Low Water Use Plants Need Water in the Desert

Q. Over a year ago our city planned a new extension to a community Park and put in a dirt trail surrounded by “native plants”. They dug wells and put in an assortment of plants and trees with no water source. The first month they used a fire hose from the hydrant to water the plants. Since then, nothing. I counted over 185 dead plants this morning. My question to you is there certain plants for that zone or location that will be able to survive without any water?

Cleveland sage is best planted on the east and north sides of a building. It comes from the Baja and coastal California where it grows best in a Mediterranean climate.  Water to get it established and then not more often than about every two or three weeks.

A. Not really, no. Even cacti occasionally need water to get established and grow after planting. Cold hardy desert plants are best planted in the fall; winter tender plants in the spring. In very dry summers, desert plants will need supplemental water once a month or more during the summer to look good and survive. Cities and homeowners are not Mother Nature. Even so-called desert plants need water occasionally (and usually some soil improvement) periodically/regularly/deeply to look their best. Homeowners won’t tolerate plants that look bad.

Opuntia, or bunny ears cactus, are native to all over the desert southwest including the Mojave desert. To get growth water them about every three weeks in the summer.

            For each plant that makes it in the desert after a rain, thousands of plants don’t. The advantage of desert plants is their ability to survive periods of time without water. To think we can guess where plants will survive after planting is pure arrogance. Desert plants respond to water. They respond best when the water is applied to the same spot. They respond by growing.

Texas sage or ranger (the barometer plant) hates, hates, hates to be trimmed by a hedge shears unless its growing as a hedge. This is what happens. Water it about once every two or three weeks or when the leaves start to drop.

            Some, like Texas ranger (the barometer plant of the Chihuahuan desert) produce flowers on new growth after a rain. As these desert plants get drier, they first drop their leaves (if they have any). Even cacti will put on some new growth after a rain and may even flower!