Xeriscaping: Perennial and Annual Flowers · Torch lily Kniphofia caulescens Regal Torch Lily Red,...
Transcript of Xeriscaping: Perennial and Annual Flowers · Torch lily Kniphofia caulescens Regal Torch Lily Red,...
Fact Sheet No. Gardening Ser ies|Flowers
by J.E. Klett and C. Wilson*
Wet climate landscapes have molded perceptions of flower gardens and ingrained the names of the flowers they contain through literature, painting, photography and more. Dry climate gardens by contrast often evoked images of sparseness and scarcity. No more.
A new view of water wise gardens has evolved from the creativity and experimentation of gardeners. It is supported by the wider availability of native and adapted plants from high altitude dry climates around the world. Plant marketing efforts from nurseries and the Plant Select® program have fostered this plant revolution. Plant Select® identifies and distributes plants best for intermountain and high plains gardens. (See www.plantselect.org)
Growing on less water does not mean water-wise gardens are lacking. They can be colorful, with a wide variety of plants, and delight as much as the traditional English garden border. They can also be subtle and evocative of the wide-open skies and intense light of the natural western landscape.
Grasses, perennials and wildflowers native to the Rocky Mountain West are frequently found in the modern Colorado flower garden. Annuals easy on water use are seasonally mixed in. Introduced plants from the high and dry areas of the Andes, Himalayas, the Middle East and South Africa are often included. This list of perennials and annuals includes native and adapted plants for the water wise flower garden. Use it as a tool to explore the expanded garden possibilities in the West.
For additional plant suggestions, see other native plant and xeriscape fact sheets (www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/pubs.html) available from Colorado State University Extension.
Quick Facts•Nurseriescarryagreaterselectionofnativeandadaptedwaterwiseperennialsandannualsthaneverbefore.
•Widerplantavailabilitysupportsnewdirectionsinwesternflowergardens.
•Usethislistofperennialandannualplantsasatoolforexploringexpandedgardenpossibilities.
©ColoradoStateUniversityExtension.6/00.Reviewed2/10.
www.ext.colostate.edu
*J. E. Klett, Colorado State University Extension landscape horticulturist and professor, department of horticulture and landscape architecture; C. R. Wilson, Extension horticulture agent, Denver County. Revised from original “Xeriscaping: Garden flowers” fact sheet authored by J.R. Feucht and J.E. Klett. 2/10
Xeriscaping: Perennial and Annual Flowers
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Figure 1: PerennialsGaillardia x grandiflora ‘Goblin’(lowerright)andSedum sp.(centerleft).
Figure 2:AnnualsRudbeckia‘AutumnColors.’
Figure 3:DenverCityCountyBuildingPerennialGarden(Zauschneria garrettii (bottomleft).
Botanical Name Common Name
Cultivars
Flower Color
Bloom Period
Height
Comments/ Cultural hints
Achillea hybridsYarrow
‘Moonshine’ LightYellow Jun-Sep 18-36” Featheryfoliage,vigorous,clumpforming
Achillea filipendulaFernleafyarrow
‘CoronationGold’‘Parker’sVariety’
BrightyellowGoldenyellow
Jun-SepJun-Sep
36-42”36-48”
Gray-greenfoliage,heattolerant
Weakstems-mayrequirestaking
AchilleamillefoliumCommonyarrow
‘Paprika’
‘RedBeauty’
‘SummerPastels’‘TerraCotta’
RedwithyellowcentersCrimsonredPastelmixPeachpink
Jun-SepJun-SepJun-SepJun-Sep
18-24”18-24”18-24”30-36”
Soft,featherygreenfoliage,vigorousspreadingnatureGray-greenfeatheryfoliage,aggressivespreadingclumpFeatheryfoliage,formsclumpsSilveryfeatheryfoliage,spreadingnature
Achillea ptarmicaThePearlyarrow
‘ThePearl’ White Jun-Sep 12-18” Smallspraysofdouble,buttonlikeflowers,openhabit,goodcutflower
AgastacheaurantiacaHyssop
Coronado®Coronado®Red
OrangeRed
Jul-OctJul-Oct
15-18in.15-18in.
