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Posts by Robbie Cole:

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Dead or Drought-Deciduous?

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As spring turns to summer, the Sonoran Desert goes from its lush springtime conditions to a state that many would refer to as “dead.” While there are lots of wildflowers and invasive species that truly go through their entire life cycles in a single springtime, the truth for much of the larger plants in the desert is much more interesting. Many, if not most, of the native bushes live a lifestyle known as “drought-deciduous,” and this applies to many of the plants used in landscaping in the Phoenix area.

 

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April through early July is a notoriously rainless period of the year in the Sonoran Desert, and this pattern is recognized by the plants that have adapted here. When the moisture of the winter and early spring rain dries up and the temperature begins to reach that 100-degree range, many desert shrubs will purposefully shed their leaves and close off most of their pores to conserve sugars and stored water. This leaves bushes like Triangle Bursage, Brittlebush, Creosote, Desert Lavender, Chuparosa, and many others looking “dead.” You don’t see it with the naked eye, but cacti also hunker down and essentially pause their biological functions during the day, only opening their stomata to “breathe” at night when the temperature is below 90 degrees. This, too, is a strategy to mitigate water loss during the hottest and driest parts of the year.

If you have these plants in your yard, be sure not to remove them just for looking this way! There are two things you can do for your drought-deciduous shrubs. The first move is to cut them back to just a few main stems close to the ground as they naturally go dormant. This way, they can stay dormant and wait for the water to return without putting too much of a blight on the aesthetics of your yard.

 

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The second strategy is to irrigate them. If drought-deciduous plants are given water on a regular basis, most species will keep their leaves, potentially all year round. Keep in mind, these are still desert plants, so don’t give them a lot of water. Just a regular trickle at a good distance from the core of the plant will do. This strategy doesn’t work for every plant, though. Many cacti do not respond well to manual watering after establishment, and Creosote bushes actively dislike being given any water that doesn’t come from the sky. So, make sure you’re not harmfully swamping plants before using this method. Consult a local nursery or certified professional if you have doubts about watering native plants.

Keep in mind that most of the non-native plants used in Arizona landscaping are almost always on irrigation, and if they suddenly start shedding leaves, those ones might actually be dying. Lantanas shed leaves with frost in the winter, but if they lose leaves in the summer, it’s likely due to a lack of water or an increase in reflected light. If a Coral Fountain Grass starts to crisp up, it most likely is dying of dehydration. If a Texas Sage starts shedding leaves in the summer, it could be a sign of Texas Root Rot, especially if it happens quickly.

Most trees are NOT drought-deciduous, with some of the only exceptions being Foothills Palo Verdes and Ironwood Trees, but even they only shed in the summer during particularly hot and dry occasions. If a Mesquite Tree sheds its leaves during the summer, something is definitely wrong. If an Indian Laurel Ficus loses leaves in the summer, it’s typically a defensive reaction to high nighttime temperatures and a lack of sufficient water. If a Chinese Elm, Olive Tree, or Chinese Pistache sheds its leaves in the summer, it could be a sign of verticillium or another fungal disease in the roots.

At ELS Maintenance & Construction, we promote the use of low-water and native plant species whenever possible to save communities money and help the local ecosystem. If you know of a community or commercial center that needs new landscapers, email [email protected] and we can get started!

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How Far Should a Drip Be from a Tree Trunk?

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It may not seem like a big deal, but the space between a tree’s trunk and its water source can be a lifesaver or a killer in Arizona landscaping. Our soil texture, the nature of root development, and species of tree affect where to place drip lines most optimally for your trees. This applies to bushes and flowers to a lesser extent as well, but the effects of watering too close to the main root flare of a plant are only truly life-altering to plants as they grow larger.

The first thing to know is that our SOIL in the Phoenix area is high in clay and is very alkaline, meaning it contains salts and has a pH higher than 7 – often over 8 in some areas of the Valley. This means that air and water flow is often poor, and it takes much longer for water to creep downwards below the topsoil. This is why professionals recommend infrequent but deep waterings to fully satiate plants in the desert. This also means that if you water a tree with a drip that is placed directly next to its main trunk, that water is likely to sit in the first several inches of soil directly around the base of the trunk for hours. This is bad for two reasons. First: watering only at the base of a tree tells the tree only to grow fine roots close to the base of the tree, which can cause root girdling (tangling and constriction) and makes the tree more likely to fall during strong winds due to not being firmly rooted in the ground. Second: standing water at the base of many tree species, especially desert-adapted trees, can lead to rotting and infection of the trunk or root flare. Either way, watering too close to the trunk makes a tree more likely to fall over or die (or both).

It’s also important to keep in mind the SPECIES of the tree and what its development into MATURITY looks like. Measure your tree’s canopy diameter if possible. The diameter of the canopy is a good way to estimate the diameter of the root span beneath the surface. Because of this, the general guideline is to place the drips close to the edge of the canopy in a radius around the tree. This means that as a tree grows and matures, you should change the locations of driplines. Perhaps every three years the placement of drips around a tree should be changed to match the newly expanded canopy diameter. If the tree is native to desert ecosystems, like Palo Verdes, Acacias, Eucalyptus, Mesquites, etc., then the amount of water assistance can remain consistent, if not decrease until the tree is fully self-sufficient and established. If the tree is not native to the desert, it will need more water as it grows. If you had four, 2 GPH drips circling a Ficus tree with a 10-foot diameter, but after three years its canopy is 20 feet, you should move the drips to match the edge of the canopy and increase the number of 2 GPH drips to 10. This way, the tree is well-nourished and stable without ever having its trunk swamped.

