Miramonte Landscape Package A

Plant type: tree

Size: 15-30 feet high x 15 - 30 feet wide, final size depends on irrigation. Moderate to slow growing.

Ornamental characteristics: semi-evergreen (may lose leaves in cold weather or immediately before flowering), large purple "pea" flowers in late spring/early summer for about 3 weeks on mature plants followed by 2-3 inch pods.

Native to: Sonoran Desert. Ironwood Forest National Monument is located NW of Tucson.

Cautions: sharp, curved spines will readily snag the unwary. This tree can be a challenge to prune well.

Plant type: shrub

Size: to 6 feet high x 6 feet wide depending on variety

Ornamental characteristics: Texas ranger has an attractive natural form without pruning. It is evergreen with leaf color ranging from green to grey, depending on variety. Flowers are typically purple and are sometimes fragrant (pink and white selections also available). Texas ranger blooms with the summer monsoon and at other times during warm weather if rain is sufficient.

Native to: Chihuahuan Desert in Texas and Mexico.

Cautions: Texas ranger looks best when allowed to grow naturally. Resist the urge to place it close to buildings or walk/driveways where it will need regular pruning to keep in bounds. Texas ranger responds well to renewal pruning (see this UA publication, page 4).

Plant type: shrub

Size: to 6 feet high x 6 feet wide depending on variety

Ornamental characteristics: Texas ranger has an attractive natural form without pruning. It is evergreen with leaf color ranging from green to grey, depending on variety. Flowers are typically purple (pink and white selections also available) and are sometimes fragrant. They may completely cover the plant in full bloom. Texas ranger blooms with the summer monsoon and at other times during warm weather if rain is sufficient. 

Native to: Chihuahuan Desert in Texas and Mexico.

Cautions: Texas ranger looks best when allowed to grow naturally. Resist the urge to place it close to buildings or walk/driveways where it will need regular pruning to keep in bounds. Texas ranger responds well to renewal pruning (see this UA publication, page 4).

Plant type: large succulent

Size: Plants typically grow to 3 feet high and 4 feet or so wide, but old, well-grown plants can grow to 6' x 6'.  Trunk, if any, is short

Ornamental characteristics: Spiky, evergreen leaves with lots of grey form an ornamental globe. Small, yellow flowers are held on a tall stalk (to 15 feet) that is only moderately ornamental. Only older plants flower and they usually don't flower every year. Desert Spoon does not die after flowering

Native to: southern Arizona and New Mexico

Cautions: The edges of the leaves of desert are lined with hooked spines. Make sure to place plant away from walkways.

Plant type: large shrub/small tree

Size: to 15 feet high x 15 feet wide 

Ornamental characteristics: Arizona rosewood is a dense plant with dark green, evergreen leaves. Clusters of white flowers appear in late spring/early summer. The fruit is a small capsule held in clusters, that turns brown and often stays on the plant. 

Native to: southern Arizona

Cautions: Arizona rosewood has a naturally symmetrical, attractive form that needs little or no pruning unless you wish to prune as a tree. Growth rate is slow until plant becomes established.

Plant type: groundcover

Size: to 1 feet high x 1.5-3  feet wide 

Ornamental characteristics: Blue-purple 1 inch flowers from early summer into fall. Foliage is evergreen.

Native to: Northern Africa and Southern Europe

Plant type: groundcover

Size: to 1.5 feet high x 6 feet wide

Ornamental characteristics: Purple flowers in small clusters cover the plant from late spring into fall. Leaves are a medium green and are not evergreen.

Native to: tropical America, South America

Cautions: Dies to the ground in winter if temperature falls below freezing. Cut back dead stems in late winter just before growth begins.