Common name:Sticks on Fire Pencil Tree
Botanical name:Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire'

In frost free areas, Euphorbia can become a 30' tree but in colder areas, it is often knocked back by frost. It can be single or multiple trunked. It has green cylindrical branches that are about the diameter of a pencil. Leaves are not usually present. Some people are allergic to the sap. It is tolerant of salt, full sun, part shade and quite drought resistant. It is a great accent plant for a container. This form has yellow or orange branches if in full sun.

Common name:Rosea Yarrow
Botanical name:Achillea millefolium rosea

This Achillea features spreading mats of fern-like rosettes, along with deeply divided leaves of a green or gray green color. In this form, the flowers are usually a pale pink tone. Yarrow propagate easily from rooted cuttings or division, which should be performed in the early spring or fall. Following bloom, one should dead head the plant and divide the clumps when it appears crowded.

Common name:Sundrops
Botanical name:Calylophus hartwegii

This low-growing perennial grows 1' tall and 3' tall; it has woody stems with bright green leaves. It produces large, lemon yellow flowers that are up to 4" across and bloom spring through summer and possibly through fall, depending on weather conditions.

Maintenance Tips

Calylophus hartwegii is a soft-textured, low-growing perennial with bright yellow flowers. It only grows 12" tall and up to 3' wide. It is very fast growing in the late winter and early spring, and then it is covered with flowers from mid-spring until fall if the weather is ideal. In the fall, when the days start to get shorter and the rains begin, this plant can decline. The root system will stay intact, but the flowering stops, and the foliage will completely die back. This plant benefits from hard pruning, taking the foliage, and branching almost down to the ground. Don't expect any new growth to emerge until the days start to get longer and warm up. The foliage will start to emerge, and the plant's quick growth and blooming cycle will return.

Common name:Blue Hibiscus
Botanical name:Alyogyne huegelii

This round shrub will grow about 10' tall and wide and has medium-sized green leaves with lavender blue flowers that bloom all year.

Maintenance Tips

Alyogyne huegelii is a large, free-form shrub with large, dramatic purple flowers that resemble hibiscus. Also known as Blue Hibiscus, this shrub prefers full sun and well-drained soil. To keep this plant looking and performing its best with very little maintenance, make sure to plant it in a sunny location and give it 8-10' of space to reach its full maturity. It is a woody shrub so as it grows and the canopy becomes dense, the interior branches will no longer see sunlight and will no longer grow leaves. To keep the shrub free-form and blooming throughout, it is best to use the thinning method of pruning and make some of the cuts back to the main trunk to allow the sun to reach the interior of the plant. Shearing the plant is never a good idea because all of the blooming potential is at the tips of the branches. Shearing will take off all of the blooms and will cause the plant to send out excessive growth and the natural shape of the plant will be forever lost. This plant is susceptible to aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Instead of using pesticides to control these pests, it would be better to use a hard jet of water or even bring in ladybugs to treat the infestation. That will ensure that the beneficial insects and birds can continue to enjoy the flowers.

Common name:Red Star Cordyline
Botanical name:Cordyline 'Red Star'

The 'Red Star' cultivar is an evergreen shrub that grows 12' to 30' tall and 10' to 15' wide with sword-like leaves with a reddish color. It likes full sun, and is very tolerant of heat and drought. It will live in any type of soil that is well drained. Cut back to develop multiple trunks.

Common name:Mexican Palo Verde, Jerusalem Thorn
Botanical name:Parkinsonia aculeata

The Mexican Palo Verde has prickly stems. This tree is very fast growing with sparse foliage and very long narrow leaves. Yellow flowers with orange red throats bloom sporadically. It is very messy, thorny, weedy and short-lived. This tree is usually found on limestone soils in areas with moisture but is strongly drought tolerant. It can withstand saline conditions. It can be cold or drought deciduous. It is beautiful in form being light and airy looking, with green bark.

Common name:Fan Aloe
Botanical name:Aloe plicatilis

This wide succulent shrub grows 3'-6' tall and wide, with fan-like clusters of the bluish-gray round tipped leaves. From each fan emerges an open terminal cluster of tubular, orange red flowers in late winter to early spring. Plant in full sun if on the coast or in shade if inland. It is hardy to about 23 degrees F. It needs winter and spring irrigation if grown where does does not receive adequate water from rainfall.