In article , Newt
wrote:

Wrote:
I'm looking for suggestions to plant in a roadway center island that has
no built-in irrigation. They'd have to be drought-tolerant plants,
probably native to my Northern California (Zone 9) locale. Initially,
watering would only occasionally be provided by a nearby neighbor until
the plants get established enough to (hopefully) survive on their own,
with whatever Mother Nature offers them. Low-maintenance would also be
a requirement.

Currently, sandy soil, full sun, probably four feet by 12 feet. We'd
probably prefer relatively low-growing plants, say under two or three
feet. No big shrubs or anything. Daylilies would be an example of the
type of thing we'd like to go for. I'm not sure how drought-tolerant
they are, but they're certainly easy to grow and put on a nice show.

Suggestions appreciated.

-Fleemo



Hi Fleemo,

How about sage, penstemon, manzanita, california poppy, sand verbena,
aquilegia, arabis, aster, desert marigold, woolly Indian panitbrush,
coreopsis, delphinium, monkey flower - Diplacus, erigeron, California
pearly everlasting, California goldenrod, red California fuchsia.
http://tinyurl.com/89lpy

http://tinyurl.com/brc95
http://tinyurl.com/a2xh3
http://tinyurl.com/djoy7
http://tinyurl.com/7s2ah

Newt

Some good suggestions for Fleemo. I have planted a similar area & for me
the most exciting ultra-drought-hardies are the rockroses which form a
sufficient groundcover that the weeds don't get through, & come in a
wonderful variety of intense colors. There are a couple "doubles" on the
market which bloom right up to autumn, the singles bloom summer, but the
leaves have such variety (from glossy green to blue-grey) that the plants
are lovely when not in flower. Rockroses are bigger, with a smaller color
pallet to choose from, but strong impact without need of watering.

Others that have worked well in my xeriscape areas are Russian Sage,
Catmint, Graecian Horehound, Archer's variegated horehound, homestead
verbena, bearberry cotoneaster, wallflower (there's a variegated
wallflower that is longest-blooming from mid-spring right up to the edge
of winter), rose-of-sharon hybiscus (many colors, highly floriferous all
summer), hybrid brooms, tree mallow which blends well with rockroses
(there's a newish golden-leaf tree mallow), & rabbit-ear lavenders.

All of these are ideal for my zone (8), a few would not like it hotter
(hybrid brooms) or colder (some of the rock roses), but most have a wide
range of adaptability.

-paghat the ratgirl
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