Common name:Golden Barrel Cactus
Botanical name:Echinocactus grusonii

Golden Barrel Cactus has a globe shaped trunk and vertical ribs lined with thick rows of golden spines. It grows slowly to 3' tall. It looks handsome in containers. It can thrive in full sun but prefers some shade in low desert. This cactus prefers well drained soil and rots with poor drainage.

Common name:Queen Palm
Botanical name:Syagrus romanzoffianum

This palm has a very straight trunk to about 50' in height. It has arching, feathery, bright green, glossy leaves that can be 10'-15' long. It is fragile in heavy winds and a fast grower. It will become damaged in temperature below 24 degrees F.

Common name:Kleinia
Botanical name:Senecio mandraliscae

This succulent perennial will grow to about 1.5' tall and 2' wide. It has curved, bluish gray leaves that are about 3.5" long and very slender.

Common name:Red Cross Kangaroo Paws
Botanical name:Anigozanthos 'Red Cross'

Red Cross Kangaroo Paws has showy, tall (4'-5'), multi- branched stems with rich red color on both flowers and stems. The flowers have a green interior. It is fast growing.

Common name:Century Plant, Maguey
Botanical name:Agave americana

This plant is fast growing to about 6'-10' tall and 8'-13' wide. Wide gray leaves have stiff terminal spines and recurved teeth on margins. It prefers full sun and well-drained situations. After blooming, which could take several years, it will die but will send up new pups from around the base. Some people are allergic to the sap. Removal is difficult if unwanted.

Common name:Catmint
Botanical name:Nepeta X faassenii

Nepeta faassenii makes soft, gray green, undulating mounds that are 1.5' high when blooming. The small leaves are attractive to cats. This perennial has lavender blue flowers in late spring and early summer.

The Magic of Mulch

In the natural world the endless cycle of birth, growth, decay, death and rebirth flows throughout the seasons. Plants die, leaves fall and new growth springs up in its place. Nothing is lost and the fallen leaves and dead plants decay into the soil, enriching it for the next generation of growth.

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