Common name: French Gray Lavender
Botanical name: Lavandula dentata candicans

This evergreen shrub will grow 3'-4' tall and 4'-6' wide. It has large, gray leaves with pale lavender flowers that bloom spring through summer.

Common name: Ruby Glow Manuka Tea Tree
Botanical name: Leptospermum scoparium 'Ruby Glow'

Ruby Glow Manuka has small, needle-like, green leaves with showy, 1/2" rose-like flowers in winter and spring. These shrubs can be thinned to enhance their attractive branch structure and flaking bark. They need very little water once established. 'Ruby Glow' is compact, upright and grows 6'-8' tall by 4'-5' wide. It has dark foliage with deep red blooms; it works well as a red accent in the garden.

Common name: Tuttle Dwarf Natal Plum
Botanical name: Carissa macrocarpa 'Tuttle'

This spreading, low-growing sub-shrub will grow about 2'-3' tall and 5' wide. It has small, glossy, dark green, fleshy leaves that densely cover the shrub. Delicate white, star-shaped, fragrant flowers bloom in spring and summer. Oval fruit appear in summer, turning red when ripe. This fruit can be used for jams and jellies. This plant oozes sap when branches are cut or broken and may cause allergenic reactions for some people. Watch out for thorns. This plant tolerates coastal as well as desert areas. It needs little water in coastal areas but more in hot inland valleys. Prune to desired shape.

Common name: River Wattle
Botanical name: Acacia cognata

This is a small graceful weeping tree which grows from 20' to 30' in height. The leaves are narrow and pendulous. It bears yellow puffy flowers in spring. It reguires well-draining soil. It needs protection from sea winds or hot inland valley sun.

Common name: Mexican Marigold
Botanical name: Tagetes lemmonii

This larger perennial will grow to 6' tall and has small, light green leaves with yellow mustard colored flowers that bloom in winter and spring. Cut back to within 6" of the ground to refresh and reduce the size of the plant.

Common name: Fox Tail Agave
Botanical name: Agave attenuata

This Agave has a dramatic tropical form. Even light frost can damage its succulent leaves. It is great for containers. In the low desert, partial sun will be best. If it becomes top heavy, simply cut and stick in the ground to root. It is not a fast grower and has light green foliage. It will also die after flowering but pups around the mother will survive. Distinctive with its large rosette of leaves perched on a long curving trunk, it is a native from Mexico. Also called: Velvet Agave

Common name: Noell's Grevillea
Botanical name: Grevillea 'Noellii'

This low, compact evergreen shrub reaches 3'-6' tall and 6'8' wide. Dark pink flowers apear in the spring. Its bright green foliage is needle-like. Full sun is required for growth. Prune after bloom period to keep this shrub looking dense. Grevillea is sensitive to salt accumulation so it's important to drip irrigate for hours on this plant to leach out salt once a month. Do not fertilize with phosphates.

Common name: Desert Encelia
Botanical name: Encelia farinosa

This deciduous mounding shrub typically has gray leaves that can reach 5' tall and wide. However, the leaves will turn white in drought conditions. Bright yellow 1" wide daisies appear in spring and summer. There is rapid growth following rain but this shrub is short-lived. Individual plants will reseed to repopulate. It does well in hot areas but cannot tolerate clay soils due to root rot. It will become overgrown and fragile if over watered.