One the most frequent comments that I receive from readers is that some of the plants that grow in the desert are so strange and unusual. This is especially true for those of us who are not desert natives.
Although I have lived here in the desert for over 24 years, I still find many of the plants unique and strange to my eyes.
As promised, this is a continuation of our visit to “The Living Desert” in Palm Desert, California. Yesterday we looked at many of the beautiful flowering plants. Today, I thought we would focus on some of the unusual yet beautiful plants that we saw.
While we were walking, my sister (Daisy Mom) asked me if I knew what all the plants were. The horticulturist in me would have loved to have said yes, but that would have been a lie. Many of the plants we saw were collected from dry regions from around the world, including parts of Africa.
The truth is is that you do not need to know a plant’s name to be able to enjoy it’s beauty, like the one above.
Kokerboom (Aloe dichotoma)
Would you believe that the plant above is an aloe?
Here is a beautiful aloe flower that we encountered.
Mexican Blue Fan Palm (Brahea armata)
This is a slow growing palm and this is a very tall specimen. My nephew is 6 ft. tall.
My nephew (Monkey Boy) was a great companion. Many times when I went to venture off of the main path, he offered to come along with me and was always excited about what strange plants we would find. How many teenage boys would offer to hang out with their aunt? I am truly blessed.
A collection of various kinds of columnar cacti that are native to Baja California were very interesting to see.
The cacti in the middle looks like the tentacles of a squid reaching out to catch something.
Brightly colored barrel cactus.
My son idolizes his older cousin Mr. Green Jeans.
I enjoy spending time with my oldest nephew, Mr. Green Jeans, who also loves to take photographs as much as I do. We were constantly walking behind everyone because we were so busy taking pictures of the beauty surrounding us.
Beavertail Prickly Pear (Opuntia basilaris) starting to form flower buds.
In April they produce beautiful magenta flowers.
A Boojum Tree (Fouquieria columnaris)
The Boojum tree is closely related to the Ocotillo, which is not a type of cactus as many people believe.
Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)
This beautiful specimen of an Ocotillo towered above my husband and son. This time of year, Ocotillo are leafing out and beginning to produce their orange colored flowers.
California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera)
California Fan Palms, not surprisingly are native to this area of the desert. They had very old and beautiful palms that dwarfed my nephew and daughter as they walked by.
Not surprisingly, there are those plants that you would do well to keep your distance from.
My nephew (Monkey Boy) and my daughter taking a break.
I realize that it may look as if my daughter has a rattlesnake around her neck….and she does. But, she didn’t pick it up out of the desert…it is a plastic one. She has an affinity for toy snakes. We are not sure why, but I am happy to give her all of the toy snakes she wants if it keeps her from wanting a real one.
Chainfruit Cholla
We had a wonderful day. I believe that my sister thought that we would spend 2 – 3 hours walking around. But it was 5 hours before we finally headed back to our cars. The fault lies with me….I had such a great time enjoying all of the beautiful plants and taking 500+ pictures. My entire family was so patient and understanding, although next time I may need to bring my own car so I can stay late.
Soon, I will post about what we saw up above and was easily missed if we had just kept our eyes to the ground.
“Plant As I Say…..NOT As I Do”
A Desert Shrub That Smells Like Rain?
desert, ShrubsA Desert Shrub that Smells Like Rain
Someone once commented about how much they loved the wonderful smell of rain in the desert. This person had moved away and they missed the characteristic fragrance that permeates the desert air when the rains came. People who have not visited the southwestern parts of the US may wonder what on earth she was talking about.
The Aromatic Wonder: Creosote (Larrea tridentata)
Well, there is a shrub that can be seen growing predominately throughout the desert southwest. It releases a wonderful fragrance whenever it rains. This shrub is known as creosote (Larrea tridentata).
This characteristic desert shrub can be found growing in the California desert. It also grows in the southern third of Arizona, New Mexico and the western half of Texas otherwise known as the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan deserts.
Genetic Mysteries of Creosote Shrubs
I am a bit of a science geek. What I find fascinating is that creosote shrubs are classified as a single species. But depending on what desert they are growing in, have different chromosome numbers. Those found in Texas have 26 pairs. While in Arizona they have 52 pairs and in California they have 78 pairs. Some scientists theorize that the creosote found in California evolved from those in the Arizona desert. The higher chromosome count somehow enabled them to survive the drier conditions of the Mojave Desert.
Believe it or not, some colonies in the Mojave desert are absolutely ancient — over 11,500 years old.
