Plants in the Garden
Search the plants growing in the Learning Garden to find water-wise plants that do well in our soil and climate.
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Plants
Coreopsis x 'Starlight'
Li'l Bang™ Coreopsis have a super compact habit with prolific blooms! This stunning bloomer has large, pure white petals spiced with a dash of magenta red at the center. Makes a great, colorful groundcover and is well-suited for casual cottage or country gardens.
Grows 10-12" tall and 12-18" wide Blooms in summer, fall
- Mixture blooms
Echinacea 'Secret Desire'
A mid-size Echinacea with double flowers that are very large and multicolored pink and orange. Grows vigorously and forms a full plant quickly.
Grows 18-24" tall and 36" wide Blooms in summer, fall- Pink blooms
Aubrieta x axcent series 'Blue with Eye'
Rock Cress is a popular spring-flowering rock garden perennial. It forms a low carpet of evergreen leaves, literally smothered by flowers for several weeks. This selection has single flowers of bright lavender-blue with a tiny yellow eye. Excellent in the rock garden, cascading over walls, for edging or in alpine containers. Plants should be trimmed lightly immediately after blooming, to encourage a thick mounding habit.
Grows 4-6" tall and 12-24" wide Blooms in spring, summer
- Blue blooms
Yucca filamentosa 'Color Guard'
Color guard is a very ornamental, broadleaf evergreen shrub featuring a basal rosette of rigid, sword-shaped, spine-tipped, rich green leaves with a broad, central, brilliant yellow stripe. The leaves are edged with curly filaments and are tinged with pink and rose during the winter months. They are topped in early to midsummer with a dramatic flowering stalk reaching 4-6' and bearing panicles of nodding bell-shaped creamy white flowers.
Grows 3-6' tall and 2-3' wide Blooms in summer- White blooms
Yucca filamentosa
Yucca filamentosa, commonly called Adam’s needle, Spanish bayonet, yucca and needle palm, is a virtually stemless broadleaf evergreen shrub. It features a basal rosette of rigid, sword-shaped, spine-tipped green leaves.
Grows 4-8' tall and 2-3' wide Blooms in summer- White blooms
Echinacea
Carefree color from a profusion of bright orange blooms that will add excitement to the summer garden. A must-have for sunny beds and borders. Drought tolerant and bred for cold hardiness and compact form with prolific flowering over an exceptionally long season.
Grows 18-20" tall and 22-24" wide Blooms in spring, summer- Orange blooms
Iris 'Agressively Forward'
Aggressively Forward is what’s known as a plicata, which means it has a dappled, somewhat dotted pattern of a different color on its edges. So the center is yellow but the edges of the petals (standards and falls, in iris talk) are purple.
Grows 36" tall and 12-24" wide Blooms in spring- Mixture blooms
Geum 'Alabama Slammer'
Geum 'Alabama Slammer' is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial with medium-sized, single to semi double, gold flowers adorned with red-orange markings on their ruffled petals.
Grows 12-24" tall and 10-12" wide Blooms in spring, summer- Mixture blooms
Cercocarpus montanus
Cercocarpus montanus is a woody shrub which grows up to 12' tall. It vase-like shape and silvery seed plumes are perhaps its most outstanding features. Early summer flowers are insignificant, but give way to fruits with long, attractive, silvery-white, feathery tails which cover the shrub in late summer.
Grows 8-12' tall and 4-8' wide- White blooms
Viburnum trilobum 'Alfredo'
A compact form of the American cranberry selected at Bailey Nurseries in Minnesota and named after long time employee, Alfredo 'Freddie' Garcia. Similar to V. trilobum 'Compactum' but with a more dense and slightly broader form. Upright in habit when young but rounding with age. Foliage is an attractive bright green. Flowering is sparse, therefore so is fruiting. There are reports of heavy flowering and fruiting but I have yet to experience. Fruits, if produced, are scarlet. Fall color is an excellent red.
Grows 5-6' tall and 5-6' wide Blooms in spring- White blooms
Sporobolus airoides
Clump-forming perennial grass with long, sharp-edged leaves. In mid summer it produces cloud-like flower pannicles of golden, pinkish bronze above the foliage. Extremely drought tolerant.
