Sun-loving Annuals for the Sonoran Desert Garden!
April and May are key months for preparing your Tucson Garden for the upcoming summer heat. If you like to spell the desert look with a splash of color, try selecting from an extensive list of summer annuals and perennials that thrive on our hot, dry desert summers.
Salvias add spires of blooms in blue, red, pink. These are different from the shrubs you may be familiar with-Salvia Greggii. Members of the coccinea family, these Salvias are considered annuals here in our desert, but will most likely re-seed themselves in your yard for years to come. They top out at about 18″, and look beautiful mixed together or grouped by color with another mixed annual like Vinca.
Zinnias of all types, including varieties like “Profusion”, “Short Stuff”, “Magellan”, “Peter Pan” and more punch up the color. Sometimes Zinnias can be prone to fungal-diseases when the monsoon humidity arrives. New varieties like the Profusion series are bred to withstand the moisture and so are less prone to this problem. Profusion Zinnias are available in Orange, Red, Pink, Mixes and a multitude of other colors. Magellan Zinnias are the traditional tall stalks with a large round colorful flower. Short Stuff resembles Magellan, but in a more compact size. Star Zinnias come in golds, yellows and whites and look like tine stars at the end of fine green stalks.
Golden Fleece is a frilly-leafed plant with bright daisy-like flowers. Great for a border. Gomphrena produces flowers resembling small balls on clean green foliage. Nierembergia in purple or white with its lacy foliage is perfect for a low border surrounding a group of colorful Zinnia. Rudbeckia, or Black-eyed Susan, can fill a bed with bright yellow flowers resembling small Sunflowers. Gazanias, actually a perennial, shoot up daisy-like flowers in beautiful warm tones like orange, yellow, white and red. Cosmos provide a more delicate daisy-like appearance in a multitude of colors ranging from 8″ to 1 1/2′ tall that will waft in the wind.
Vinca, sometimes referred to as Periwinkle, is a great, hardy sun-loving annual that will reseed itself in most cases. Its bright flowers make it a favorite for easy-care, sun gardens all season long. Flowers are available in pinks, reds, rose, white, lavender, peach and many colors in between. Some flowers have an ‘eye’ or colored center. There are numerous varieties, but the most popular and hardy for our environment are the Pacifica or Cooler varieties.
Please let us know if you have any questions. You can reach us at our store at 520 299 9471 or see us at greenthingsaz.com for directions and other information.