The Resinous Defenders: Adaptations of Creosote
Their small leaves are covered with resin to protect against water loss and from being eaten. It is widely thought that creosote produces a toxin or uses up all available water to keep other plants from growing close by therefore keeping competition for limited resources to a minimum.
Creosote’s Influence on the Landscape
I had a client who had a large beautiful creosote growing in their garden. She also had a boxwood hedge that was thriving, except for one area where a few boxwood shrubs were yellow and sickly. They had been that way for years. Coincidentally those sickly shrubs were a few feet away from the creosote.
Growing Creosote in Your Desert Landscape
Creosote can be grown in the desert landscape under 5,000 ft. They do best with limited water and grow slowly. In their native habitat, they typically grow to 4 feet in height. But in a landscape setting, they can reach heights of up to 12 feet.
Propagating Creosote: Tips and Tricks
To start from seed, pour boiling water over the seeds and let sit overnight. Then plant in soil and water. As the plant grows, slowly taper off the water. I recommend only watering a mature creosote, to a depth of 2 feet, 2 to 3 times in the summer. They can survive without any supplemental water.
Enjoying the Fragrance: A Desert Delight
Another interesting fact – did you know that you don’t have to wait for it to rain to enjoy the fragrance of this shrub? All you need to do is take a few leaves from the creosote and rub them between your fingers and you’ll be able to smell the refreshing scent of rain that is so characteristic of the Southwest.
A Face Lift for an Old Rose….
My Garden Bouquet – March MGB
Garden TravelsI am a little late in posting this morning because I had to venture out into my garden and cut flowers for today’s post.
“My Garden Bouquet” began last month rather unexpectedly. I was preparing for my daughter’s birthday part and had forgotten to buy flowers. So I rushed out into the garden with a pair of hand-pruners determined to cut some flowers from my flowering plants. I was quite honestly surprised at how beautiful it was and it lasted for about 7 days. You can see what it looked like in the photo below.
My February MGB Globe Mallow, Desert Senna, and Purple Lilac Vine.
And so, the idea of have a monthly “My Garden Bouquet” (MGB) post really appealed to me as well as the fact that I have a beautiful bouquet to enjoy. You can’t beat the price (free), how long the flowers last and how beautiful.
This morning, I wanted to concentrate on the cooler flower colors in my garden and so I picked flowers from both my Pink & White Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), and Goodding’s Verbena, (Glandularia gooddingii).
As you can see, it is not fancy, but that suits me just fine because I am not a very fancy person. You do not even need a vase…..any container will do, just add water. As you can see, I used a mason jar.
I would love to see what types of flowers from your garden that you use to make into bouquets. If you do not have much blooming, you can do as my friend Balisha of Never Enough Time did last month when she had no flowers in the garden. You can view her February Bouquet here – it was very creative.
And so, on the third week of each month, I invite you to venture out into your garden and see what you can use to create a beautiful bouquet. Please leave a comment and your link on my MGB posts so that others can visit you to see your bouquets.
I hope you take a walk outside in your garden today…I cannot wait to see what kinds of bouquets you create.
**Please visit the following bloggers and see their beautiful bouquets:
Diana at Elephant’s Eye.
Balisha at Never Enough Time.
Heidi at Gippslandgardener.
Catherine at A Gardener In Progress.
Jan at Thanks For Today.
Our Mysterious, Malfuntioning Hose….
az plant lady familyOur family has been plagued by a long succession of malfunctioning hoses over the years.
All five of our children have been victims at one time or another. Occasionally even my husband has fallen victim to the hose.
These mysterious malfunctions seem to be a seasonal occurrence. Warm and sunny days seem to bring it on.
My children swear that I am the one responsible. But, I tell them that I would NEVER do something like that to them. The hose acts of it’s own accord.
One minute I am watering my plants when suddenly the hose turns around all by itself. I am honestly powerless to stop it.
My children don’t seem to believe me….
“Plant As I Say…..NOT As I Do”
az plant lady familyTuesday was a beautiful, sunny day and the kids were home on spring break. It was a perfect time to go outside and plant three new plants that I purchased from the amazing nursery at “The Living Desert“. Did you really think I could leave that wonderful place and NOT buy any plants?
I had just the place to put them. It was a rather bare area between my Desert Museum Palo Verde tree and my Bougainvillea, which has just been pruned back.
My daughter is proudly displaying our new plants, below.
We are planting a Chaparral Sage (Salvia clevelandii) and 2 Pink Gaura (Gaura lindheimeri ‘Siskiyou Pink’).
Warm days make my son eager to take his shirt off whenever possible, although it was only in the low 70’s.
