If shrubs are an afterthought in your landscape, maybe it’s time you considered elevating these plants to a higher status. After all, shrubs give us privacy, accent our property, provide us with color, soften a view and even fend off invaders. Close your eyes a moment and consider how barren your own landscape might appear if it were shrub-less.

With more than 350 cultivars available, firethorn is a versatile plant that can be used as a hedge, on a trellis or as a specimen.

Photo Credit: Macore

Agarita has lovely golden-yellow, strongly fragrant flowers in early spring.

Photo Credit: James H. Schutte

Ocotillo isn’t for every garden, but it is a strong accent plant in a Southwestern landscape.

Photo Credit: David L. Morgan

Autumn sage is one of the loveliest of the native sages and can be hedged effectively.

Photo Credit: Pride of Place Plants, Inc.

Switchgrass is just one native grass among many that should be considered for Southwestern landscapes.

Photo Credit: James H. Schutte

The key is choosing the right shrubs. Despite all the beauty they bring, these plants can become an annoyance when used incorrectly. They can conceal windows, distract from your view, fail to complement the landscape and add maintenance nightmares to your gardening chores. Perhaps worst of all, some shrubs demand regular, frequent irrigation. Just a week away from home, and you’ll return to a row of dead plants. If it’s happened to you, it’s time for some great water wise choices:

Autumn sage (Salvia greggii). Autumn sage is one of the most attractive of the Southwestern native sages. It flowers prolifically from early spring to frost in red, pink, white or coral blooms. A true sage, it’s aromatic from tip to root, and just brushing against it brings forth a pungent but pleasant smell. Autumn sage is native from the Texas Hill Country south to the Rio Grande and into Mexico, where it thrives in well-drained soils of the region. It adapts to all but the coldest regions of Texas, but where it’s not hardy it can be grown in containers and brought in for the winter. Its usual height is about 3 feet tall and wide. If it gets leggy in a semi-shade location (it does best in a mostly sunny area), you can prune it severely and it’ll flower again quickly. It’s hardy to Zone 7.

Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens). Ocotillo is truly a plant for Southwestern gardens – but be aware, it’s not for everyone. It doesn’t shear well and should be planted as a specimen, a hedge or maybe as a substitute for a small tree. Nevertheless, it is quite a specimen. Ocotillo (pronounced o-ko-TEE-yo) has orange-red blooms on 2- to 8-inch spikes from May to July. In droughty weather, it’ll lose its tiny, 1-inch-long simple leaves, but they’ll reappear after a rain. The long stems, which can reach 25 feet high and spread 6 feet, are viciously thorned, so ocotillo makes a great security fence (and is often used as such in Mexico). This multistemmed plant is native from west Texas to California and into Mexico. It grows naturally in the well-drained soils of the region in full-sun locations, and it’s hardy to Zone 8.

Firethorn (Pyracantha sp.). An old-time favorite, firethorn has returned to popularity in recent years, and many new cultivars are in the trade. They’re full of white flowers in spring and produce bunches (literally) of red, yellow or orange fruits that persist through winter. They also have lots of small thorns – but that can be a good thing because in addition to producing a dense evergreen hedge, firethorn is an effective barrier.

True utilitarian plants, firethorns are full of possibility: They make excellent specimen shrubs, shear easily, espalier nicely, make lovely bonsai, form groundcovers, sculpt into wonderful topiaries, climb brick walls and are deer-resistant. The new cultivars offer interesting choices. Some produce fruit that attracts cardinals, wrens, blackbirds, cedar waxwings and other birds; others have berries (pomes, actually) that birds don’t favor. The new varieties are tolerant of fireblight and scab, and require little maintenance, including watering one they’re established. Firethorn performs best in full to half-day sun. Generally hardy to USDA hardiness Zone 6 or higher (depending on the cultivar), pyracanthas are great selections for many areas!

Agarita (Mahonia trifoliolata). Agarita doesn’t have thorns, but the three spiny leaflets on each leaf serve the purpose. Native to a large area of central and south Texas and into Mexico, this gray-leafed shrub makes a great hedge. It’s easily trimmed and reaches only about 6 feet tall by 3 feet wide. This beauty blooms early in spring with golden yellow, strongly fragrant flowers, which in turn produce bright red berries attractive to birds (they also make great jellies). Agarita grows well in well-drained soils of sand, loam clay, caliche and limestone. It grows best in sunny locations, and it’s hardy to Zone 7.

Native grasses. The Southwest is blessed with scores of lovely native grasses, many of which are now showing up in nurseries and garden centers. While not really shrubs, many grow large enough to serve the purpose. As of late, I’ve been pleased as punch to see little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) in garden stores, as well as buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and my favorite, Lindheimer muhly (Muhlenbergia lindheimeri). Other selections that work well are Indian ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), Western wheatgrass (Agropyron smithii), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) and Canada wild rye (Elymus canadensis). Because grasses are native to open areas, they perform best in sunny locations.

So this season, rethink your shrubs. Head to the garden center, look them over, ask questions (especially their water demands) and find the perfect ones for your outdoor spaces. After all, shrubs are an important investment in your garden – not just an afterthought.