Silverygreenleaves,mintyfragrance,PlantSelect®plants
Agastache canaHummingbird’smint
SonoranSunset®
PinkLavenderrose
Jul-OctJul-Oct
24-36”12-18”
Graygreenaromaticfoliage,uprightclumpsMorecompactthanspecies,longerblooming,PlantSelect®plant
Agastache rupestrisSunsethyssop
Salmonpink Jul-Oct 24-36” Graygreenaromaticfoliage,PlantSelect®plant
Agastache hybridAnisehyssop
‘BlueFortune’ Blueviolet Jul-Oct 24-48” Darkgreenleavesonstoutstems
Alcea roseaHollyhock
Chater’sseriesWatchman’
Mix Jul-SepJul-Sep
60-72”60-72”
Cuttingbackstalksencouragescontinuingbloom
Antennaria parvifoliaPussytoes
Pink May-Jun 2-6” Woolysilvery-grayleaves
Aquilegia chrysanthaYellowcolumbine
DenverGold®
Yellow May-Aug 24-36” Recurrentbloomifcutback.SouthwesternnativePlantSelect®plant
Aquilegia Remembrance®columbine
‘SwanViolet&White’ Violet-blueandwhite May-Jun 18-24” HybriddevelopedfromnativeA. cae-rulea tohonorthememoryofthoseshotatColumbineHighSchool.PlantSelect®plant
Arabis caucasiaRockcress
‘Snowcap’ White Mar-Apr 6-8in. Cutbackafterbloomtomaintaincompactplant.
Aurinia saxitalisBasket-of-gold
Yellow Apr 6-12” Narrowgray-greenleavescontrastwithbrightflowersinbloom.
Baptisia australisFalseindigo
Blue May-Jun 36-48” Attractivebrownseedpods.Bluegreenfoliage.
Berlandiera lyrataChocolateflower
Yellow Jun-Sep 12-24” SoutheasternColoradonative.Chocolatefragrancefromdaisy-likeflowers.PlantSelect®plant
Callirhoe involucrataPrairiewinecups
Magentapink Jun-Sep 6-12” Trailingstemssprawl2to3feet.PlantSelect®plant
Calylophus serrulatus Sundrops
‘PrairieLode’ Yellow Jun-Sep 6” Spreadinggroundcover.PlantSelect®plant.
Centaurea montanaMountainbluet/Perennialbachelorbutton
Violet-blue Jun-Jul 18-24” Spiderycornflowers.Vigorousgrowerthatself-seeds.
Centranthus ruberRedvalerianorJupiter’sBeard
‘Albus’
ReddishpinkWhite
Jun-Aug 24” Sprawlingplantwithblue-greenleaves.Reseeds.Deadheadtopro-motecontinualblooming.
Perennials
Botanical Name Common Name
Cultivars
Flower Color
Bloom Period
Height
Comments/ Cultural hints
Cerastium tomentosumSnowinsummer
White May-Jun 6-12” Silverygrayfoliage.Needswelldrainedsoil.
Coreopsis auriculataDwarfcoreopsis
‘Nana’ Yellow-orange May-Sep 6-8” Lowclumpformerwithevergreenfoliage.Deadheadflowers.
Coreopsis grandifloraDwarfdoublecoreopsis
‘Sunray’ Goldenyellow Jun-Aug 24” Doubleflowers.Spoon-likevibrantgreenleaves.Compactplant.
Coreopsis lanceolataLanceleafcoreopsis
Yellow Jun-Jul 18-24” Long-lived,finetexturedplantwithshinygreenleaves.
Coreopsis verticillataFernleafcoreopsis
‘Moonbeam’
‘Zagreb’
Paleyellow
Goldenyellow
Jun-Sep 18-24”
12-18”
Finelydissected,brightgreenfoliage.Deepgreenthread-likeleaves.