The first step was to rake back the gravel (rock) with enough room to place the dirt pile on top of the bare dirt and not mix it up with the gravel. Then we started digging.
*We bought a set of kid-sized gardening tools over 16 years ago when my oldest daughter was 10 years old. They have lasted a long time and now our youngest children are using them. I recommend kid-sized tools for your kids to use which will make gardening much easier for them and increase their enjoyment.
Look what we dug up….
Many people are surprised that not all deserts are made up of sand. I know I was when I first moved here. We actually have clay soil in our area while the deserts in California are mostly sand.
Okay, back to planting – I taught my son how to check that the hole is at the proper depth by putting the plant, (while still in the pot), into the prepared hole. The top of the pot should reach the the top of the hole. Take the pot back out and adjust the hole if needed.
He placed his hand around the plant and carefully turned it upside down over the hole and worked off the container with his free hand – I helped him with this part.
He placed the plant in the hole and filled it in with the remaining soil.
*I typically do not amend the soil for desert-adapted shrubs because they are well adapted to soils with little organic matter. But you can always add compost if you like.
Press the soil around the new plant and then recover with the gravel if needed.
Plants grow very quickly in our climate, so tiny, straggly looking plants will not look that way for long.
Note about the small clumps of dirt in the photo above – I’m not the neatest gardener and seldom create a large enough gravel-free area in which to dig a hole, so there is always some mixing of the soil and gravel.
We had two more plants to install and my older daughter decided to help us out.
Okay, the following is what NOT to do, but I confess that I often do.
To save your back, do not use a child’s shovel. It was convenient and so I used it, but a larger shovel is much more comfortable to use.
I didn’t realize how color coordinated I was with the shovel, which was totally unintentional – I am not a slave to fashion to that degree 😉
When you dig holes and carefully press the soil around newly installed plants….it is best not to wear flip-flops. I don’t have much of a defense for this one but here it is – I am from California and grew up going barefoot or wearing sandals for much of the year. I don’t wear them in the winter because my feet get really cold. I was so excited to be able to wear them this week and did not want to take them off to put on my gardening boots.
If you look closely, I have a ladybug painted on my toes to celebrate the coming of spring, which really has nothing to do with this post 😉
**By the way, a kind reader pointed out that I did not state if we watered the plants in afterward. Probably one of the most important part about planting and I left it out of my post. We did water the plants well after planting. Thank you Edith for bringing it to my attention.
Strange and Unusual Things Around Every Corner…
desert gardeningOne the most frequent comments that I receive from readers is that some of the plants that grow in the desert are so strange and unusual. This is especially true for those of us who are not desert natives.
Although I have lived here in the desert for over 24 years, I still find many of the plants unique and strange to my eyes.
As promised, this is a continuation of our visit to “The Living Desert” in Palm Desert, California. Yesterday we looked at many of the beautiful flowering plants. Today, I thought we would focus on some of the unusual yet beautiful plants that we saw.
While we were walking, my sister (Daisy Mom) asked me if I knew what all the plants were. The horticulturist in me would have loved to have said yes, but that would have been a lie. Many of the plants we saw were collected from dry regions from around the world, including parts of Africa.
The truth is is that you do not need to know a plant’s name to be able to enjoy it’s beauty, like the one above.
Kokerboom (Aloe dichotoma)
Would you believe that the plant above is an aloe?
Here is a beautiful aloe flower that we encountered.
Mexican Blue Fan Palm (Brahea armata) This is a slow growing palm and this is a very tall specimen. My nephew is 6 ft. tall.
My nephew (Monkey Boy) was a great companion. Many times when I went to venture off of the main path, he offered to come along with me and was always excited about what strange plants we would find. How many teenage boys would offer to hang out with their aunt? I am truly blessed.
A collection of various kinds of columnar cacti that are native to Baja California were very interesting to see.
The cacti in the middle looks like the tentacles of a squid reaching out to catch something.
Brightly colored barrel cactus.
My son idolizes his older cousin Mr. Green Jeans.
I enjoy spending time with my oldest nephew, Mr. Green Jeans, who also loves to take photographs as much as I do. We were constantly walking behind everyone because we were so busy taking pictures of the beauty surrounding us.
Beavertail Prickly Pear (Opuntia basilaris) starting to form flower buds. In April they produce beautiful magenta flowers.
A Boojum Tree (Fouquieria columnaris)
The Boojum tree is closely related to the Ocotillo, which is not a type of cactus as many people believe.
Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)
This beautiful specimen of an Ocotillo towered above my husband and son. This time of year, Ocotillo are leafing out and beginning to produce their orange colored flowers.
