(Mexican Bird-of-Paradise, Mexican Holdback, Mexican Poinciana)

This lovely desert shrub fills many roles in the subtropical, water-conserving garden. It is native to the dry washes and rugged landscape of the northern Mexican hill country. It has an upright habit and open branching, but its foliage is dense. The rich green compound leaves have small oval leaflets are look crisp and pretty. It naturally becomes quite large, but cultivated specimens are typically pruned to remain shorter or single-trunked.

Mexican holdback has deep yellow flowers held in...

(Dwarf Poinciana, Paradise Flower, Pride-of-Barbados)

Pride-of-Barbados is a deciduous shrub or small tree that is evergreen in locales with mild winters. Leaves are dark green and compound with many small leaflets. In warm weather this shrub bears colorful flowers in combinations of orange, red and yellow with showy, long, curving, red stamens. Butterflies find these flowers irresistible.

Pride-of-Barbados prospers in moist, well-drained soil in a location with full to partial sun. Responding strongly to any necessary pruning for tidiness, be aware...

(Congo Pea, Gungo Pea)

A plant of many uses, Congo pea is grown in developing countries as a source of food, fiber, animal forage and green manure. It’s a shrubby, short-lived perennial able to thrive in drier locations due to its extensive, deep taproot. Like many old crops, Congo pea no longer exists in the wild. It has been long-cultivated in Africa but is believed to have originated from India and introduced to Africa thousands of years ago via old trade routes.

The fast growing and free branching Congo pea...

(Feather Reed Grass, Foxtail Grass)

Feather reed grass is a compact, perennial ornamental grass grown for its tidy clumps of bright green grassy foliage and fuzzy whitish pink seedheads, which bloom from late summer to early fall. The foliage becomes yellowed in fall and then tan in the winter on this native of western and central Asia. The seedheads become tan as they mature and tend to crumble by early winter.

Grow feather reed grass in average, moderately moist to wet soil; it is one of the few ornamental grasses that will survive...

(Cape Mendocino Reedgrass, Leafy Reedgrass)

Cape Mendocino reedgrass, native to the northern coast of California (considered rare), is a compact, perennial grass grown for its graceful blue-green, grassy foliage and arching sprays of cream seedheads which bloom in the spring and summer. Because this grass blooms so early, it provides a beautiful contrast with the foliage. It retains its foliage color and seedheads into the winter for added late season interest.

Grow Cape Mendocino reedgrass in dappled sun to full sun in well-drained, acidic,...

(Feather Reed Grass)

This classic ornamental grass offers a desirable upright habit and has sterile blooms so no need to worry about weediness. It is a cross between Calamagrostis arundinacea and C. epigejos.

Feather reed grass is a hardy perennial with bright green narrow blades forming a neat upright clump. In summer, upright panicles of silvery-purple flowers are held well above the plant, giving it an airy appearance. The flowers and foliage turn a golden wheat color in the fall and maintain...

(Avalanche Feather Reed Grass, Feather Reed Grass)

This variegated ornamental grass offers a desirable upright habit and has sterile blooms so need to worry about weediness. It is a cross between Calamagrostis arundinacea and C. epigejos.

Feather reed grass is a hardy clump-forming perennial with bright green narrow blades with a narrow white stripe down the center of each. In summer, upright panicles of silvery-purple flowers are held well above the plant, giving it an airy appearance. The flowers and foliage turn a golden...

(Feather Reed Grass, Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass)

Feather reed grass is an evergreen perennial ornamental grass with bright green narrow leaves forming an upright clump. In summer, 'Karl Foerster' has panicles of bronze-pink flowers that are held well above the plant, giving it an airy appearance. The flowers and foliage turn gold in the fall and stay that way through winter.

Plant 'Karl Foerster' in any site with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight; it should be sheared to the ground in late winter. The inflorescences hold up well in fresh and...

(Feather Reed Grass, Overdam Feather Reed Grass)

Feather reed grass is an evergreen perennial ornamental grass with bright green variegated leaves forming an upright but somewhat loose clump. In summer, 'Overdam' has panicles of pinkish-green flowers that are held well above the plant, giving it an airy appearance. The flowers and foliage turn gold in the fall and stay that way through winter.

This grass should be sited in some sun and tolerates any soil; it should be sheared to the ground in late winter. The inflorescences hold up well in...

(Feather Reed Grass, Upright Feather Reedgrass)

Feather reed grass is an evergreen perennial ornamental grass with bright green narrow leaves forming an upright clump. In summer, 'Stricta' has panicles of greenish bronze-pink flowers that are held well above the plant, giving it an airy appearance. The flowers and foliage turn gold in the fall and stay that way through winter. It is slightly later blooming when compared to cultivar 'Karl Foerster'.

Cultivar 'Stricta' must be planted in a full to partial sun locale in practically any soil; it...