Delosperma cooperiPurpleiceplant
Violetpurple May-Jun 2-4’ Succulentgray-greenleavesturnred-purpleinwinter.
Delosperma nubigenumYellowiceplant
Yellow May-Jul 1-2” Moundofsucculentleavesturnpurplishinwinter.
Delospermahybrids
LavenderIce™MesaVerde®TableMountain®
LavenderSalmonpinkFuchsia
May-Aug 2-4in. Succulentgray-greenleavesPlantSelect®plants
Echinacea purpureaPurpleconeflower
‘WhiteSwan’
‘Magnus’
White
Darkpink
Jul-Sep 24-36” Erectprairiewildflower,daisy-likeflowers,deepgreenleaves
Echium amoenumRedFeathers
Russetred May-Jul 12-16” BaserosetteoffoliagewithspikesoffeatheryflowersPlantSelect®plant
Erigeron hybridsFleabanedaisy ‘AzureFairy’
Pink-purpleBluewithyelloweye
Jun-Jul 18-24” Growinwell-drainedsoil,deadheadforrebloom
Eriogonum umbellatumSulfurflower KannahCreek®
Yellow May-Jul 6-12” Darkgreenmatoffoliagewithumbrella-likeflowersKannahCreek®foliageturnsarichredinwinter-PlantSelect®
Eryngium planumSeaholly
Blue Jun-Aug 12-24” Silver-blueflowerheadsdrywell
Eschscholzia californicaCaliforniapoppy
Yellow-orange Jun-Sep 12-24” Finebluegreenleaves.Short-livedperennialatlowelevations,annualathighelevations.Reseedseasily.
Gaillardia aristataNativeblanketflower
Yellow Jun-Aug 18-24” Fuzzy,greenclumpoffoliage,flow-ershavereddishbrowntoorangecenters
Gaillardia x grandifloraBlanketflower
‘Burgundy’
‘Goblin’
Red
Redwithyellow
Jun-Aug 18-24”
18-24”
Wineredflowers
Compactgrowth
Gaura lindheimeriWhirlingbutterflies
‘CrimsonButterflies’
‘SiskiyouPink’
Pink
Pink
Jul-Sep 15-18” Darkcrimsonleaves
Deeppinkflowerswithwhitestamens
Gazania linearis ColoradoGold®Hardygazania
Yelloworange May-Oct 4-6” Deepgreenlinearleaves,bloomsopeninsunnyweather,PlantSelect®plant
Gypsophila paniculataBaby’sbreath
‘BristolFairy’
‘PinkFairy’
White
Lightpink
Jun-Aug 36-48”
18-24”
Doublewhiteairyflowers
LightpinkdoubleflowersBothusefulascutflowers
Helianthemum nummulariumSunrose
Many White,pink,yellow,red,orange
May-Jul 8-12” Numerouscultivarswithvariousflowercolorsandsilverytodeepgreenfoliage
(Perennials, Continued)
Botanical Name Common Name
Cultivars
Flower Color
Bloom Period
Height
Comments/ Cultural hints
Hemerocallis spp.Daylily
Many Red,orange,yellow,purple,white
Jun-Jul 12-48” Clumpsoflong,mediumgreen,grass-likeleaves,leaflessflowerstalksbearbell-shapedflowers
Iberis sempervirensCandytuft
White Apr-Jun 12-18” Glossygreenfoliage,shearafterbloom,mayrepeatbloominfall
Irishybrids Many Blue,white,red,purple,yellow,orange,bi-colors
May-Jun 8-30” Swordlikeleavesaddverticalaccenttothegarden,makesgoodcutflower
Knautia macedonicaKnautia