California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera)
California Fan Palms, not surprisingly are native to this area of the desert. They had very old and beautiful palms that dwarfed my nephew and daughter as they walked by.
Not surprisingly, there are those plants that you would do well to keep your distance from.
My nephew (Monkey Boy) and my daughter taking a break.
I realize that it may look as if my daughter has a rattlesnake around her neck….and she does. But, she didn’t pick it up out of the desert…it is a plastic one. She has an affinity for toy snakes. We are not sure why, but I am happy to give her all of the toy snakes she wants if it keeps her from wanting a real one.
Chainfruit Cholla
We had a wonderful day. I believe that my sister thought that we would spend 2 – 3 hours walking around. But it was 5 hours before we finally headed back to our cars. The fault lies with me….I had such a great time enjoying all of the beautiful plants and taking 500+ pictures. My entire family was so patient and understanding, although next time I may need to bring my own car so I can stay late.
Soon, I will post about what we saw up above and was easily missed if we had just kept our eyes to the ground.
“Plant As I Say…..NOT As I Do”
A Trek Through The Living Desert
desertThis past Monday my sister (Daisy Mom) took me and my family to a very special place at the base of the desert mountains. Beautiful gardens, plant collections from around the world and wild animals were on display for all to see at “The Living Desert”.
Palm Springs California, Teddy Bear Cholla, Ocotillo and the yellow flowers of Brittlebush grace the desert.
The Palm Springs area is located in the midst of the California desert. One of the first things that you notice about this area is that it is surrounded by tall, snow covered mountains. It is a wonderful example of how mountains block much of the rain from entering the desert.
My nephews, niece and children were all ready for a fun day.
We were still in the parking lot when I knew that I was in trouble….I felt pulled in so many different directions by the beautiful and unusual plants that I saw.
Saliva coccinea
In general, flowering plants are what I am drawn to and there were so many to look at. Countless flowering plants were enjoying the warmer then normal temperatures of the upper 70’s.
The tiny purple flowers of Trailing Indigo Bush (Dalea greggii), contrast nicely with the gray-green foliage of this groundcover.
Beautiful trees were also in flower…
Australian native, Weeping Wattle (Acacia saligna) is covered with golden puffball flowers.
Flowering Parry’s Penstemon (Penstemon parryi)
Yellow Columbine benefits from the water from this stone fountain.
My son, two daughters and niece stop by the pond to see the tadpoles.
One of my favorite flowering plants that grows well in light shade, Mexican Honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera).
Salvia (I haven’t looked this one up yet)
Another Penstemon Did I mention already that I love Penstemons?
This low-growing shrub is absolutely covered in tiny purple flowers.
Are you tired yet?
Today’s portion of our tour is almost over…
I love these African Daisies with their orange petals and purple center.
I have a preference for plants that produce plumes of flowers, such as this Coral Fountain (Russelia equisetiformis).
I mentioned yesterday that I took over 500 pictures of our visit and I did promise not to make you sit through all of them. But I do have a few more to show you. So our next visit together will focus on some of the unusual plants that we saw.
There were many smaller paths that led off from the main path and there were always surprises around the bend – usually spectacular vistas along with some unusual plants. More about that next time….
My daughter, heading down a path – not sure what she will find at the end.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to view some of the beauty of this special place.
I have left one of my favorite pictures for you to view in preparation for tomorrow’s post of unusual plants.
Now, I am off to the dentist….
A Hummingbird Bath
Hummingbird GardeningWe returned late last night from our visit to “The Refuge”. The California desert was beautiful. We enjoyed warm weather and the wildflowers blooming in the desert.
We visited “The Living Desert”, which has collections of both plants and animals that thrive in dry climates all over the world. I had a wonderful time and took over 500 photos. But don’t worry, I won’t make you sit through all of them 😉
I do want to show you some of my favorite pictures of our trip…..we spotted a hummingbird taking a bath. Now, I have seen countless hummingbirds and always pause to observe their beauty and antics.
But I have never seen one taking a bath…
Hummingbird taking a bath.
Can you see her?
Hummingbird Bath
She was oblivious to the crowd who had gathered to watch her and I couldn’t believe how close we were able to get.
I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I do.
Now, I’m off to the kennel to pick up the dog, grocery shop and all the other normal things that make up my life. But in my mind, I will still be walking among the beautiful gardens of “The Living Desert”.
A Walk in the Garden – March GBBD
AZ Plant LadyAs you read this, I am on my way home from a visit to “The Refuge”. I love visiting my sister and her family and will have lots to post about in the coming days….