Grows 2-3' tall and 2-3' wide
- Pink blooms
Rubus Spp.
Rubus ‘All Gold Yellow’ is an everbearing yellow raspberry that is known for producing sweet, golden/yellow berries. They are a hardy, vigorous shrub and typically produce a summer and a fall crop. They are upright, self-pollinating, and reach 4-5 feet in height, 3-4 feet in width. They require full sun and well drained, fertile soil that is slightly acidic for the best fruit production. They may be pruned to the ground after the fall harvest and may require a trellis.
Grows 4-5' tall and 3-4' wide Blooms in summer, fall
- White blooms
Hydrangea macrophylla 'All Summer Beauty"
Hydrangea macrophylla, commonly called big leaf hydrangea, is a deciduous shrub with a rounded habit. It generally features serrate, obovate to elliptic, dark green leaves (4-8” long) and large clusters of long-blooming summer flowers in either lacecap form (flattened flower clusters of small fertile florets with scattered showy sterile florets often forming a marginal ring) or mophead form (globose flower clusters of mostly showy sterile florets).
Grows 3-4' tall and 3-4' wide Blooms in summer- Mixture blooms
Viburnum rhytidophylloides 'Allegheny'
This attractive, dense, upright shrub with textured, leathery, dark green foliage makes a great hedge, screen, or windbreak. Large clusters of fragrant white flowers followed by showy red fruit that matures to black. Remains evergreen in temperatures above 0° Fahrenheit; deciduous elsewhere.
Grows 10' tall and 10' wide Blooms in spring- White blooms
Cornus sericea 'Alleman's Compact'
Cornus sericea, commonly known as red twig dogwood or red osier dogwood, is an upright-spreading, suckering shrub. Ovate to lanceolate, medium to dark green leaves (2-5” long) acquire interesting shades of red to orange eventually fading to purple in autumn. Reddish stems turn bright red in winter and are particularly showy against a snowy backdrop. Tiny, fragrant, white flowers appear in flat-topped clusters (cymes to 2.5” diameter) in late spring, with sparse, intermittent, additional flowering sometimes continuing into summer. Flowers give way to clusters of whitish (sometimes with a bluish tinge) drupes in summer.
Grows 4-5' tall and 4-5' wide Blooms in spring- White blooms
Ribes alpinum
Ribes alpinum, commonly called alpine currant, is a compact, mound-forming shrub which grows 3-6' tall. Bright green leaves are 3-5 lobed, turning to a dull yellow in fall. Flowers are greenish-yellow and inconspicuous.
Grows 2-3' tall and 2-3' wide Blooms in spring- Yellow blooms
Veronica allionii
This compact species of Speedwell is well suited to the rock garden, or for edging in the sunny border. It forms a low cushion or carpet of olive-green leaves, bearing chubby spikes of deep violet-blue flowers during the summer, at a time when many other rock garden plants have already finished blooming. Also nice in alpine troughs or mixed containers. In mild winter regions this stays evergreen. Clumps are easily divided in early spring or in autumn.
Grows 4-6" tall and 10-12" wide Blooms in summer- Purple blooms
Fragaria 'Alexandria'
Fragaria vesca, is a small-fruited, everbearing wild strawberry. This is a compact, stemless, 4-8” tall plant that spreads indefinitely by runners that root as they go. Numerous, small, 5-petaled white flowers with yellow centers appear throughout summer. Flowers and fruit are usually simultaneously present on plants in summer.
Grows 3-9in tall and 9-12in wide Blooms in spring, summer- White blooms
Epilobium fleischeri
This compact willowherb from the Alps is underused in the garden. Its delicate, pink flowers, borne on reddish stems against gray-green foliage, are a welcome addition to any garden. Attractive silvery seed heads add continuing interest.
