Xeriscape Landscape Flowering Shrubs

Watering Your Xeric Shrubs

• Like drought-intolerant shrubs, xeric flowering shrubs require regular watering until established, states the Agri Life Extension of the Texas A&M System. Once they become well rooted, xeric shrubs only need a monthly watering in the absence of rain. The idea is to water your shrubs infrequently but deeply. Apply water to the soil around the circular drip line, which is the outermost point below where the shrub branches extend. Check to make sure the water reaches at least a depth of 10 inches. Denver Water advises to water before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. so none of the water is wasted through evaporation. If you wish to plant both xeric and non-xeric flowering shrubs in your landscape, plant the dry-tolerant shrubs at the top of slopes and the water-loving vegetation at the bottom.

Spring-Blooming Shrubs

• Examples of shrubs suitable for a xeriscape that flower in spring are golden mock orange, common nine bark and Korean spice viburnum. Golden mock orange is hardy to USDA zone 4. It may grow up to 5 feet tall and has attractive greenish-yellow leaves. Its spring flowers are white and pleasingly fragrant. Common nine bark is hardy from zones 2 to 8 and grows up to 8 feet tall. Its spring blossoms consist of clusters of white or pink flowers. Korean spice viburnum also blooms in spring and is hardy from zones 4 to 7. It may grow up to 6 feet tall. Korean spice first produces red to pink buds, which develop into dense-clustered, fragrant, white flowers.

Summer-Blooming Shrubs

• Examples of summer-blooming xeriscape shrubs are blue mist spirea and leadplant. Blue mist spirea is hardy from zones 5 to 8. In the summer, its tufts of blue-violet flowers attract bees. Blue mist spirea may grow up to 4 feet tall. Leadplant is hardy from zones 2 to 9 and grows up to 3 feet tall. In the summer, it produces lupine-like, purple flowers. Its silvery-gray foliage is composed of compound leaves.

Fall Blooming Shrubs

• According to the Colorado State University Extension, rabbitbrush blooms into September and shrubby cinquefoil blooms until fall's first frost. Both are suitable for xerisccapes. Rabbitbrush may grow up to 6 feet tall and is hardy from zones 4 to 6. Its blossoms are fan-shaped yellow flowers. Shrubby cinquefoil is hardy from zones 3 to 7 and grows up to 4 feet tall. It produces vibrant, five-petaled yellow flowers.