Southwestern Deserts
June, 2007
Regional Report
National News - From NGA Editors
Stunning Black and White Calla Lilies
Calla lilies ( Zantedeschia ) are valued for their speckled leaves and unusual, cup-shaped flowers that come in a variety of colors. Two new varieties -- one with black flowers and one with white...
Best Birches for the South
White-bark birches, such as paper birch ( Betula papyrifera ) and European white birch ( B. pendula ), are popular landscape plants in the North, but not widely grown in the South. Southern...
Americans Not Eating Their Fruits and Veggies
Many Americans are familiar with the "5 A Day" program that encourages people to eat more whole fruits and vegetables. Although the U.S. government, food advocacy groups, and public health...
Keeping Ants Out of Hummingbird Feeders
Feeding hummingbirds is a popular pastime for many gardeners, who hang hummingbird feeders containing sugar water outdoors close to their windows for easy viewing. One of the drawbacks of...
In the Garden
Tea-Drinking Towhees
A shriveled tea bag hanging 5 feet up in my Baja red fairy duster shrub stopped me in my tracks. Although I like to compost, and my space is limited, I have not yet gone so far around the bend that I suspend kitchen waste from my plants! I stared,...
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Resources
Books
Wildlife Arizona Wildlife Views (Arizona Game & Fish, 1999; $7) is a compilation of the most requested...
Favorite or New Plant
Brittlebush A Sonoran Desert native shrub, brittlebush ( Encelia farinosa ) is a reliable nectar- and...
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Regional Reminders
- Move Houseplants
- Increase Watering
- Fertilize Container Cacti
- Sow Sunflowers
- Save Dried Leaves