Burgundy Jun-Aug 18-36” Foliageclumpsgiverisetomanyopenlybranchedflowerstems,reseeds
Kniphofia uvariaTorchlily
Kniphofia caulescensRegalTorchLily
Red,orange,yellow,bi-colors
Golden,crimsonandivorytri-color
Jul-Sep 24-48”
40”
Verticalflowerspikesarisefromclumpsofgrasslikefoliage,bloomsfrombottomofspikeupward.PlantSelect®Plant
Lavandula angustifoliaEnglishlavender
‘Hidcote’
‘Munstead’
Lavenderblue
Lavenderblue
May-Sep 12”
12-18”’
Aromaticbloomsandfoliage,semiev-ergreen,woodystems
Liatrus spicataGayfeather
‘Kobold’
‘FloristanViolet’
‘FloristanWhite’
Rose
Violetpurple
White
Jul-Sep 18-36” Clumpsofgrassyfoliage,bottlebrushblooms,goodcutflower
Limonium latifolium Sealavender
Lavenderpurple Jul-Sep 18-24” Spoon-shaped,leatheryclumpofleaves,cloudofairyflowers
Linum perenneBlueflax
Blue May-Jun 12-24” Skyblueflowersonairystems,self-seeds
Lychnis coronariaRosecampion
Purple-red May-Jul 18-36” Silverygrayrosetteoffoliage,reseeds
Mirabilis multifloraDesertfouro’clock
Purplishred Jun-Sep 12-30” Bluegreenleaves,trumpetshapedflowers,southernColoradonative
Nepetaspp.Catmint
‘SixHillsGiant’
‘WalkersLow’
LittleTrudy®
Lavender May-Oct 24-36”
18-24”
8-12”
Fragrantgray-greenleavesonsquarestems,spreadinghabit,trimbackafterbloom.
PlantSelect®plant
Oenothera macrocarpasubsp.IncanaEveningprimrose
SilverBlade® Yellow May-Sep 4” Silverleavescomplimentclearyellowflowers.Growinwell-drainedsoils.PlantSelect®plant
Papaver orientaleOrientalpoppy
Orange,salmon,red May-Jun 24-30” Verydroughthardy,foliagediesinsummer.
Penstemon grandiflorus
PrairieJewel®penstemon
White,lavender,rose-pink,purple-violet
May 18-36” StrainofGreatPlainspenstemonswithgiantflowers.Attractivesilveryleafrosettes.PlantSelect®plant
Penstemon linarioidesvar.coloradoensis
Silverton®bluematpenstemon
Lavender-blue May-Jun 8-12” Spreadingsilverymoundsofever-greenleaves.PlantSelect®plant
Penstemon rostriflorusBridges’penstemon
Scarletred Jul-Sep 24-36” Southwesternnativepenstemonno-tableforlatesummerbloomperiod.PlantSelect®plant
Phlox subulataCreepingphlox
White,red,blue,pink Mar-Apr 4-6” Plantsformblanketsofgreenleavescoveredwithsmall,star-shapedflowers
Pulsatilla vulgarisPasqueflower
Purple Mar-Apr 6-12” Silverybudsopentocup-shapedblooms,fuzzyseedheadspersistintosummer
Rudbeckia fulgidaBlack-eyedSusan
‘Goldsturm’ Goldenyellow Jul-Aug 18-24” Goldenyellowflowerswithdarkbrowntoblackcenters
(Perennials, Continued)
Figure 4:Perennials.NativebluePenstemon strictus (left)andP. grandiflorus PrairieJewel®(centerandright).
Figure 5:AnnualsCleome‘SenoritaRosalita’.
