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PONYTAIL PALM
(Beaucarnea recurvata)
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Low-Desert Patio Trees for ContainersPONYTAIL PALM
(Beaucarnea recurvata)Type: Perennial
Soil: Fast-draining mix formulated for containers; or 1-part potting soil to 1-part sand
Light: Full sun to light shade
Water needs: Water deeply; then let soil dry out. Avoid over-watering.
Maintenance: Apply slow-release palm fertilizer every three months.
Tips: Choose a shallow container twice the width of the root ball. If you want this slow-growing palm to get bigger, repot annually. Protect from high winds. When temperatures dip near freezing,
bring indoors and set in a sunny spot.
Why we like it: This easy-care accent plant provides tropical appeal with its grasslike foliage. Younger plants look like giant onions protruding from the dirt, providing visual interest. Ponytail palm also does well indoors.
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CHASTE TREE
(Vitex agnus-castus)
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CHASTE TREE
(Vitex agnus-castus)Type: Perennial
Blooms: Late spring through fall; blue, lavender or white (flowers begin opening from the bottom of the stem and continue upward)
Soil: Well-draining mix for containers
Light: Full sun to light shade
Water needs: Water regularly. Do not over-water.
Maintenance: To encourage more blooms, remove flowers as soon as they fade. Prune as needed.
Tip: Do not grow near pools, as the tree drops tiny, hard seeds. Note: Plant loses its leaves in fall.
Why we like it: This fast-growing, heat-hardy ornamental tree can withstand a variety of growing conditions. It produces eye-catching fragrant flower spikes that attract birds, bees and butterflies.
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TEXAS OLIVE
(Cordia boissieri)
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TEXAS OLIVE
(Cordia boissieri)Type: Perennial
Blooms: Mid-spring into fall; white with yellow throats
Soil: Well-draining soil for containers
Light: Full sun to light shade (needs at least 6 hours of sunlight daily)
Water needs: Water regularly until established; then once or twice a month. Avoid over-watering.
Maintenance: Apply a slow-release fertilizer monthly. Prune dead branches.
Tip: Texas olive may look spindly in its nursery container, but it will thrive once transplanted into a bigger pot. To develop a tree shape, trim off lower limbs.
Why we like it: Drought- and heat-tolerant, this long-blooming beauty is a bird magnet. Hardy to the mid-teens, it produces attractive flowers and foliage.
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KUMQUAT
(Fortunella sp.)
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KUMQUAT
(Fortunella sp.)Type: Perennial
Blooms: Fragrant white flowers in late winter are followed by yellow-orange fruit in March and a smaller crop in autumn.
Harvest: When skin is a deep-orange color and the fruit is slightly soft
Soil: Mix formulated for containers
Light: Full to part sun, with afternoon shade in summer
Water needs: Keep well-watered; soil should be damp but not wet.
Maintenance: Apply slow-release fertilizer in January, May and August; more often if leaves are yellowing.
Tip: Avoid placing plant in windy areas.
Why we like it: Heat-loving, easy-to-grow kumquats are frost-tolerant to 15 degrees. Fruits can be picked off the tree and popped in your mouth—rind and all.