Common name:Century Plant, Maguey
Botanical name:Agave americana

This plant is fast growing to about 6'-10' tall and 8'-13' wide. Wide gray leaves have stiff terminal spines and recurved teeth on margins. It prefers full sun and well-drained situations. After blooming, which could take several years, it will die but will send up new pups from around the base. Some people are allergic to the sap. Removal is difficult if unwanted.

Common name:Tree Aloe
Botanical name:Aloe arborescens

This shrub is large, full of branches and produces deep orange blooms. The flowers produce a nectar that is attractive to many different birds; this plant is grown all over the world.

Common name:New Zealand Flax
Botanical name:Phormium tenax

New Zealand Flax is a large, bold plant with stiffly vertical, sword-like, green leaves that arise from its base. It should be grown under full sun for best color. Varieties will offer different growth habits and leaf color.

Maintenance Tips

Phormium tenax is a perennial that grows as a clump with strap-like leaves. This is a very popular plant and has many different hybrids that are selected for their different foliage colors, sizes, and textures. When growing this species, there is a lot of genetic variety, so the size of the mature plant can range from 2' up to 8'. To keep the maintenance as low as possible, plant in a location that is full sun, and well-drained and give it the space it needs to reach maturity. These plants are often the victim of poor pruning habits, with gardeners cutting the leaves off in the middle or shearing them because they are too large for the space they have been given. If this is the case, they should be transplanted to a location where they can reach their full size, or other plants around them should be moved out of their way.

Common name:Tree Aloe
Botanical name:Aloe arborescens

This shrub is large, full of branches and produces deep orange blooms. The flowers produce a nectar that is attractive to many different birds; this plant is grown all over the world.

Common name:Sticks on Fire Pencil Tree
Botanical name:Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire'

In frost free areas, Euphorbia can become a 30' tree but in colder areas, it is often knocked back by frost. It can be single or multiple trunked. It has green cylindrical branches that are about the diameter of a pencil. Leaves are not usually present. Some people are allergic to the sap. It is tolerant of salt, full sun, part shade and quite drought resistant. It is a great accent plant for a container. This form has yellow or orange branches if in full sun.

Common name:Aloe Vera or Medicinal Aloe
Botanical name:Aloe vera

The rosette of this plant consists of fleshy gray green leaves, which are narrow, succulent and erect with soft spines on margins. This Aloe is a slow to moderate grower. Flowers are spikes of yellow, 2'-3' tall and bloom late winter to summer. This aloe can form large clumps. It will tolerate full to partial sun, needs some supplemental water in heat and good drainage. It attracts hummingbirds. This aloe is a Mediterranean native. The sap is used for burns and abrasions.

Common name:Parasol Aeonium
Botanical name:Aeonium arboreum

Parasol Aeonium is an upright succulent with rosette leaf clusters. It forms a mound and can be easily propagated by cuttings.

Common name:Jade Plant
Botanical name:Crassula ovata

Crassula ovata is an evergreen shrub that grows to 2' to10' tall and 3' to 6' wide with light green leaves. It like full sun, low watering, and will live in any type of well drained soil.

Common name:Smooth-edged Agave
Botanical name:Agave weberi

This is a striking medium-sized Agave that can grow to 5' tall by 6'-10' wide. This agave has very fine marginal teeth and is sometimes spineless. Supplemental summer watering can prevent yellowing from heat stress in the summer. These plants are also moderately cold hardy and tolerant of temperatures down to 12 degrees F. It is more refined looking than americana. It is native in central Eastern Mexico. It is one of the largest of the Agaves.

Common name:Peruvian-Apple Cactus, Pitaya
Botanical name:Cereus peruvianus

This cactus can grow 25' high and produces large, white blooms. It does best in full sun and dry soil.