by Johanna Barr, El Paso Master Gardener
Credit: ‘New Gold’™ Lantana in Landscape by Johanna Barr, El Paso Master Gardener
Springtime brings a flurry of activity at local nurseries as gardeners seek color for their homes in the form of annual and perennial flowering plants. Summer annuals such as marigolds, sunflowers, and cosmos bloom, set seed, and then die in one season. Pansies, petunias, and sweet peas thrive during cooler weather in El Paso but wither as summer approaches. The lives of these annuals are short but very colorful!
On the other hand, perennial plants live for two years or more but do not form woody tissue like trees and shrubs. In certain climates, perennials may grow all year long. Evergreen perennials keep their foliage, growing continuously, especially where winters are mild. Other perennials die back during cold weather, but the roots are protected and send up shoots to bloom again the next year. There are many showy perennials which do well in the El Paso area. Those which have relatively low water requirements include angelita daisy, lantana, verbena, salvia, evening primrose, globemallow, penstemon, rain lily, and chocolate flower. A specific type of perennial is the biennial, a plant which completes its life cycle in two years. The plant begins its life one year, then blooms, sets seed, and dies the next. Examples are foxglove and parsley.
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- Verbena
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- Lantana
Care of perennials includes bed preparation, fertilizing, watering, cleanup, and cutting back when the blooming period has ended. Bed preparation involves eliminating weeds, insuring a well-drained soil by adding three to four inches of compost, working it into the top 10-12 inches of soil, and adding a slow-release or other fertilizer. Container-grown perennials are generally planted in the early spring as are bare-root plants. In El Paso, early fall planting may also be appropriate. Soak plants after planting and then check on a regular basis to prevent drying out, but don’t over-water!
Mulching helps conserve soil moisture and keeps soils cooler. If soil has been prepared properly, most perennials do not require large amounts of fertilizer and may produce few flowers if over fertilized.
It is relatively easy to dig up, divide, and replant perennials every few years as spring growth starts. Some plants such as bearded iris are divided in early fall. Dig all around the plant and then lift the clump out of the ground. Cut the plant apart, discard the old center, and trim off damaged roots. Keep divided sections moist and shaded. Then replant, watering well, and tending as before.
Perennials are extremely versatile whether tall or short, suitable for dry or moist soils, sunny or shady areas, and they last for years. One can also select plants which will attract butterflies and hummingbirds. By planting a variety of perennials with different blooming periods, the gardener can enjoy a multitude of flowers throughout the growing season.
Below are the common names and scientific names of the plants mentioned above.
‘New Gold’™ Lantana Lantana × hybrida ‘New Gold’
Marigold Calendula officinalis
Sunflower Helianthus annuus
Cosmos Cosmos spp.
Pansy Viola × wittrockiana
Petunia Petunia spp.
Sweet pea Lathyrus odoratus
Angelita daisy Tetraneuris acaulis
Lantana Lantana camara
Verbena Verbena × hybrida
Salvia (common sage) Salvia officinalis
Evening primrose Oenothera spp.
Globemallow Sphaeralcea spp.
Penstemon or beardtongue Penstemon spp.
Rain lily Zephyranthes spp.
Chocolate flower Berlandiera lyrata
Foxglove (biennial) Digitalis purpurea
Parsley Petroselinum crispum
Bearded Iris Iris × germanica
Photo credits
Left: Verbena by Johanna Barr
Right: Lantana by Johanna Barr