Trees, Shrubs, and Vines

Heath-like small shrub with coarse 1.5 in. long, gray leaves finely netted in green. The stems and new growth are tinted a copper color. Very tolerant of extreme drought and heat! Placing them among t... More

Wright acacia! A large shrub to small tree notable for the blue-gray color of its delicate compound foliage. It is open growing with few widely spaced horizontally spreading branches which provide dappled light. The... More

Madagascar Ocotillo!

If you are familiar with Fouquieria splendens , a.k.a Ocotillo, then you will have a sense of the form of this plant. Though not a relative of our southwest native the form is strikin... More

Whitebrush or Common Beebrush!

In the western half of Texas this plant is often called Whitebrush because after heavy rains it becomes covered with vanilla scented, white flowers. Also known as Beebush because the flowers are ve... More

Parasol Trees! Driving through forests of this tree is a surreal experience. The mature 60' to 80' tall, parasol shaped trees stand proudly in their native habitat proudly aware that there are no other trees that co... More

White, orchid-like flowers! A small, airy, desert shrub that will quickly reach 8' in a few years. Its small butterfly-shaped leaves are attractive, and the pure-white flowers that cover its bare branches seem to dance in the su... More

Agarita! This highly ornamental shrub has twisted, prickly, green to blue-green foliage mottled in silver; and as the name implies, the leaves are arranged in threes. Agarita's butter-yellow blooms suddenly ap... More

The Caesalpinias that normally grow in frosty climates are usually herbaceous perennials or shrubs. We normally do not think of them as trees but Caesalpinia paraguariensis is one of the few species t... More

Duke Garden's Plum Yew! This low-growing, evergreen conifer performs beautifully in shady woodland conditions, tolerating acid to alkaline conditions as long as the soil is well-drained. This particular cultivar originates f... More

Silk floss seedlings! Chorisia speciosa is native to Southeastern Brazil and Northeastern Argentina where the climate is tropical to subtropical and they seldom experience hard frosts. The overall shape of mature trees is ... More

Small evergreen tree! This small evergreen tree has a tropical feeling with distinctive, shiny-green leaves that hang loosely from its branchlets. New growth is copper-colored, and it glows in the summer sun. This striking... More

Little Leaf Cordia! This desert shrub makes an excellent companion plant for woody lilies and other xeric succulents. The upright, open shrub has a casual, freeform appearance, but the plant's greatest asset is not the ... More

Cockspur Coral Tree! In the costal regions of Southern Brazil to Argentina, Erythrina cristi-galli grows into a large shrub as apposed to the inland forms which tend to be more tree-like. The branches of this terrific for... More

Texas Kidneywood! Texas Kidneywood is a plant that usually makes it presence known to you through your nose before your other senses are aware of it. I remember walking through an Austin park many years ago searching f... More

Weeping Texas Swamp Privet! I love the form of this South Texas native shrub. I enjoy how the pendant stems arch and mound in a free form fashion creating an informal flowing shrub that could easily be labeled as living modern a... More

Bubble Gum Sage! The Southwestern Style landscape tends to have a relaxed, casual yet inviting feel about it. It is well suited to the no nonsense, rugged individualists and the free spirits that embody the soul of th... More

Dwarf Pinus taeda! In the early 1950's the USDA Agricultural Research Service at Beltsville, Maryland offered seed of a witches' broom (a mutation that results from damage to the tree that usually manifests itself in be... More

Texas Mountain laurel! This small evergreen shrub is one of the signature natives of the Texas Hill Country. Clusters of highly fragrant, purple, pea-shaped flowers are produced in Spring and have a scent reminiscent of gra... More

Needle leaf jasmine! A number if years ago we got a start of this Asian Jasmine from the fellows at Cistus Design in Portland, Oregon. We liked the very narrow foliage quite a bit but decide to trial it for a while to see... More

Lavender flowers and large seed pods! Mexican buckeye is a small 12' shrub that can be used as a specimen, or integrated in the woodland garden where its lavender orchid-like blossoms grace early spring. Later, they turn into wonderful th... More