1. Dr. Heidi Kratsch
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

2.  Withstand regional weather extremes
when properly sited and planted.
 Provide habitat for native bees, birds,
butterflies and other wildlife.
 Helps restore the regional character of the
land.
 Places fewer demands on natural
resources.
 Prevents future invasive plant
introductions.

3.  Availability? (will a nursery grow or carry
them?)
 Easy to produce? (propagation barriers)
 Life cycle – bloom in first year?
(marketing)
 Broadly adapted? (genetically diverse)
 Fire safety? (combustibility)
 Tolerance to typical urban conditions?

4. Mason bee
(Osmia) on
Berberis. Photo by
USDA-ARS, Jack
Dykinga.
Blue Orchard bee (Osmia) foraging in
arrowleaf balsamroot. Photo by Matthew Shepherd,
The Xerces Society.
Solitary pollen wasp
(Pseudomasaris vespoides)
specializes on Penstemon.

5.  Source of
nectar for
adults…
AND
 Host plants for
larvae
Butterfly bush provides nectar for
adults but the young (larvae) won’t
eat it.
Buddleja davidii

6.  Attracts a large
number of native
bees, including
bumblebees.
 Larval host for
monarch and queen
butterfly.
 Good for moist well-
drained garden soils.
 Cultivars ‘Ice Ballet’
and ‘Soul Mate’
Asclepias incarnata
Danaus plexippus
Danaus gilippus

7. Source: H.A. Kratsch, Water-Efficient Landscaping in the Intermountain West

8. Source: H.A. Kratsch, Water Efficient Landscaping in the Intermountain West

9.  Fuzzy, hairy leaves
 Waxy leaves
 Blue-tinted leaves
Dorr’s sage
Greenleaf manzanita
Blue fescue

10.  Curled or rolled
leaves
 Reduced leaf size
Curl-leaf mountain mahogany
Winterfat
Rosaceae

11. Penstemon x mexicali ‘Red Rocks’
Penstemon palmeri

12. Source: H.A. Kratsch, Water Efficient Landscaping in the Intermountain West
Spring Late
Summer

14.  Non-combustible
area (within 5 feet of
home)
 Lean, clean and
green area (within
30 feet)
 Wildland fuel
reduction area
(around the outer
perimeter of home
landscape)
Herbaceous plants contain 65% to 85% moisture by weight.

15. Birch love water but rarely get irrigated properly in
our urban landscapes.

16. Look for clues in the plant’s native habitat.
Stanleya pinnata

17.  Adapted to IMW
climate.
 Lower nutrient and
water needs.
 Some are slow-growing
and take on interesting
forms.
 Many do best when
neglected.

18.  Well drained soil
 Lots of sun
 Only small amount of
organic matter; no
fertilizer
 Little to no deadheading
(perennials)
 Occasional rejuvenation
pruning (trees & shrubs)
 Avoid overwatering
Unsheared rabbitbrush
Rabbitbrush after shearing

19.  Renewal pruning is for
plants that produce
‘canes’ directly from the
roots.
 Heavy shearing
rejuvenates faster
growing shrubs and
cleans up dead
vegetative perennial
growth.
Renewal pruning
Heavy shearing

20.  Serviceberry (Amelanchier)
 Wild lilac (Ceanothus)
 Alderleaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus
montanus)
 Fernbush (Chamaebatiaria millefolium)
 Littleleaf mockorange (Philadelphus
microphyllus)
 Mallow-leaved ninebark (Physocarpus
malvaceus)
 Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
 Golden currant (Ribes aureum)
 Woods rose (Rosa woodsii)
 Blue elderberry (Sambucus caerulea)

21. Occasional
 Fourwing Saltbush (Atriplex
canescens)
 Apache plume (Fallugia
paradoxa)
 Utah holly (Mahonia
fremontii)
 Shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla
fruticosa)
 Squaw bush (Rhus trilobata)
 Blue elderberry (Sambucus
caerulea)
 Mountain snowberry
(Symphoricarpos oreophilus)
Frequent
 Silver sage (Artemisia
cana)
 Winterfat (Ceratoides
lanata)
 Red-osier dogwood
(Cornus sericea)
 Rubber rabbitbrush
(Ericameria nauseosus)
 Lacy Buckwheat
(Eriogonum corymbosum)
 Broom snakeweed
(Gutierrezia sarothrae)
 Antelope bitterbrush
(Purshia tridentata)

22.  Plants that bloom on last year’s growth:
 Prune after flowering is finished
 Examples: Amelanchier, Lonicera, Philadelphus,
Prunus, Physocarpus, Rosa
MockorangeTwinberry NinebarkServiceberry

23.  Inhibits decomposition of organic
mulches.
 Inhibits natural spread of native
perennials and ground covers.
 Best use is beneath 3 to 4 inches of
mulch in unplanted areas (ex.
walkways), or….
 Use in planted areas with inorganic
mulch.

24.  Grouping plants into
irrigation zones
according to water
needs.
 Each zone irrigated
by a separate valve.
 The deeper the roots,
the longer and less
often to water.
It’s especially important to
irrigation turfgrass separately from
other plants in your landscape.

