen.
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Allowyournewlyplanted treetogrowforatleasta yearbeforepruning.Newly plantedtreesrelyontheir leavestoproducefood, whichnourishestheir developingrootsystems.Itis perfectlyacceptableto removedead,diseasedor brokenbranchesatplanting. Wateryourtreesdeeplyand slowlytopromoteastrong rootsystem,enablingthem towithstandanystormsthat mayarise. Afterplanting,removethe nurserytreestake.Staking isn'talwaysnecessaryand canactuallyhindertree growth,leadingtoasmaller rootsystemandaweaker trunk. Ifstakingisnecessary, clickonthisguideforthe beststrategies.
QUERCUS X ‘JOAN LIONETTI’
Thisstunningselectionistailored forthearidsouthwest'sgrowing conditions.Itboastsanupright shapeandasymmetricalcanopy. 30'talland30'wide.Fulltopartial sunlight.Semi-evergreen.
Whatisthebest waytoprunemy youngtreeafterit hasbeeninthe groundformore thanayear?
Properpruningplaysacrucial roleinnurturingayoungtree witharobuststructureand appealingshape.
VACHELLIA FARNESIANA
Adelightfultreeperfectforsmall areas,adornedwithfragrant yellowblossoms.Itprovidesgentle shadeforvariousplants. 20'talland15'wide.Fullsunlight. Semi-evergreen.
ClickonthisguideonPruning YoungTreesfromthe InternationalSocietyof Arboriculture'sTreesareGood.
VITEX AGNUS-CASTUS
Alivelytreeadornedwithfragrant blossomsappearinginlatespring. Itprovidesshadeduringthe summer,yetlosesitsleavesin winter,allowingsunlighttothe plantsbelow.25'talland20'wide. Fulltopartialsunlight.Deciduous.
Shrubscanvarysignificantlyinheight, measuringanywherefromthreefeetup to15feettall.Largershrubscanbe shapedtomimicsmalltrees,providing shadefortheplantsbeneaththem.Think aboutusingtheselargershrubs,pruned intotreeforms,asidealsolutionsfor compactspaces.
HowcanIchoose therightshrub?
Aversatileshrubthatcanalsobe shapedintoasmalltree.Itfeatures crinklywhiteflowersthatbloom throughouttheyear,addingalovely touchtoyourgarden.20'talland 15'wide.Fullsunlight.Evergreen.
Abushyshruborsmalltreefeaturing smoothgreybarkandvibrantyellow flowersthatbloomthroughoutthe summer.10'talland10'wide.Fullto partialsunlight.Semi-evergreen.
CAESALPINIA PULCHERRIMA
Amultifunctionalshrubthataddsa uniquecharmtoyourgarden.It featuresbrilliantorangeflowersthat bloomthroughoutthesummer.12'tall and10'wide.Fullsun.Semi-evergreen.
Choosingasuitablelocation thatoffersenoughspacefor theshrubtoflourishis essential.It'salsoimportantto takeintoaccounttheir sunlightrequirementsto promotehealthygrowthand encourageblooming.
Totransformashrubintoa smalltree,selectlargershrubs thatgrowtoaheightofat leastsixfeetormore.
Anoutstanding,heat-tolerantshrub idealforcreatingprivacyscreens, especiallyincompactareas.Its flowersmaynotbestriking,butthe fruitsprovideseasonalappeal. 15'talland8'wide.Fulltopartial sunlight.Evergreen.
Abreathtakingcenterpieceperfect forgardensinhot,aridregions.The vibrantelectricblueflowersbloom inthesummer,particularlyaftera goodrainfall.20'talland10'wide. Fulltopartialsunlight.Evergreen.
Aguardianofthedesert,thisplant offersadistinctearthyaroma.It naturallyshieldssmallsucculents fromthescorchingsummerheat. 8-10'talland8'wide.Fulltopartial sunlight.Evergreen.
TipsforTransforming ShrubsintoSmallTrees Largeshrubswithcanopies thatextendlowtotheground canbeeasilyandquickly reshapedintosmalltrees.
Startbyidentifyingthelowest branchesontheshrubthatyou wishtokeep. Next,pruneallotherbranches backtothetrunkortrunks. Youmightalsoneedtothinor reducethecanopytoimprove theoverallappearance. Toreducethesize,remove smallbranchesattheirorigin. Forlargerlimbsthatneed shortening,prunebacktoa lateralbranchthatis adequatelysized,atleastonethirdthediameterofthelimb beingcut,totakeonthe terminalrole.
Thisexceptionalshrubboasts silveryleavesandcup-shaped, yellowflowersthatbloomfromfall tospring.Itgrowsquickly,offering shadetoyoursmallerplantsinno time.6'talland6'wide.Fullto partialsunlight.Evergreen.
Aheat-tolerantshrubidealforthe sun-bakedcornersofyourgarden. Itdevelopsaroundedshape,with itsleatheryleavescreatingalush canopy.10'talland10'wide.Fullto partialsunlight.Evergreen.
TECOMA ‘ORANGE JUBILEE’
Avibrantshrubthatgrowsrapidly andflourishesparticularlywellin warmareas.Itsstunningblossoms makeadelightfulshowduringthe warmseason.12'talland6'wide. Fulltopartialsunlight.Semievergreen.
Whenisthebest timetoprunemy floweringshrubto guarantee blooms?
Typically,spring-flowering shrubsshouldbeprunedafter theybloom,sincetheseplants formflowerbudsonlastyear's growth.It'sbesttocompletethis taskbeforethesummerheat setsin. Ontheotherhand,summerand fall-floweringshrubsshouldbe prunedinearlyspring,asthey developflowerbudsonnew growthproducedduringthe currentseason.
Arapidlygrowingshrub,flourishes inwarmconditionsandmaintains itsbloomsevenduringpeakheat, aslongasitisgivenadeep watering.15'talland6'wide.Fullto partialsunlight.Semi-evergreen.
Along-bloomingshrubshowcasing vibrantsunrise-coloredflowers.Itis notonlyheattolerantbutalso exhibitsgreatercoldtolerance comparedtootherTecomas.8'tall and6'wide.Fulltopartialsunlight. Semi-evergreen.
Thisoften-overlookedshrub deservesaspotinthegardendue toitsheattolerance,makingitan idealchoice.Itsdelicatewhite flowersenhancetheoverallbeauty ofyourgarden.15'talland15'wide. Fulltopartialsunlight.Evergreen.
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OtherEssentialTipsfor CaringforTreesand Shrubs
Desert-adaptedtreesand shrubsflourishwithoutthe needforextrafertilizers,as thenativesoilgenerally suppliesalltheessential nutrientsrequiredforhealthy growth. Keepinmindthatexcessive pruningcanleadtoplant decline,reducedflowering, anderraticgrowthpatterns. Avoidremovingmorethan25 percentofthetree’sand shrub’scanopyinanygiven year. Onceyou'veplantedthem,it's advisabletoaddmulch aroundyourtreesandshrubs. Justensurethatthemulch doesnotcomeintocontact withthestemortrunk,and avoidapplyingittoothickly.A layerofonetotwoinchesis ideal,astoomuchmulchcan causeissues.
