Pine Ridge Gardens
Xeriscaping
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Xeriscaping - Notes
Xeriscaping has become a popular word in the time of little rainfall and need to conserve water.  To be sure  - ALMOST ALL PLANTS NEED SUFFICIENT MOISTURE TO GET ESTABLISHED!   This may take a year or more BUT  once established, they will endure very dry conditions.

There are a few plants on the following lists which do not want much water to become established.  These generally are: Asclepias tuberosa, Asclepias verticillata, the Nolina species, Manfreda virginica, Dasyliron species & Hesperaloe. 

 A good watering if it is dry at planting time & then again in a few weeks if no rain has fallen.  Some of this just must be good judgment!  Generally the rest of the plants on the list will need to be watered regularly  until they appear well established.

One of the particular 'critters' you will likely see are lizards & skinks. If you will make a small sand pile, in the sun where it will stay warm, this is often used as a hatchery for lizards.  In summer if you disturb the sand, often you will find oval, leathery eggs that are white or off white.  Here at the nursery these hatch into lizards  - I’m not sure of species.

Perennials Suitable for Xeriscaping
Botanical Name 
Common Name 
 Sun Sun/
part shade		 Shade
Allium cernuum Nodding onion X X  
Allium stellatum Prairie onion X X  
Amsonia ciliata Blue star X    
Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly weed X    
Aster prealtus Willow leaf aster X X  
Aster simplex Aster X X  
Baptisia leucantha Wild white indigo X X  
Baptisia leucophaea Nodding indigo   X X
Callirhoe bushii Bush's poppy mallow X X  
Centaurea americana American basketflower X X  
Dasylirion texanum Sotol X X  
Dasylirion wherryi Desert Spoon X X  
Echinacea pallida Pale coneflower X X  
Echinacea paradoxa Yellow purple coneflower X X  
Helianthus mollis Ashy sunflower X X  
Hesperaloe parviflora Red flowered yucca X X  
Heuchera americana Alumroot   X X
Heuchera villosa Alumroot   X X
Liatris aspera Rough blazing star X X  
Liatris spicata Gayfeather X X  
Liatris squarrosa Blazing star X X  
Manfreda virginica Arkansas aloe X X  
Nolina microcarpa Bear grass X X  
Nolina texana Bear grass X X  
Opuntia humifusa Prickly pear X X  
Penstemon digitalis Beardtongue X X  
Pycnanthemum albescens Mountain mint X X  
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Mountain mint X X  
Pycnanthemum virginica Mountain Mint X X  
Ratibida columnaris Mexican hat X X  
Ratibida pinnata Gray headed coneflower X X  
Rudbeckia grandiflora Large flowered coneflower X X  
Salvia azurea Wild blue sage X X  
Salvia farinacea Mealy cup sage X X  
Tephrosia virginianum Goat's rue   X X
Thermopsis carolianum Carolina bush pea X X  
Tradescantia ohiensis Spiderwort X X  
Tradescantia virginiana Spiderwort X X  
Grasses suitable for Xeriscaping
Botanical Name 
Common Name 
 Sun Sun/
part shade		 Shade
Andropogon gerardii Blue bluestem X X  
Andropogon tenarius Silver beard grass X X  
Buchloe daclyloides Buffalo grass X    
Eragrostis spectablis Purple love grass X X  
Eragrostis trichoides Sand love grass X X  
Panicum v. 'Cloud Nine' Switch grass X X  
Panicum v.'Heavy Metal' Switch grass X X  
Panicum v.'Shenandoah' Switch grass X X  
Schizachyrium scoparium 'Blaze' Little bluestem X X  
Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues' Little bluestem X X  
Schizachyrium scoparium Little bluestem X X  
Sorgastrum nutans Indian grass X X  
Sporobolus heterolepsis Prairie dropseed X X  
Trees, shrubs & woody vines suitable for Xeriscaping
Botanical Name 
Common Name 
 Sun Sun/
part shade		 Shade
Aesculus glabra Ohio buckeye X X X
Aesculus pavia Red buckeye X X X
Callicarpa americana Beautyberry X X X
Callicarpa americana lactea White beautyberry X X X
Celtis tenufolia Dwarf hackberry X    
Ceonothus americana New Jersey Tea X X  
Rhus coppalina Winged sumac X X  
Rhus glabra Shining sumac X X  

 
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11/21/99