Prescott, Prescott Valley, Verde Valley and Flagstaff Arizona
It’s that time of year again and you’re working on sprucing up your northern or central Arizona landscape. It can be a challenge to find plants that are hearty and that can live in our mile-high, four season climates. Here are some suggestions from our team at Vicente Landscaping.
1) ARTEMISIA LUDOVICIANA or ARTEMISIA SAGE BRUSH WHITE – Prescott, Prescott Valley, Verde Valley, Flagstaff – Deciduous, full, or part sun, Grows 2 x 3 ft
Artemisia ludoviciana is a North American species of flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae, known by several common names, including silver wormwood, western mugwort, Louisiana wormwood, white sagebrush, and gray sagewort.
2) BUDDLEIA DAVIDII or BUTTERFLY BLACK NIGHT – Prescott, Prescott Valley, Verde Valley, Flagstaff – Semi-Deciduous – Full Sun – Grows 6-10ft – Pollinator
Buddleja davidii is also called summer lilac, butterfly-bush and it is widely used as an ornamental plant, and many named varieties are in cultivation.
3) CEASALPINIA GILLIESII or BIRD OF PARADISE YELLOW – Prescott, Prescott Valley, Verde Valley, Flagstaff – Grows 6-10 ft – Full Sun – Deciduous
The Desert Bird of Paradise or Yellow Bird of Paradise, botanical name Caesalpinia gilliesii, is a South American native revered for its red stamens and soft yellow flowers. Its feathery-like foliage is a hummingbird attractor and can soften any arid landscape.
4) CALAMAGROSTIS × ACUTIFLORA or KARL FOERSTER GRASS – Prescott, Prescott Valley, Verde Valley, Flagstaff – 3’ x 2’ wide and 5’ tall – Full Sun – Semi Deciduous
‘Karl Foerster’ is the most popular of the hybrid feather reed grasses sold in commerce today. It is noted for its narrow-vertical growth of bright green leaves to 3′ tall and 2′ wide and feathery plumes of summer-blooming pink to purple tinged flowers on narrow upright stalks rising well above the foliage to 5′ tall.
5) COTONEASTER DAMMERI or CLUSTERBERRY LOWFAST – Prescott, Prescott Valley, Verde Valley, Flagstaff – Evergreen – Grows 2’ x 6’ – Full or Part Sun – Red Berry
This low growing evergreen is called Cotoneaster dammeri ‘Lowfast’ and grows to an average landscape size of 2′ high and spreading 8-12′, this ground cover spreads rapidly rooting in almost any soil it touches. Its tangled stems grow small elliptical, leathery green leaves that are peppered with small white flowers as spring arrives. Following its blooming season, small bright red berries emerge densely filling in the shrub with color.
6) COGGYGRIA or SMOKE TREE ROYAL PURPLE (Prescott, Prescott Valley, Verde Valley, Flagstaff) – Full Sun – Grows 8’ -15′ – Deciduous
Dramatic, long-lasting, pinkish purple, smoke-like airy seed clusters backed by reddish purple foliage create a prized small tree or large accent shrub. Foliage holds its color all summer, then turns scarlet red in autumn.
For more Northern Arizona landscape suggestions, contact us at Vicente Landscaping. Or, check out this Plant, Shrub and Cactus Guide (source) to find the right plants that will thrive in your region.