Grows 18-20" tall and 10-12" wide Blooms in spring, summer, fall- Pink blooms
Phlox subulata 'Amazing Grace'
Phlox subulata 'Amazing Grace' is an amazing low-growing species which forms a graceful carpet-like mat. Ideal in rocky areas, on slopes, in walls, and in flower borders. A creeping variety with bright white flowers with a red accent in the centre. The shrot, spikey moss-like foliage is covered with flowers in spring and you often get a second flush in late summer.
Grows 4-6" tall and 6-8" wide Blooms in spring- White blooms
Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Amber Wheels'
Produces an abundance of large flowers with frilled, deep-yellow petals that surround an amber-red center. Attracts butterflies. Blooms from early summer until frost if kept deadheaded. This perennial is easily grown in well-drained, average soil and a sunny location.
Grows 30" tall and 18" wide Blooms in summer- Yellow blooms
Sambucus canadensis 'Adams'
Adams Elderberry, or American Elderberry, is a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree that can reach up to 12 feet tall and wide, depending on pruning. In spring it produces large clusters of white flowers that attract pollinators, followed by abundant dark purple berries that can be cooked and eaten. Highly adaptable, Adams Elderberry grows in full sun to partial shade and tolerates drought, heat, salt, and deer browsing, making it an excellent choice for a low-maintenance landscape.
Grows 12 tall and 12 wide Blooms in spring- White blooms
Baptisia x 'American Goldfinch'
This is a big, bold perennial that makes a dramatic statement in your garden come late spring. After the blooming season, round seed pods are produced, adding interest throughout the season.
Grows 3' tall and 4-5' wide Blooms in spring- Yellow blooms
Hemerocallis x 'American Revolution'
Vigorous, Hemerocallis 'American Revolution' is a captivation midseason Daylily which produces blooms of large, velvetly dark red trumpets, almost-black, with a nicely contrasting green throat. Each flower typically lasts no more than 24 hours, opening up in the morning and withering during the forthcoming night, possibly replaced by another bloom on the same scape the next day.
Grows 24-36" tall and 12-24" wide- Purple blooms
Liquidambar syraciflua 'Silver King'
A unique sweetgum with leaves attractively margined creamy-white, flushed rose in late summer and autumn. It is slower growing than the species and will not grow as large.
Grows 40' tall and 25' wide- None blooms
Cladrastis kentukea
Cladrastis kentukea, commonly called American yellowwood, is a medium-sized, deciduous tree of the legume family with upright branching and a broad, rounded crown
Grows 30-50ft tall and 40-55ft wide Blooms in spring- White blooms
Calluna vulgaris 'Amethyst'
Calluna vulgaris, commonly called Scotch heather, heather or ling, is a small, variably-sized, evergreen shrub that is native primarily to moors, dunes, bogs, heaths and hillsides from northern and western Europe to Siberia, Turkey and Morocco.
Grows 1-2' tall and 1-2' wide Blooms in summer- Pink blooms
Acer ginnala
Small tree with an irregular shaped canopy native to parts of Asia. Usually forms as a multi-stemmed tree but can be single-stemmed with proper training. The tri-lobed glossy leaves emerge early spring and turn bright red in the fall. Inconspicuous pale yellow flowers bloom in late spring followed by bright red winged seeds.
Grows 15-20ft tall and 15-20ft wide- Yellow blooms
Hymenoxys acaulis
The large, cheerful yellow daisies of Hymenoxys, a Colorado native wildflower, appear in late spring and again later in the summer with the summer rains. Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric).
Grows 7-9" tall and 6-8" wide Blooms in spring, summer, fall- Yellow blooms
Agastache aurantiaca 'Black Adder'
Agastache 'Black Adder' features a remarkably long floral display, from midsummer to fall, of fragrant, tubular, tow-lipped red-violet flowers emerging from dense, dark buds and held in bottle-brush, terminal spikes. Eye-popping, this Agastache will add color and a lovely spiky texture to your garden.
Grows 24-36" tall and 12-24" wide Blooms in summer- Purple blooms
Agastache a. 'Apricot Sprite'
Highly attractive to hummingbirds, with aromatic foliage that resists grazing by deer and rabbits, this showy, water-wise perennial is perfect for rock gardens and open meadows. Loose spikes of fragrant, tubular apricot colored flowers on a dwarf form make it useful for mixed borders and containers.