In preparation for March’s Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, I took a walk out into my front garden. I had a good idea of what was flowering, but also met up with a few surprises along the way.
Red Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) reaches it’s peak blooming period in my garden during the month of May. The bees are busy and the blooms are beautiful.
Another of my Globe Mallow shrubs, but this one produces delicate white flowers.
And last, my Pink Globe Mallow. If it wasn’t obvious before, this is one of my favorite shrubs in the garden. Beautiful flowers, drought tolerant, low maintenance….what’s not to love?
A single flower from my Valentine shrub (Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’). Still blooming, although blooming will start to slow and will end sometime in April.
Numerous yellow blooms from my Desert Senna (Senna artemisiodies sturtii) reach towards the sky. I can view these shrubs from my kitchen window.
Plumes of flowers from my Firecracker Penstemon, (Penstemon eatonii), act as focal points in the front garden during both winter and spring.
Goodding’s Verbena, (Glandularia gooddingii), is now covered in lavender blooms.
**I had planted a couple of these perennials in the garden over ten years ago and did not replace them when they died off 3 years later (Verbena are short-lived perennials). Six years later, we had a very wet rainy season and guess what? Some old seedlings from the original plants began to come up. The Verbena above is one of the ‘babies’ from the original plants. While I was out today taking pictures, I noticed two more ‘babies’ coming up. I am so happy!
People either love or hate Bougainvillea. I happen to like them, except for when it comes time to prune them. They are beautiful and drought-tolerant. One of my Bougainvillea was protected by a tree from frost and is now producing flowers earlier then those that were unprotected.
As I was walking through the garden, I noticed a flash of color from my Radiation Lantana, (Lantana camara ‘Radiation’). I was not expecting any blooms yet, but soon my Lantana will be covered with brightly colored flowers.
I hope you have enjoyed this ‘walk’ through my garden. Please visit May Dream’s Gardens to view other bloggers and their gardens who also participate in Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.
Awakening to Spring
AgaveThe temperatures are warming and my garden is absolutely coming to life. Well, it really wasn’t dead or brown because I do live in the Arizona desert, but many plants that were dormant during the winter, are starting to produce new leaves AND flower buds…I can hardly wait!
For the first time, I have decided to enter Gardening Gone Wild’s photo contest. The theme for March is “Awakening”.
Flowers of an Agave desmettiana
My entry is a photo of the flowers of an Agave desmettiana which are just beginning to open up in March. These flowers are the crowning glory of the mature Agave plant, which pours all of it’s energy to producing these beautiful flowers. Afterward, the Agave will die, but will live on through it’s offspring.
Fruit Cocktail From a Tree?
Citrus, Fruit Trees, TreesMany of us have memories of school lunches and the little cup of fruit cocktail that sometimes came with it. Little bits of assorted fruit, served in a light syrup with a cherry for color.
What if I told you that there is a fruit tree that can produce up to 5 different kinds of fruit. Would you think I was crazy? Well, there is such a tree and it is called a “Cocktail Citrus Tree”.
At first glance, a cocktail tree can look like any other citrus tree you may encounter.
But, if you look closely, you may find the following fruit, all on the same tree.
Grapefruit…
Oranges…
…and Lemons.
Warning – if you don’t want to read the scientific explanation, just skip down to the next picture :^)
Citrus trees, like most fruit trees consist of two parts. The bottom part is called the ‘rootstock’, which in the case of citrus, is a hardy citrus plant that produces a healthy root system, but does not necessarily produce great tasting fruit. Then a bud from a tree that produces delicious citrus fruit, but may have a weaker root system, is grafted onto the rootstock. Over time, both of these parts will grow together into one tree.
A cocktail tree is created using this method, but instead of grafting only one type of fruit onto the root stock, up to 5 different fruits are grafted. Most often, you will find cocktail trees with 3 types of fruit in the nursery.
A few months ago, my mother, (Pastor Farmer), asked me to look at one of their citrus trees at Double S Farms. Some of the fruit on their grapefruit tree (above) looked smaller and was clustered more thickly on the branches.
It turns out that this was a cocktail tree and they had both lemons and grapefruit on the same tree.
If you have a cocktail tree, it is important to manage it correctly with pruning. For example, grapefruit are more vigorous growers then oranges, so you need to prune the grapefruit portion of the tree to keep it from taking over the other types of citrus.
**There are other types of cocktail trees that have peach, plum, apricot and cherry grafted onto the same tree.
A cocktail tree is a great solution for those who have a small gardening area, but would like to have a nice variety of fruit. You can have it all in one tree.
And, you can also use the fruit to create your own homemade fruit cocktail.