The desert wildflower that conquered the world🌻, a "sneaky" shrub 🌸, & more 🌵😎
Published 4 days ago • 2 min read
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Hi, Desert Gardener!
It seems that everyone loves sunflowers, a beloved, iconic flower symbolic of summer and happiness. (Growing sunflowers is also a multi-billion dollar industry.) Sunflowers and their thousands of hybrids are so adaptable that they've naturalized on every inhabited continent and in all 50 states. But few people realize that the sunflowers they're growing originated from an annual wildflower native to the desert southwest. It’s not an exaggeration to say this useful, resilient plant has conquered the world. That's why I call our wild sunflower a "rock star" among plants.
🌵 🌵 🌵
What you'll find in this week's newsletter:
- Featured Plant: Wild sunflower 🌻
- The popular "sneaky" shrub 🌸
- What to do in the garden in September
- Upcoming gardening classes & events
- and more!
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Wild Sunflower: “Rock Star” Native Annual
Wild sunflower is a cheerful annual wildflower that grows more shrubby than the typical bean-pole sunflower -- 3 feet wide and 6 feet tall. Here’s how to grow this charming and surprisingly important southwest native.
Read more here →
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Sunflower in the News
This week, a sunflower named "Clover" broke a Guinness World Record as the tallest sunflower ever grown, measuring over 35 feet tall! 😲 The gardener lives in Indiana, but was originally from Ukraine, where the sunflower is the national flower.
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The Problem with Oleanders (& what to plant instead)
Oleander is a popular landscape shrub that has many desirable features. However, it has several serious problems, including being famously toxic. Discover 5 good reasons to take a pass on this ubiquitous shrub.
Read more here →
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Sneaky Oleander Strategy
Oleander plays a sneaky trick on the birds and insects that visit. It's a “deceit pollinator” meaning it produces attractive flowers to entice pollinators, but offers no nectar. So pollinators do the plant’s bidding by spreading pollen, while wasting their energy and getting nothing in return.
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September: What to Do in the Garden This Month
September means the monsoon is winding down and even though it might be fall elsewhere, it’s still summer here. Here’s a look at what you should and shouldn’t plant, what you can fertilize, pests to expect, fruit you can harvest, and more.
Learn more here →
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Tucson Garden Events & Classes
There are loads of garden events and classes coming up soon. Highlights include:
* Home Grown Tomatoes @ Harlow Gardens
* Throw Shade Tree Fest @ Four Arrows Garden
* Welcome to Tucson Gardening @ Pima Co. Master Gardeners
Get the details on these events and more in our Tucson Gardening Events Calendar →
Not in Tucson? Look for classes for everyone offered via Zoom.
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Garden Quote
"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." -- Warren Buffet, investor
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Before You Go...
Do you have a gardening question you'd like to see answered here? Send it to ask@swgardener.com.
If you found this information helpful or interesting, please share it with friends! They can sign up for this newsletter here.
And please stop by the Southwest Gardener Facebook page and "Follow", "Like", or "Share".
Keep growing and learning,
Desert Dee
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113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
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