25. Redosier dogwood
Palmer penstemon

26.  Montane
 Greater precipitation
 Understory vs.
overstory
 Soils shallow, rocky
 Foothill
 Moderate precip,
higher ET
 Soils well-drained
 Rapid urbanization
 Desert
 Low precip, high
temps and ET
 Soils highly variable,
from clayey to sandy,
may be salty
Many microclimates also exist
in the built environment.

27. General care:
• Mulch with shredded bark or wood
chips
• Water every 7 to 10 days
• May benefit from compost
amendment of soil
• Some species tolerate partial shade

28.  Subalpine species (but does really well in an urban
environment)
 Slow-growing, long-lived
 Prefers rocky, well-drained soil
 Shade-intolerant
Pinus longaeva

29.  Zone 3-6
 Small multistemmed
tree; can be trained to
a single trunk
 Tolerates alkaline soil
 Full sun for best fall
color
 Tolerates drought better
than most maples

30.  Deciduous shrub with
a tight rounded form
 Bright yellow flowers
all summer
 Tolerates light shade
 Occasional heavy
shearing will
stimulate flowering.
Potentilla fruticosa
Zone 2-7

31.  Evergreen, rounded
symmetrical crown
 Good for fire-resistance
and erosion control.
 Needs excellent
drainage.
Arctostaphylos patula
Zone 2-6

32.  Broadleaved evergreen
shrub with a vanilla like
aroma
 Flower clusters in spring
to early summer
 Water weekly
 Thin to remove older
canes (stems)
 Loves full sun
Ceanothus velutinus
Zone 3-6

33.  Fruits are edible.
 Attracts large
numbers of native
bees.
 Larval host for
California Hairstreak
and Elf butterflies.
 Also try Amelanchier
utahensis.
 Try cultivars ‘Regent’
(compact) and
‘Success’ (heavy
fruit).
Amelanchier alnifolia
California hairstreak
Elf butterfly
Zone 3-6

34.  10 to 15 feet tall
 Flowers in spring
 Berries make good
jam.
 Riparian species, so
likes extra moisture.
 Prune out old canes to
enhance flowering and
fruiting.
 Best for naturalized
landscape.
Prunus virginiana
Zone 2-6

35.  3 to 6 feet tall
 Bark orange and
peeling – very
ornamental
 Attracts large
numbers of native
bees.
 Plant in part shade;
or place in a northern
exposure.
Physocarpus malvaceus
Zone 2-5

36.  Attracts large
numbers of native
bees.
 Blooms orange-
scented in early
morning.
 Becomes rangy, leggy
in shade.
 Site in full sun.
 Also try P. lewisii
Philadelphus microphilus
Zone 4-10

37.  6 to 8 feet tall
 Attracts large numbers
of native bees.
 Good for erosion
control.
 Prune out deadwood in
fall in fire-prone areas.
 Occasional
rejuvenation pruning
to reshape.
Purshia tridentata
Zone 3-6

38.  4 to 6 feet tall
 Spicy, fragrant flowers
 Berries orange, red or
black, used in pies and
preserves.
 Sun or part shade
 Will tolerate extra
moisture.
 Try cultivar ‘Crandall’
Ribes aureum

39.  3 to 6 inches tall
 Mat-like, spreading
 6-inch long flower
clusters in May.
 Grows along rock faces
in canyons
 Excellent ground cover
 Infrequent irrigation,
good drainage, do not
prune.
Petrophytum caespitosum
Zone 3-7

40.  Up to 3-1/2 inches tall
 Needs full sun
 Blooms all summer
 Will tolerate extra water.
Erigeron speciosus
Zone 3

41. General care:
• Mulch with rocks, gravel or DG
• Water every 2 weeks
• Light compost if nutrient
deficiency suspected

42.  4 to 5 feet tall
 Fine-textured
evergreen leaves
 Tiny tube-shaped pink
flowers in spring
 Requires infrequent
irrigation; no compost
Cercocarpus intricatus
Zone 4-6
Fruits appear in August

43. Fallugia paradoxa
• Up to 5 feet tall
• Prune to the ground every
2 years. Zone 3-10

44.  6 to 12 feet tall
 Both male and female
plants required for fruit
set – fruit is edible.
 Full sun
 Tolerates extra
moisture but should be
irrigated infrequently.
 Best in naturalized area
- thorns
Shepherdia argentea
Zone 3-6

45. Rhus trilobata
 3 to 4 feet tall
 Three-lobed leaves
with nice fall color
 Berries are edible.
 Sun or part shade
 Very drought tolerant.
 Good for erosion
control.
 Occasional shearing to
improve form. Zone 4-7

46.  4 to 20 inches tall
 Blooms June to
August
 Tolerates some shade
 Good native
substitute for Liatris
sp. (gayfeather)
 Very drought tolerant
 Prefers gravelly soils
Phacelia sericea
Hardy to zone 3

47.  Showy flowers throughout the summer
 Interesting round seed heads in fall
 Drought tolerant, adaptable flower
 Re-seeds easily
 Divide clumps every 2 to 3 years.
Gaillardia sp.

48.  Mound-forming 6 to 12 inches
 Blooms July to September, fragrant
 Water needs: low
 Prune to encourage
bushy form
 Easy to establish
and maintain
 Attracts bees and
butterflies
Monardella odoratissima
Zone 3

49.  Leaves palmate, turn
red in fall
 Flowers in two’s,
blooms all summer.
 Drought-tolerant if
placed in shade
 Use compost to
improve soil.
 Easy to seed and
transplant
Geranium viscosissumZone 2

50.  4 to 8 inches tall
 Blooms June to August
 Spreads from stolons
 Withstands light foot
traffic – use between
paving stones
 Will dieback if
drought-stressed but
comes back with
irrigation.
Antennaria microphylla
Zone 2

51.  6 to 30 inches tall
 Bloom June to
September
 Leave in the garden for
winter interest
 Needs good drainage
and low nutrients.
 Excellent as a dried
flower
Anaphalis margaritacea
Zone 4-8
Zone 4-8

52.  10 to 40 inches tall
 Blooms April to July.
 Red tube-shaped flowers
attract hummingbirds.
 Very adaptable to climatic
conditions.
 Must have good drainage.
 Do not overwater.
Penstemon eatonii
Zone 3

53.  6 to 30 inches tall
 Cornflower blue
flowers that bloom in
May to July
 Prefers well drained
soils
 Easy from seed
 Short-lived but will
self sow
 Extremely drought-
tolerant
Linum lewisii
Zone 4-9

54. General care:
• Mulch with rock, gravel or DG
• Water only when needed
• No compost or fertilizer
• May be tolerant of salt

55. Chilopsis linearis
 To 30 feet tall
 Prune as multi-
trunked tree form
 Showy catalpa-like
flowers in May-June
 Prefers a sandy soil
and full sun
 Water every 2 to 3
weeks.
 Prune out old limbs.
Zone 4-9

56.  Low and rounded shrub;
1 to 2-1/2 feet tall
 Evergreen leaves
 Two-toned blooms in late
spring
 Requires fast-draining
infertile soil and full sun
 Do not overwater.
 Looks good without
pruning.
Salvia dorrii
Zone 3-6

57.  4 to 24 inches tall;
flowers on leafless
stalks
 Larval host for Lupine
Blue butterfly
 Morphologically
variable.
 Opportunities for
cultivar development
 Low water, no fertilizer
Eriogonum umbellatum
Zone 4

58.  Annual
 1 to 3 feet tall
 Blooms June to Sept.
 Great cover for spent
bulbs
 Very drought tolerant
 Grows on disturubed
sites; plant in dry,
gravelly soil
Mentzelia laevicaulis
Zone 4

59.  To 3 feet tall
 Variable forms from
strongly upright to weeping
 Leaves turn salmon-peach
color in fall
 Needs good drainage and
low organic matter
 Full sun
 Very salt- and drought-
tolerant
Atriplex confertifolia
Zone 3-6

60.  Up to 16 inches tall
 Flowers orange-scarlet,
blooms May to July.
 Attracts large numbers
of native bees.
 Diadasia diminuta
(globemallow bee) is a
specialist.
 Readily hybridizes with
other globemallows.
 Prefers rocky, well
drained soil. Sphaeralcea coccinea
Zone 4-7

61.  15 to 40 inches tall
 Flowers large and
showy (“Cowboy’s
fried eggs”)
 Prickly leaves
 Blooms June to Sept.
 Water sparingly
 Like hot, dry sites
 Pollinated by native
bees and butterflies
Argemone munita
Zone 4(5)-7

62.  Perennial to 1 foot tall
 Blooms April to July
 Large fragrant
blossoms open in early
evening
 Blooms its first year
 A good choice for hot,
rocky spots
 Tolerates clay or sand but
take care not to overwater.
Zone 4-9

63.  Up to 6 feet tall
 Blooms May to August in
majestic spires – sweetly
fragrant.
 Its large flowers attract
native bees.
 Prefers dry, gravelly soils.
 Water only when
necessary; susceptible to
root rot.
Penstemon palmeri
Zone 4

64. Krascheninnikovia lanata
 Up to 2-1/2 feet tall
 Evergreen leaves,
flowers cottony
 Requires full sun
 Looks best with only
occasional irrigation
and regular
rejuvenation pruning.
 Salt-tolerant
Zone 2-7

65.  Blossom spikes to 5
feet tall
 Evergreen succulent
 Bell-shaped flower
tinged with purple
 Sandy, well drained
soil
 Don’t irrigate.
 Don’t prune.
Yucca harrimaniae
Zone 4-8

66.  To 2 feet tall
 Cool season bunch
grass
 Coarse-textured, low
fertility soil
 Will not tolerate
saturated or
compacted soil
 Intolerant of salt
Stipa speciosa Zone 4

67.  6’ tall warm season
bunchgrass
 Attractive pink, lacy seed
head
 Tolerant of salty and heavy,
wet or dry soil
 Prefers fine-textured,
alkaline soil
 Water needs: very low
 Versatile, ornamental
specimen Sporobolus airoides
Zone 3