Grows 15-18" tall and 24" wide Blooms in summer- Orange blooms
Magnolia 'Ann'
'Ann' is primarily noted for its compact shrubby habit, slightly fragrant purple-red flowers and late bloom (mid-April to early May). It is a slow-growing, deciduous shrub or small tree that typically rises over time. Chalice-shaped flowers (to 4" wide) are slightly fragrant. Flowers may sporadically repeat bloom in mid summer. Ovate medium green leaves (to 6" long). Leaves turn yellow in fall.
Grows 10-12' tall and 10-12' wide Blooms in spring- Purple blooms
Magnolia x 'Ann'
Flowering later than the star magnolia, this beautiful tree avoids frost damage to the flower buds. The exquisite blooms soft magenta outside and white inside and blossom before the foliage buds out. Perfect as a specimen or accent tree.
Grows 10-15' tall and 12' wide Blooms in spring- Pink blooms
Fallugia paradoxa
Apache Plume is an extremely showy native western shrub. The blossoms begin in late spring and continue throughout the summer and fall. The blooms are single white that are followed by pink fluffy seed heads. It is drought resistant and tolerant. Perfect for xeric gardens!
Grows 4-5' tall and 4-5' wide Blooms in spring, summer, fall- White blooms
Hibiscus syriacus 'Aphrodite'
Hibiscus syriacus, commonly called rose of Sharon or shrub althea, is a vigorous, upright, vase-shaped, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub. Showy, hollyhock-like, 5-petaled flowers (to 3” diameter) appear over a long, early-summer to fall bloom period. Each flower has a prominent and showy center staminal column. Palmately-veined, coarsely-toothed, three-lobed, medium green leaves (to 4” long) are attractive during the growing season but produce no fall color.
Grows 6-10' tall and 4-8' wide Blooms in summer, fall- Pink blooms
Achnatherum calamagrostis
Alpine plume grass is a spectacular long-lived grass from high mountain meadows in central and southern Europe. A mature plant makes a dramatic specimen, with several dozen flower heads waving above a graceful fountain of fresh green foliage. The flowers persist from summer until the following spring when the entire plant should be cut back to make room for the new season's growth. Unlike many other ornamental grasses, the foliage doesn't die out in the clump's center over time.
Grows 18-24 in tall and 2-3 ft wide- None blooms
Phlox subulata 'Apple Blossom'
reeping Phlox are an invaluable addition to any rock garden, foundation, or as an edger. A new color in this indispensable spring flowering sun-loving border or garden plant. Phlox Apple Blossom provides an excellent display of pale pink. Star-shaped flowers blanket dense cushions of evergreen, needle-like foliage. Will cascade beautifully over a rock wall or down a slope.
Grows 4" tall and 16-24" wide Blooms in spring- Mixture blooms
Weigela TOWERS OF FLOWERS 'Apple Blossom'
This lovely Weigela is an upright flowering shrub. The large shell-pink flowers bloom in clusters along the entire stem making it a "Tower of Flowers." It is excellent as an informal screen or a shrub in a small yard.
Grows 3-4' tall and 2-3' wide Blooms in spring, summer- Pink blooms
Dianthus hybrid 'Apple Slice'
This colorful perennial produces fragrant, double, velvety red blossoms with pale pink markings atop a low mound of blue-green foliage. Use it to edge sunny borders and pathways.
Grows 10-12" tall and 10-12" wide Blooms in spring- Pink blooms
Gaillardia aristata 'Apricot'
Apricot Blanket Flower is a bushy, often short-lived herbaceous perennial with large, rich apricot flowers adorned with multiple rows of pointed petals. Each petal showcases yellow tips and surrounds a darker orange center, which gives way to attractive globe-shaped seed heads. Blooming from early summer into fall, the daisy-like flowers cover the compact, uniform mound of bright green foliage. Pollinators love this perennial, and it is extrelelmy drought and heat tolerant. They can self-seed if
Grows 10-12" tall and 10-12" wide Blooms in summer, fall- Yellow blooms
Delosperma 'Alan's Apricot'
The softly shaded apricot and yellow tints of the large flowers of Alan's Apricot Ice Plant are a delight and keep the plant in color from late spring into late summer.
