Re: Transplanted California

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A source of both plants and information would be:

a nursery specializing in high elevation desert plants.

Another source of some information would be:

(not a nursery). They also have an index of common  and latin names for a lot of desert and tropical plants.

Richard Dufresne suggested Yucca-Do nursery - they have a website at:

 

 I would suggest a visit to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 75 miles East of Phoenix, near Globe, AZ (they happen to be having a plant sale through March 27).  They have a very large collection of desert adapted trees (including a lot of australian trees), so you could get a good picture of interesteing trees that might survive in your desert - maybe with some watering.  Also, the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix has a lot of stuff in bloom right now  - a lot of their trees would survive where you are.

 

Worth consideration:  Shrubs: Sophora  secundiflora (Texas Mountain Laurel) lavendar -lilac-like flowers in late winter-spring; drought tolerant.  Berberis fendleri (Fendler's barberry); Fallugia paradoxa; Chiolpsis linearis; Jasminum nudiflorum; Mahonia haematocarpa;

    tree: Melia azedarach (Chinaberry), frgrant blossoms, long lasting fruits.  Hardy, but may not be hardy to such low temperatures.  Sometimes you only learn by trying - some plants will take colder temperatures than they have been reported from. 

 

You should investigate plants from Chille - there are some interesting plants from high Chillean desserts where it gets quite cold (although it probably warms up during the day.  Dyckias take very cold temperatures.

 

There are some varieties of pistachio that are quite hardy (from Iran and China - although who knows about drought tolerance of the Chinese variety), and varieties of persimmon from Iran that are both hardy and drought tolerant.

 

Finally, get in contact with the native plant society of New Mexico, if one exists, or the Arizona society.  There are tons of natives that are perfectly adapted to the climate, and for at least a time, provide vivid bloom - e.g., the wildflower displays going on now in the low desert.

 

Richard Starkeson

San Francisco