Ready to treat your yard to some color this fall? Any yard or landscape can benefit from having some color thrown in to it somewhere. An accent plant (or twenty!) will get the attention of anybody who sets their eyes on it. If you choose the right plant or tree, you might even catch the attention of some pollen and nectar-loving insects that will be happy to enjoy your yard with you!
Check out these five great flowering trees and plants you can pick for your yard.
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)
These versatile trees are one of the best flowering trees for Arizona and are incredibly colorful when in bloom. The Crape Myrtle tree flowers into shades of white, red, purple, and pink that will help decorate your yard in an accent of colors.
These trees are not only drought-tolerant, but they love the heat! When the high temps arrive, get ready for your yard to be showing off the beautiful shades of color. These small to medium trees offer amazingly reliable bloom cycles so we can enjoy the show from spring through fall!
Even when the flowers are not in bloom, the multi-trunk structure with grey to light brown spotted bark are still impressive to the eye.
Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)
The Vitex, also known as the Chaste Tree, is a favorite flowering option for its unique purple blooms on long points that form at every growth tip during the late spring and into the summer. This fast-growing, small to medium sized tree is a great choice to add color to a garden or for patio use.
The flowering spikes on the Vitex tree are a favorite for our pollinating friends like butterflies and hummingbirds. In addition to the stunning flowers, the trunk of the tree, often and unfortunately overlooked, has a twisted and tangled growth pattern that gives this tree a majestic appearance in any yard or landscape.
The Vitex tree needs full sun and low to moderate water, which makes it perfect for our desert region.
Tipu (Tipuana tipu) 
The Tipu tree is one of the best trees you can plant if you’re looking to add shade in your yard and here’s why! These trees grow into medium to large sizes with a high canopy and do well in our intense desert heat. They would be perfect planted along the street, in the lawn, or on the patio.
Another great feature of this tree is that it can produce a lush layer of golden blooms in the spring through the summer. Tipu trees also offer thick foliage that feature bright bluish-green hues. You might also get the attention of your neighborhood butterflies with the abundance of nectar that this tree offers. All these features will enhance the look of any landscape.
A Tipu is a convenient tree for a wide variety of landscape designs! So, kick back, relax under the shade coverage, and enjoy the vibrant blooms that they bring every year.
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinenses)
The Hibiscus shrub is a very well-known plant, even to people who have no experience with plants or landscaping. These medium to large growing shrubs are just that impressive!
They bloom large bright tropical flowers with colors such as white, yellow, red, orange, and purple (just to name a few!). The beautiful flowers give off an even brighter look thanks to the full, dark foliage that surrounds them.
They thrive in partial sun but can build up strength to full sun quickly. Hibiscus shrubs can be planted as a hedge, a colorful accent piece, or in a pot. No matter how you plant them, with well-drained soil, your hibiscus will be good to go!
Fertilized monthly from March through September, these plants will have the best growth and a productive blooming season.
Everblooming Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides ‘veitchii’)
The gardenia shrubs are well-known to most people. Some know them from their sweet fragrance and can sniff them out before they even see the plant. Others know them from the large white flowers that cover the plant. Either way, this plant is quite impressive!
Gardenias grow into a low to medium sized mounding shrub. They do best with partial to full sun exposure, which works out well for Arizona gardenia enthusiasts. They like a well-drained soil, which will help keep the roots from getting too damp.
Even without the flowers, the bright green leaves create a picture-perfect shrub that could easily be used like a hedge. But of course, the flowers are the main event for any type of Gardenia. The Everblooming gardenia flowers from late spring through the fall and adds a classic feel to the landscape.
The upcoming fall season is the ideal time to plant. If you have any questions regarding any of these beautiful trees or plants, be sure to contact one of our nursery experts at any of our Moon Valley Nursery locations and ask them about our FREE professional planting services.
Submit a Comment