Accent Plants for Tucson Landscapes
Pedilanthus macrocarpus |
Accent plants have many uses and must be carefully placed to draw the viewer's eye and movements where they are desired. They can be used as guides to a walkway or driveway, as focal points in a garden bed, or to draw eyes away from areas like storage or parking places to a more pleasant view. They can frame scenery or create an entry to a garden "room". Accent plant can even become landmarks in a neighborhood. In choosing plants, keep in mind that many of our natives repel, rather than draw people, because of their sharp spines and thorns. No one will be drawn to sit under an ocotillo or rub against a century plant!
For accent plants to have a good effect, they need to fit within the landscape as a whole. For example, saguaros in grass lawns or petunia beds look out of place (and probably won't thrive either). Italian cypresses and boxwood hedges are incongruous in an otherwise desert landscape. That's not to say eclectic mixes can't work, but the species should complement each other and tolerate similar growing conditions. |
Most of the accent plants for Tucson landscapes are of a size that works well in residential settings that are more horizontal than vertical. There are exceptions. Sixty foot tall Mexican fan palms dwarf single story houses and look like utility poles from most angles. They look great against multistory buildings, though, especially when planted in clusters.
Creating a "botanical garden" composed of individuals of many species is bound to look chaotic. The best look is achieved with a limited palette of repeated elements which create a sense of rhythm and harmony in the landscape. |
Stetsonia coryne |
Brahea armata "Blue hesper palm"
This palm has attractive, stiff blue foliage which eventually forms a tan skirt of dead leaves. It grows up to 35 feet tall. Cream colored flowers in arching inflorescences extend beyond the leaves and make it look like some kind of bizarre sea creature.
Dasylirion longissimum "Mexican grass tree"
Filtered shade might be best for this species in Tucson. It also requires lots of space because it can reach 9' wide and 15' tall. It is an amazing specimen plant and the long, arching leaves create a kinetic sculpture as they move in the breeze. It is fairly slow growing, but plant one anyway, future generations will be most grateful!
Erythrina flabelliformis "Coral bean"
Coral bean is particularly attractive for people who enjoy "weird" plants. It is bare much of the year but has amazing red flowers in spring and leafs out during the monsoon with foliage that resembles poplar leaves. It freezes to the ground in most locations and re-shoots in spring from a large underground root system.
Ferocactus wislizeni "Fishhook barrel"
This barrel is very common in this area and is known for its stout curved spines and waxy looking yellow fruits. Plant this species away from pedestrian traffic areas and cluster them for a terrific sculptural effect.
Fouquieria splendens "Ocotillo"
This and saguaro are the signature plants of the Sonoran desert. Ocotillo requires no maintenance when established and provides yearly bursts of red blooms and frequent flushes of green leaves. It looks best planted in groves in a large landscape.
Hesperaloe funifera "Coahuilan hesperaloe"
The tall, sword-like leaves of this species are interesting enough, but the 15' tall flower spike it produces every year is the amazing part. It forms a great sculpture in a garden and is attractive to birds as a perch.
Jatropha cardiophylla "Limberbush"
Limberbush is a sculpture of arching branches in winter and is covered with glossy heart-shaped leaves during the monsoon. It needs almost no care and looks good planted with ocotillos in a garden getting water only from rains.
Nolina microcarpa "Beargrass"
This large clumping plant has grass-like leaves that are used for weaving into baskets. It is best in an informal landscape especially planted amongst rocks. The ends of the leaves turn pale tan and catch sunlight in an intriguing way.
Pachycereus marginatus "Mexican fencepost"
This stately formal cactus has columnar trunks that can reach 20 feet tall. It can be used to create a tall fence from cuttings and it has no big spines, so it's safe for pedestrian areas.
Pedilanthus macrocarpus "Slipper plant"
This Mexican native plant is a medium sized accent plant that grows to 4 feet tall. It has finger thick branches that arise in clumps from ground level. In summer it has pretty orange flowers that look like little slippers. It is a tough plant for containers or in-ground planting.
Stetsonia coryne "Toothpick cactus"
The long spines on this cactus do make good toothpicks if you dare to pick one off. It grows tall with many branches and is a handsome accent that, unlike saguaro, will not be attacked by woodpeckers.
Yucca elata "Soaptree yucca"
This tall, elegant yucca is a real eyecatcher, especially when it is topped with spikes of white flowers in late spring. It is slow growing but worth the wait for its Dr. Seuss character to develop.
Yucca rigida "Blue yucca"
The 2' long dusty blue leaves of this yucca make it stand out in a landscape. Like most yuccas it is slow growing, but it looks good even when small. It grows to 12' tall and often branches.
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