Common name:Olive
Botanical name:Olea europaea

This broad tree will grow to 40' tall and has small, gray green leaves with fleshy black fruit that appears in fall. Purchase fruitless varieties to avoid the mess.

Common name:Fox Tail Agave, Velvet 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.

Common name:Silver Jade Plant
Botanical name:Crassula arborescens

This succulent perennial will grow 3'-8' tall and has thick, dark green leaves with a tint of pink around the edges. It will do best in partial shade to full sun and dry or moist soil.

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:King Palm
Botanical name:Archontophoenix cunninghamiana

This is a beautiful palm which grows 40' or higher with a 10'-15' spread. The feathery leaves can grow 10' in length and are green above and gray beneath. It tolerates shade and can grow beneath tall trees for a long time if needed. It 's unique because it can be used as an indoor plant and will tolerate temperatures down to 28 degrees F.

Common name:Huachuca Agave
Botanical name:Agave parryi v. huachucensis

This Agave grows slowly to 2' by 2'. It is lump forming with dense rosettes. It has short gray leaves with dark thorns on the margins. This is the largest of the subspecies of parryi with leaves 2' long. It is native to parts of AZ and is more robust, with larger leaves and broader panicles and larger flowers than the species. It is primarily found in oak and pine woodlands.

Common name:Deodar Cedar, Calif. Christmas Tree
Botanical name:Cedrus deodara

This fast-growing, coniferous evergreen is capable of reaching a size of 80' high by 40' wide. Its needles are a light, silvery green color.

Sustainable Fertilization

If you mulch heavily as recommended in the compost and mulch fact sheets you should not need traditional fertilization. Sustainable landscapes fertilize themselves as soil organisms break down and recycle the dropped leaves into nutrients.

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