Grows 2" tall and 15" wide- Orange blooms
Hibiscus syriacus 'Ardens'
Ardens Rose of Sharon is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This is a high maintenance shrub that will require regular care and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats.
Grows 8-10'' tall and 6-8' wide Blooms in summer- Pink blooms
Cupressus arizonica
Cupressus arizonica Greene, Arizona cypress, is the only cypress native to the southwest. It is evergreen, with a dense, upright, coneshaped crown and smooth reddish-brown bark that sometimes becomes fibrous with flat ridges. Leaves are scale-like and grayish-green, bluish-green, or silvery, arranged opposite in pairs and tightly clasping the cord-like or four-sided twigs; they emit a fetid odor when crushed. The cones are 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter, somewhat round, dark reddish brown, with 6 to 8 shield-shaped woody scales. The cones mature in autumn of the second season but persist on the tree for many years.
Grows 50-60' tall and 15-30' wide- None blooms
Gaillardia aristata 'Arizona Sun'
Blanket Flowers are valuable for their very long season of bloom. This selection blooms profusely even in the first year, forming a low, compact mound. Flowers are large flame-orange daisies with golden-yellow tips, appearing from June into the autumn. Thrives in hot, sunny sites. Attractive to butterflies. Drought tolerant once established. Not the best choice for heavy clay soil that will stay wet through the winter. Removing faded flowers will encourage constant blooming
Grows 12-24" tall and 12-24" wide Blooms in summer- Mixture blooms
Juglans major
Arizona walnut is a round-crowned deciduous tree with furrowed bark on the trunk, gray twigs, and reddish brown new growth covered with hairs visible under a 10x hand lens. Leaves up to foot long with 4 to 8 pairs of leaflets along a central axis and a single leaflet at the tip the margins finely toothed and the midrib of the lateral leaflet off-center, the wider part of the blade toward the leaf tip. Flowers inconspicuous, in elongate green clusters. Fruit spherical, 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, intermediate in size between Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) and Little Walnut (Juglans microcarpa).
Grows 50' tall and 25-50' wide- None blooms
Lonicera tatarica 'Arnold Red'
This honeysuckle becomes an upright and multi-stemmed deciduous shrub. The flowers are dark red/magenta, different than those of the species type or many other cultivars. It also bears larger berries than the species type.
Grows 8' tall and 8' wide Blooms in spring, summer- Red blooms
Lilium spp. Asiatic hybrids
Upright lilies with star-shaped blooms 4"-6" across. Blooms come in many warm colors in tones from pastel to vivid. Blooms from late spring to mid-summer. Leaves are lance-shaped and attached to the stem singly all the way up.
Grows 2'-5' tall Blooms in spring, summer- Mixture blooms
Asparagus officinalis
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a long-lived, herbaceous perennial with spears and fern-like foliage. It thrives in full sun and prefers rich, moist, and well-drained soil. It requires 2–3 years to establish before the first significant harvest in April or May. It is a dioecious species, producing separate male and female plants, with male cultivars generally preferred for their higher yields. For long-term success, beds must be kept weed-free to protect the crown’s horizontal root mats, which can remain productive for 15–20 years. While the young shoots are a culinary staple, the red berries produced by female plants in late summer should not be eaten.
Grows 3-5' tall and 1-3' wide- Yellow blooms
Aster spp.
Asters are a great perennial for late summer into fall blooms. There are a multitude of colors in the range of pink to purple to white. The size ranges from 1-6' tall and 1-3' wide depending on variety or cultivar. There are many different species but the most common that you will find are the Aster novae-angliae and Aster novi-belgii.
Grows 12-60" tall and 12-24" wide Blooms in summer, fall- Mixture blooms
Aubrieta 'Audrey Blue'
This compact spreader forms an evergreen carpet covered with bright purple/blue flowers in spring. It makes a great addition to rock gardens and retaining walls.
Grows 6" tall and 14" wide Blooms in spring- Purple blooms