Foliage Follow-up - 3/2013

Spring is here in arid zone 7b Albuquerque, in time for another Foliage Follow-up.

I don't rely much on astronomical features, or a calender based on that, to gauge what happens down on earth  For horticulture and humans, it's best to look at what's happening near the ground - how or if it's warming in response to the sun getting higher. Meteorological spring.

So, we'll do that, as I do some errands before my business trip.

Evergreens are still king in mid-March this year and many others, where we get at least 2 months of winter.

Beaked Yucca or Zoyate / Yucca rostrata. There are countless nice specimens like
this, or even larger, around Albuquerque, adding drama and accent to our skies.

Being near an irrigated Bermudagrass lawn helps, too.

Far out of reach of a microclimate, oh Judy-come-latelys, who never noticed one
until a regional grower started growing them from seed, now sold locally. Many of
this species were planted here in the 1970's, when I was far away and into
building forts, not plants!

Zooming in, I realized this wasn't a duo of multi-headed Yucca elata.

Palm or Faxon Yucca / Yucca faxoniana are even more common in Abq, probably
too common. But nice, when they escape the evil (agave) weevil, and get some
water. Even when their skirts of dead foliage skirts are unnecessarily removed.

Such bold green swords, against the cobalt sky and parched, brown foothills

Case and point, just around the block from the last photo. See the difference? Which insulates against Albuquerque's and other desert locales' extremes of heat and cold? More on this topic, some other post.

I wonder what story this recovering Century Plant  / Agave americana is telling us? Just the 2/2011 uber-freeze, or was it also the 2 winters since - low single digits at least twice. The owners were wise to not remove it in 3/2011; it's recovering.

The hardiest palm that grows a trunk, your basic Windmill Palm / Trachycarpus fortunei. Good thing there's an irrigated Bermudagrass lawn, since this isn't a desert palm - visually and culturally, they might benefit from some mesic underplantings. A little desiccated from the winter, but not bad.

The desert willows in the distance and right were previously posted, from my past design work. Desert trees are not in a hurry, waiting for real heating to leaf out; maybe in a month or more, once we get many more 70's and some 80's.

Southern Magnolia / Magnolia grandiflora requires a moister setting than this
gravel front yard has, complete with its scalloped concrete ring. (just for
Danger Garden - I'm seeing such things way too much, thanks to her making
me even more aware than I already was of NM's tendencies to do that...)

Looks like there's a combination of reflected sun and heat damage, with some fertilizer or other salt burn, yellowing the foliage. Seeing no green veins within the yellow leaves, that wouldn't be chlorosis, right? And seeing the gravel expanse and knowing its in the desert southwest, tells me it isn't a lack of heat, either.

Another Southern Magnolia around the block. And more ugly edging!

This planting is on a northeast-facing exposure. With perhaps some other cultural needs being met, the transition from nature in the southeast to torture a planting in the southwest is made easier, it's foliage more healthy.

Italian Stone Pine / Pinus pinea, outpacing mountain-native ponderosa pines in a big way. The Mediterranean native seems to have been quite popular in 1960-era neighborhoods in the desert states. And thanks to living Christmas trees sold by the big box stores, it's being used again. But give them more room, please?

Great against the sky, but the foreground needs a major Mediterranean makeover. Including removal of the red lava rock and the white-painted curb rings around each shrub. (let me guess - dwarf crepe myrtles?)

"Headed down...to-o-o-o Old El Paso...".

Not the Steve Miller song, but a couple work meetings, and of course, take in plant interest further along in spring. And what did I see? Mountainsides with plants as brutalized by the drought as near my house, 260 miles north.

Those brown piles are a few of many dead Desert Prickly Pear / Opuntia engelmannii. Thankfully, not all gave in.

Arizona Cypress / Cupressus arizonica anchoring a corner of a monumental
building at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Tough, blue-green glory!

Mexican Plum / Prunus mexicana showing individuality in the same spot. One
tree further along in the season than another of the same species is not a real
problem to a real designer. Enjoy the green in the background!

Some final notes. With our March seeming to turn the page on almost 3 months of unrelenting cold, dry and windy weather, we've had mostly above freezing nights. Many early trees are definitely budding out and starting to flower here in Albuquerque, the same already in full swing further south. Here is a small sample of common plants now resuming growth, and many may catch up on their more typical timing, at this present, accelerating rate -
Crabapple
Ornamental Pear
Arizona Ash
Raywood Ash

And these are just some plants leafing out, and only a couple weeks late -
Mexican Elder
Purple Plum
Mexican Blue Sage
Autumn Joy Sedum

You are now free to visit the other foliar-oriented posts on Pam's monthly Foliage Follow-up - here. Enjoy!