Articles
Performance of landscape shrubs cultivated under deficit irrigation in two locations in the southwestern United States
Article number
1467_17
Pages
137 – 146
Language
English
Abstract
Ornamental plants performing well under minimum irrigation are desired for landscapes in the Southwestern United States.
Nine taxa of perennial shrubs including one grass were grown in Southern California (CA) and Southern Arizona (AZ). Upright growing plants included Calliandra californica ‘Mexicali Rose’, Caryopteris × clandonensis ‘Sapphire Surf’, Lantana ‘Bloomify Red’, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Bandwidth’, and Vitex × ‘Helen Froehlich’. Groundcovers included Dalea capitata ‘Sierra Gold’, Eremophila ‘Mingenew Gold’, Lantana x ‘New Gold’, and Rosa ‘Meifranjin’. After one season of establishment, shrubs received three levels of irrigation, low, medium, and high, based on local reference evapotranspiration (ET0) of 20, 50, and 80% from April 1 to October 31, 2023. Plant growth and aesthetic appearance for most taxa differed by location, irrigation, month, and the interaction between location by irrigation, and location by month.
Most taxa grew larger and had higher ratings for overall appearance and flowering in CA than AZ. Vitex × ‘Helen Froehlich’ grew the largest canopy and had high ratings for overall appearance in both locations while growing under the low irrigation.
In CA, eight taxa can be cultivated under low irrigation, in AZ five taxa can be grown under low irrigation and maintain acceptable growth and aesthetic appearance.
Nine taxa of perennial shrubs including one grass were grown in Southern California (CA) and Southern Arizona (AZ). Upright growing plants included Calliandra californica ‘Mexicali Rose’, Caryopteris × clandonensis ‘Sapphire Surf’, Lantana ‘Bloomify Red’, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Bandwidth’, and Vitex × ‘Helen Froehlich’. Groundcovers included Dalea capitata ‘Sierra Gold’, Eremophila ‘Mingenew Gold’, Lantana x ‘New Gold’, and Rosa ‘Meifranjin’. After one season of establishment, shrubs received three levels of irrigation, low, medium, and high, based on local reference evapotranspiration (ET0) of 20, 50, and 80% from April 1 to October 31, 2023. Plant growth and aesthetic appearance for most taxa differed by location, irrigation, month, and the interaction between location by irrigation, and location by month.
Most taxa grew larger and had higher ratings for overall appearance and flowering in CA than AZ. Vitex × ‘Helen Froehlich’ grew the largest canopy and had high ratings for overall appearance in both locations while growing under the low irrigation.
In CA, eight taxa can be cultivated under low irrigation, in AZ five taxa can be grown under low irrigation and maintain acceptable growth and aesthetic appearance.
Authors
U.K. Schuch, J. Gilbert, L.R. Oki, J.A. Sisneroz, K. Reid, Youping Sun, L.L. Nackley, R.N. Contreras, Soo-Hyung Kim, D.L. Haver, N.L. Levy
Keywords
semiarid climate, CA coastal climate, low water use plants, plant growth
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