Botanical Name Common Name
Cultivars
Flower Color
Bloom Period
Height
Comments/ Cultural hints
Salvia argenteaSilversage
White Jun-Jul 24-36” Silkyhairsonlargeleavesmakesthisasuperiorfoliageplant.PlantSelect®plant
Salvia nemerosaSage
‘MayNight’
‘RoseQueen’
Violetblue
Rosepink
Jun-Aug 18-24” Erectflowerstalkswithgray-greenfoliage,repeatbloomifcutbackafterfirstbloomfinishes
Satureja montanavar.illyricaPurplewintersavory
Purple-blue Aug-Sep 4-6” Evergreenmoundswithlate-seasonshowyflowers.PlantSelect®plant
Sedum acreGoldmossstonecrop
Yellow May-Jun 2-4” Star-likeflowersonshortstemswithbrightgreenleaves
SedumAutumnJoystonecrop
‘AutumnJoy’ Salmonpink Aug-Sep 18-24” Uprightclumpbearsthick,rounded,blue-greenleaveswithflatflowerclusters
Sedum spuriumDragon’sBloodstonecrop
‘Dragon’sBlood’ Rosered Jun-Jul 2-4” Matsofred-rimmedfoliageturnblood-redinfallandwinter
Veronica liwanensisTurkishveronica
Cobalt-blue Apr-Jun 1-2” Flat,evergreenmatsofglossyleaves.PlantSelect®plant
Veronica‘Reavis’ CrystalRiver®ve-ronica
Blue Apr-Jun 2-3” Fast-growingvigorousmassesoffoli-age.PlantSelect®plant
Viola corsicaCorsicanviolet
Purple Apr-Sep 6-8” Adroughttolerantviolet.PlantSe-lect®plant
Zauschneria garrettii (Epilobium garettiisynonymous)
Orangecarpet®hum-mingbirdtrumpet
Orange-scarlet Jul-Aug 4-6” SpreadingperennialfromIdahowithmassesofbloom.PlantSelect®plant
Zinnia grandifloraPaperflower
Yellow Jun-Sep 6” Longlastingbloom,droughtendur-ing.
(Perennials, Continued)
Figure 6:PerennialsDelosperma MesaVerde®(front)D. nubigenum(back).
Figure 7:PerennialsBerlandiera lyrata(top)andLavandula angustifolia (below).
Annuals that require one quarter to one-half inch of additional water per week
Botanical Name Common Name Exposure
Flower Color
Bloom Time
Height Hardiness
Centaurea cyanusCornflower,BachelorButton
Sun–Partshade White,pink,blue,purple
Jun-Sep 15-20in. Hardy,reseeds
Cosmos bipinnatisCosmos
Sun Pink,white,purple Jul-Sep 36-48in. Tender,reseeds
Gazania rigensGazania
Sun White,yellow,orange Jun-Oct 8-10in. Half-hardy
Gomphrena globosaGlobeAmaranth
Sun White,pink,lavender
Jun-Oct 12-24in. Tender
Lantana camaraLantana
Sun–Partshade Yellow,white,orange,Numerous
Jun-Sep 12-24in. Tender
Lobularia maritimaSweetAlyssum
Sun–Partshade White,violet,maroon
May-Sep 4-8in. Hardy
Mirabilis jalapaFourO’Clocks
Sun–Partshade Yellow,pink,red,white Jul-Sep 18-30in. Tender,reseeds
Petunia x hybridaPetunia
Sun–Partshade Pink,white,yellow,violet,red,blue,Various
Jun-Oct 8-15in. Halfhardy
Portulaca grandifloriaRoseMoss
Sun Pink,red,white,yellow,orange,Numerous
Jul-Oct 6-8in. Tender
Sanvitalia procumbensCreepingZinnia,TrailingSanvitalia
Sun Yellow,orange Jun-Sep 6-8in. Tender
Senecio cinerariaDustyMiller
Sun White-Silverfoliage N/A 8-12in. Hardy
Tithonia rotundifoliaMexicanSunflower
Sun Orange,red Aug-Oct 12-40in. Tender
Scaevola aemulaFanFlower
Sun White,blue,violet Jul-Oct 6-12in. Tender
Figure 8:PerennialsRudbeckia fulgida(top)andErigeron sp.(below)
