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You can make your landscape more water-efficient by replacing lawns and thirsty plants with species that thrive with very little irrigation. Landscaping at the Dublin San Ramon Service District Office, which is irrigated with recycled water, features many of the drought-tolerant plants listed below.
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AUSTRALIAN TEA TREE
Letospermum
laevigatum |
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| South Sea Islands explorer Captain Cook brewed a tea from the leaves of this plant and gave it to his crew to prevent scurvy—hence the name. Native to Australia and New Zealand, Tea Trees live a long time and require little care if planted in well-drained, slightly acid soil. They prefer full sun and little to moderate watering. |
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BABY
SUN ROSE, ICE PLANT
Aptenia cordifolia |
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| Native to the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, Baby Sun Rose trails along the ground and fills in bare spaces quickly and completely. Its bright green, succulent leaves resemble tiny hearts, 1/2 to 1 inch long. Easily propagated by cuttings or seed, this plant grows best in full sun and tolerates poor soils. It blooms in summer and autumn. A word of caution: Aptenia “Red Apple” can be invasive; do not plant it close to wild lands. |
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DWARF
HEAVENLY BAMBOO
Nandina
domestica “Compacta”
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| Originally from China and Japan, Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo is a compact evergreen shrub with a very lacy appearance. It displays brilliant red foliage in fall and winter and white flowers in late spring and summer. It shows up well against light colored buildings and looks best planted in groups of three or more. Heavenly Bamboo likes reasonably rich soil and full to partial sun. Because of its beauty and resilience, it makes an excellent low-maintenance groundcover. |
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ENGLISH
LAVENDER
Lavandula angustifoli |
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| Cultivated for centuries, this sweetly fragrant lavender is used for perfume and sachets and will attract bees and butterflies. Despite its name, English Lavender is native to the mountains of southern Europe. It is among the hardiest and most widely planted species, needing only well-drained soil and little or no fertilizer. |
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EVE
CASE COFFEEBERRY
Rhamnus californica
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| Used chiefly in background plantings or hedges, this dense evergreen shrub grows from four to eight feet high and equally wide. It has distinctly broad, flat, bright green leaves and clusters of small inconspicuous flowers. Birds enjoy the pea-size berries. |
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INDIAN
HAWTHORNE
Rhaphiolepis indica
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| Native to China, Indian Hawthorne is an easy-care shrub that grows 4-5 feet tall. Shiny, toothed leaves grow on bronzr-colored stems. Long-lasting clusters of pink or white flowers bloom from spring to fall, followed by dark blue fruits. |
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TRAILING LANTANA, WEEPING LANTANA
Lantana montevidensis |
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The
vine-like stems of the trailing lantana make an attractive ground
cover or low shrub (to about 18” high.) The leaves are
rough, about 1" long, and have a somewhat unpleasant odor.
Weeping lantana is a continuous bloomer with small lilac flowers
arranged in 1 1/2" clusters. It likes well-drained soils
and can be grown in either sun or shade but more flowers will
bloom when it’s grown in bright sun. It is fast growing
and easy to maintain.
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MAIDEN
HAIR TREE, GINGKO BILOBA
Ginkgoaceae |
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| An ancient species that grew worldwide 200 million years ago, the Maidenhair Tree is now native only to two small areas in China. The light green leaves of spring and summer turn gold in the fall and glow when backlit by the sun. It is related to conifers but sports fan-shaped leaves instead of needles. Veins in the leaves resemble the leaflets of Maidenhair Fern, hence the tree's common name. Gingko Biloba can grow to 80 feet tall, but most specimens are 35 to 50 feet. In general, insects and diseases do not bother Ginko trees, which also tolerate air pollution, heat, and acid or alkaline conditions. |
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MEXICAN
EVENING PRIMROSE
Oenothera speciosa |
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| Excellent when planted on dry slopes or parking strips, this ground cover grows one foot tall and three feet or more wide. Fragrant, two-inch flowers bloom from spring into the fall. They open pinkish white and age to a deeper pink. Despite the plant’s common name, blooms stay open during the day. Caution: This ground cover can be aggressive and is potentially invasive. |
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QUINCE
(FLOWERING)
Chaenomeles |
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| Native to Asia, these broad, spreading shrubs bear flowers that resemble small apple blossoms in white, pink, coral, or scarlet. Glossy, dark green leaves grow on normally thorny branches. Quince thrives in full sun to part shade in any type of soil and forms dense thickets. Occasional watering is required. “Cameo” is a nearly thornless variety with a double peach-pink flower. “Texas Scarlet” also is nearly thornless with orange-red flowers. |
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Link
to Garden Pollution Prevention Tips |
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