INTRODUCTION
A
subcommittee was formed to develop a landscape plan for
Many of the trees and shrubs planted by the developers were not applicable to xeriscape landscaping and many were planted too close to the houses. After ten years, the trees now require frequent trimming to keep them from rubbing against the houses, and many of the shrubs require so much water that our irrigation system, the cost of which we all share, as well as our need to conserve water, have become major concerns. Therefore, the criterion used by the Landscape Development Subcommittee was first, and most importantly, that all future desert plant selection should require little or no water.
In addition, every effort was made to select plants or trees that:
· are hardy enough to withstand temperatures of 25 degrees F
· can be controlled to grow no more than 20 feet in order to prevent high cost of pruning.
· create low to moderate levels of litter to minimize maintenance
· are not overly invasive in their growth habit
Also, plants with the following properties have been highlighted:
1. produces edible fruits
2. possibly poisonous
3. possible allergen/irritant
4. contains thorns, spines, sharp tips, etc.
5. possible snake haven
References:
Landscape Plan for the
Master Gardeners at UA
Tatum Ranch Plant List
Every effort has been made, to the best of our abilities, to resolve the conflicting data among the references mentioned above.
We realize that all this information may cause some confusion. To help or advise you in making your selections, feel free to contact:
Mary Lou Berreman
THE PLANT LIST
The columns of the plant list contain virtually all the information needed to help in the selection of the appropriate plants for the homeowner’s lot:
1. Type of plant – A general description such as “tree”, “shrub”, “ground
cover”, etc.
2. The common and formal plant names – Many of the plants are referred
to by a number of common names. However, with only a few
exceptions, a plant has only one formal name. Both are provided to
assist in the homeowner’s selection.
3. The height and width of the plant.
4. The plant appearance – the color of its flower and the flowering season,
as well as the color of the foliage and its “texture.”
5. Growth rate and water usage.
6. Whether or not it is an evergreen.
7. Sun exposure requirements.
8. The degree of litter the plant creates.
9. Comments – informative miscellaneous information.
1. produces edible fruits
2. possibly poisonous
3. possible allergen/irritant
4. contains thorns, spines, sharp tips, etc.
5. possible snake haven
10. Suitability – acceptable locations for the plants.
A Atrium
A* Atrium exposed to sun for major part of the day
B Back yard (beyond the patio)
C Container
CA Common Area
F Front yard
P Patio
S Side yard
W Walkway between the entry walk and the wall of the house
HOW TO USE THE PLANT LIST
The
selection of plants for each
1. Determine the Suitability of the selection and the appropriate Type of
plant to ensure that it thrives in its intended location. Note that some
plants are described as a “tree, shrub.” Such plants, while naturally a
shrub, can be pruned and/or trained as a multi-trunked small tree.
2. Determine the position of the property and the amount of sun to which
the plant will be exposed. If the specimen will be located north of the
house, generally it will be shaded much (if not all) of the day. Plants
located south of the house will generally enjoy sun for most of the day.
Plants on the east or west of the house will see sun for only part of the
day. Also, give consideration to changes in sun exposure with the
seasons.
Suggestion: Use the Light Exposure column to determine which
specimens will tolerate the sun exposure at the spot where the plant will
be situated.
3. Use the Dimensions of the plants at maturity to aid in creating a
veritable harmonious grouping within our extreme environment when
receiving limited amounts of water. Visualize the size of the selection to
ensure that it is in proportion with the nearby landscaping.
4. Likewise, note the Color and Texture of the flower and foliage and
whether or not the plant is an Evergreen to determine if the selected
plant complements the grouping.
5. Use the Growth Rate to gain insight concerning how fast the selection
will reach its mature size.
6. Generally, select a plant that produces low levels of litter when near the
house. This is especially noteworthy inside the patio.
7. Review the Comments of the selection for additional information. This
column contains remarks concerning the plant’s properties for attracting
or repelling specific animals or insects, possibly allergenic reactions,
whether or not parts of the plant are mildly poisonous, etc.
DEFINITIONS
Evergreen plant
An “EVERGREEN” plant is one that does not lose all of its leaves at one time.
Typically, an EVERGREEN plant will continuously lose its leaves throughout the year as new leaves are formed. Consequently, unlike a DECIDUOUS plant, they generally remain attractive year-round.
Semi-Evergreen plant
A “SEMI-EVERGREEN” plant shares many of the same characteristics of an EVERGREEN plant. SEMI-EVERGREEN plants will normally keep their leaves all year, but in the event of one or more unusually cold nights, a SEMI-EVERGREEN plant may drop some or all of its leaves just as a DECIDUOUS plant does.
Deciduous plant
A “DECIDUOUS” plant is one that will drop all of its leaves at one time. This usually happens in the fall, but depending on the plant and the climate, it may occur at any time of the year. Examples of DECIDUOUS plants are the JACARANDA and WHITE MULBERRY trees. These plants drop all their leaves in the fall and remain dormant until the spring when new leaves begin to grow.
Perennial plant
A “PERENNIAL” plant is a “non-woody” plant that grows for more than two consecutive years. Many PERENNIALS are similar to shrubs; however, unlike shrubs, PERENNIALS are not woody. Many PERENNIALS are also similar to DECIDUOUS plants in that they may lose all their leaves during certain times of the year. PERENNIALS may also lose all their structure and die back to ground level. However, new growth will occur with the next growing season. Typically, PERENNIALS are grown for their flowers, but some are grown only for their branch and leaf structure.
Rhizomes
A “RHIZOME” is a thick part of the stem that grows either partially, or completely underground. The growing part of a RHIZOME is called the growth bud, or eye. It may have scale-like leaves covering it, and roots may appear along the length of the RHIZOME. Once the RHIZOME has been established, additional growth points may appear along the length of it, which break through the ground forming a new shoot. The RHIZOME can be propagated by cutting the RHIZOME into sections that contain growing points or eyes and replanted. An example of a RHIZOME is the FORTNIGHT LILY.
Here
is the link to the list of approved plants for use in
And
for reference, here is the link to the list of plants that are not approved for
use in
In order to print a copy of the list for your reference, you will need to make sure to select Landscape format rather than Portrait.
In order to view the plant list, you must have installed Adobe Acrobat Reader, available at the following link: