Young saguaro cactus

Nurse Plants and Cactus

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 Young saguaro cactus were peeking out from its bursage nurse plant. As you walk through the desert, there are many opportunities to view some of the striking cacti and their unique shapes.  What is not initially apparent,…
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Santa Rita Prickly Pear

Purple, Prickly and Beautiful: Santa-rita Prickly Pear

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Exploring the Beauty of Prickly Cactus Do you like prickly cactus? I have a few favorites, one being the Santa-Rita Prickly Pear (Opuntia violaceae var. santa rita). The color contrast of their blue-grey pads and the shades of purple…
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summer is beginning

September Gardening Tasks

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There are some signs that summer is beginning to fade and that fall is around the corner.  The stress that the high temperatures of summer bring has caused many plants to slow down their growth.   However, the slightly…
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Blue Palo Verde

Iconic Desert Tree, The Palo Verde

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  Iconic tree, Blue Palo Verde (Parkinsonia florida) When people think of the Sonoran desert, hillsides studded with saguaro cactus and cholla often come to mind.   But interspersed between the cactus, you will find the palo…
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orange_trees_Arizona_Sweet

Fall Citrus Tree Care

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In the Desert Southwest, we are fortunate to be able to grow citrus.  In early fall, your citrus tree probably looks like the one pictured, with green fruit that is getting ready to ripen in this winter. It is time for the third…
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desert willow tree

September Blooms Outside My Door

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The blooming of my desert willow tree (Chilopsis linearis), is beginning to slow down.  The leaves will fall in December.  However, there were a few lovely pink flowers left. Also, the recent monsoon storms have caused…
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Double_Delight_Hybrid_Tea_Rose

Fall Rose Tips for the Desert Garden

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 Fall Rose, 'Double Delight' In the Desert Southwest, we are blessed with two different blooming seasons - spring and again in fall.   While two bloom seasons is generally one more than many regions experience, roses…
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Tecoma_stans_stans_Yellow_Bells

Yellow Bells for Glorious Color Spring Through Fall

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This beautiful plant is one of my favorite shrubs in the garden - so much so, that I have three.  Yellow bells produce bell-shaped flowers beginning in spring and lasting through the fall months until the first frost.  Hummingbirds…
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Saguaro cactus

How Long Does It Take Before A Saguaro Grows Arms?

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Exploring the Growth of Saguaro Cactus Arms In the realm of desert flora, the saguaro cactus stands as an iconic symbol of the American Southwest. The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is a towering, tree-like cactus native to…
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large_saguaro_cactus_Carnegiea_gigantea

Two Iconic Sonoran Desert Plants: Saguaro and Ocotillo

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The saguaro cactus is one of the most iconic plants of Arizona, (Carnegiea gigantea), it is perhaps the most recognizable trademark of the Sonoran desert with their tall arms reaching toward the sky. Although, saguaros are only in some…
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