Annuals that require one half to one inch of additional water per week
Botanical Name Common Name Exposure
Flower Color
Bloom Time
Height Hardiness
Catharanthus roseusPeriwinkle,vinca
Sun White,violet,rose,purple
Jun-Oct 8-14in. Tender
Cleome hasslerianaCleome,SpiderFlower
Sun Pink,white,purple Jul-Sep 36-48in. Tender
Dianthus chinensisChinaPinks
Sun–Partshade White,pink,rose,red May-Sep 8-12in. Hardy
Helichrysum bracteatumStrawflower
Sun White,rose,yellow,orange,crimson
Aug-Oct 10-30in. Hardy
Ipomea batatusSweetPotatoVine
Sun-Partshade Notimportant N/A 12-24in.Vining
Tender
Limonium sinuatumNotchleafStatice
Sun White,yellow,blue,lavender
Aug-Oct 12-24in. Hardy
Nierembergia hippomanica violaceaeCupFlower
Sun Violet,lavender,white Jun-Sep 8in. Halfhardy
Osteospermum spe-ciesAfricanDaisy,CapeDaisy
Sun White,yellow,lavender,pink,orange
Jun-Sep 10-18in. Halfhardy
PennisetumsetaceumFountainGrass
Sun Grownforfoliage&plume
Jul-Oct 24-40in. Halfhardy
Pentas lanceolataEgyptianStarFlower
Sun Red,white,pink Jun-Sep 12-20in. Tender
Rudbeckia hirta pulcherimmaGloriosaDaisy
Sun Yellow,orange Jul-Oct 12-30in. Hardy
Salvia farinaceaMealycupSage
Sun–Partshade Blue,lavender,white,rose
Jul-Oct 12-30in. Halfhardy
Tagetes speciesMarigold
Sun Yellow,orange,white,mahogany
Jun-Oct 6-30in. Halfhardy
Tropaeolum majusNasturtium
Sun Red,orange,yellow Jun-Sep 12in. Tender
Verbena x hybridaGardenVerbena
Sun White,pink,pose,lavender,red,violet
Jun-Oct 12-18in. Tender
ZinniahybridsZinnia
Sun White,yellow,red,orange,pink,rose
Jun-Oct 8-36in. Tender
Annuals that require one to one and a half inches of additional water per week
ColoradoStateUniversity,U.S.DepartmentofAgricultureandColoradocountiescooperating.CSUExtensionprogramsareavailabletoallwithoutdiscrimination.Noendorsementofproductsmentionedisintendednoriscriticismimpliedofproductsnotmentioned.
Botanical Name Common Name Exposure
Flower Color
Bloom Time
Height Hardiness
Ageratum houstonianumMexicanFlossFlower
Sun–Partshade Lavender,pink,blue,white
Jun-Oct 8-12in. Tender
Antirrhinum majusSnapdragon
Sun White,yellow,pink,bronze,various
May-Oct 6-30in. Hardy
Argyranthemum speciesMargueriteDaisy
Sun White,yellow,pink,various
Jun-Oct 6-36in. Halfhardy
Bacopa speciesBacopa,WaterHyssop
Sun–Partshade Pink,white,lavender,various
May-Sep 3-6in. Tender
Celosia plumosaFeatherCockscomb
Sun Yellow,orange,red,pink
Jul-Sep 15-24in. Tender
Heliotropium arborescensHeliotrope
Sun Blue,purple Jun-Sep 10-20in. Tender
Impatiens wallerianaImpatiens
Sun–Shade White,pink,rose,red,blue,copper
Jun-Sep 6-12in. Tender
Lobelia erinusLobelia
Sun-Partshade Blue,purple,white May-Sep 4-12in. Tender
Nicotiana alataNicotiana
Sun Red,white,pink,lime-green
Jun-Sep 10-60in. Tender
Pelargonium x hortorumZonalGeranium
Sun White,pink,rose,red,orange
May-Oct 12-20in. Halfhardy
Viola x wittrockianaPansy–LadiesDelight
Sun-Partshade White,blue,violet,yel-low,orange,maroon
Allyear 4-8in. Veryhardy