Read Water Use It Wisely’s “Landscape Watering By The Numbers” by clicking here for more specific information.

At ELS Maintenance & Construction, we install, maintain, and improve irrigation infrastructure to save water and promote healthy plant growth in communities and commercial properties around the Valley. If you know of a community or commercial center that needs new landscapers, email [email protected] and we can get started!

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Time To Plant Your Phoenix Vegetable Garden!

Now that the Phoenix area is firmly in its springtime weather patterns, it’s time to garden! We have approximately 3 months to harvest as many of the typical garden crops as we can before the heat of June begins to kill these spring annuals off.

But what crops should you be planting right now?

Peppers

Peppers enjoy the Goldilocks warm temperatures between April and June. Jalapenos are typically the easiest to grow to fruition, though any peppers will thrive between now and the onset of the summer heat. If provided with shade and consistent water, they can survive the summer and provide peppers in the fall as well! Try the Chiltepin for a small, spicy delicacy.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes do not like the cold, but once the weather begins to warm up they will thrive. Cherry tomatoes are the easiest to grow to fruition, though if you can keep the fruits safe from birds and provide enough calcium to prevent blossom-end rot, tomatoes of all sizes can be harvested before the summer wilt if you plant them now.

Peas

Peas are excellent plants to grow in any garden, as their roots contain rhizomes that provide nitrogen nutrients to the whole garden. Even as they wither away with the summer heat, they will leave the soil with more nutrients than what they started with. And you’ll get to harvest tasty peas along the way!

Radishes

Anything with a bulb is a great option for Arizona gardening, and radishes are no exception.These may be one of the easiest crops to grow in Arizona, going from seed to harvestable bulb in as little as a month.

Beans

Beans, just like peas, create their own Nitrogen supply and increase the fertility of an entire garden. Depending on the species, they can last longer than peas. They’re great sources of protein and can be stored for years if done properly.

Corn

You’ll need open space for corn, and it creates several other gardening challenges. Corn sucks up Nitrogen rapidly, so they are often planted with beans. It is also often targeted by birds, especially quail. While getting corn to grow to maturity can be a challenge, they enjoy the climate of the springtime in Arizona and can certainly make for a feast if successfully harvested.

Squash

We’ve talked about Corn and Beans, so now we have to mention Squash, the third member of the “Three Sisters Garden.” Some varieties of squash can grow through the summer, others can survive the winter. The benefit of squash on a larger garden comes from their large leaves and vining properties. They create shade that cools the soil and preserves moisture for every other plant in the garden. The “Three Sisters” method involves the Squash cooling and protecting the soil, the Beans fertilizing the soil, and the Corn benefiting from both and creating the most calorie-rich nutrition.

Carrots

Carrots are tubers that also grow well in the spring in Arizona. If you want the best harvest, small varieties of carrots will likely be the best idea. There are even species of carrots which are native to parts of Arizona, if you can get your hands on them.

Artichokes

Artichokes can be planted now, and with their strength against heat, you can harvest artichokes well into the summer. Sometimes, artichoke plants can survive for multiple years if you can protect them from aphids and excessive sunlight. Just make sure you have a lot of space when planting artichokes, as they can grow up to 5 feet wide and 4 feet tall.

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Best AZ Native Flowering Plants for Low-Water Beauty

The Sonoran Desert features some of the most beautiful and interesting flowers in the world if you know where to look. If you’d like to make a hummingbird or butterfly refuge out of your backyard, check out some of these Arizona native options.

 

Starting with bushes, an easy favorite is the Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua). They can be found blooming bright strands of pink, orange, or fuchsia through the spring and into the early summer before going dormant until the next spring.

 

There are several species in the genus Penstemon which provide perfect, long-lasting pink or red flowers for hummingbirds and humans alike to enjoy. The Penstemon eatonii, in particular, can live for several years without going dormant or dying.

The Chuparosa (Justicia californica) grows in a network of blue-green stems with bright red trumpet flowers, another hummingbird favorite. After periods of rainfall they sprout leaves quickly followed by blooms, before eventually turning to mostly sticks during dry or cold times when they can be cut back until the next growth spurt.

Fairy Dusters are popular flowering bushes used in landscaping around the city. Pink Fairy Dusters (Calliandra eriophylla) in particular is native to the Sonoran Desert and is known for blooming in the winter.

Ocotillos (Fouquieria splendens) can take a couple years to get fully established, but once they do, they create strange columns of bright red flowers that are vital to the survival of Arizona hummingbirds. An interesting fun fact: the ocotillo is not a true cactus or a succulent, but rather a very interesting-looking drought-deciduous bush.

Small groundcover flowers that you and the ecosystem will love include Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata), Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum), Lupines (Lupinus sparsiflorus), Mariposa Lilies (Calochortus species), and several others. You’ll need to plant these in the ground, as they do not like being in pots.

Moving away from bushes, you can’t ignore the beautiful blooms of Sonoran Desert cacti. The Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus) is a genus of small, clustered cacti that produce huge pink, purple, or orange flowers in the late spring.

The Prickly Pear (Opuntia) genus contains dozens of species of succulent desert plants, with each species blooming in the late spring and early summer with waves of orange, yellow, or pink flowers, depending on the species. Their fruits (and paddles) are edible if you know how to safely harvest them!

Other blooming cacti and succulent plants include Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa), Barrel Cacti (Ferocactus), Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria grahamii), and of course, Saguaros (Carnegiea gigantea).

These are just a few of the countless examples of plants that create stunning blooms in the Sonoran Desert. If you take a hike in the desert in the springtime or after a wet monsoon season, you’ll see thousands of examples to give you inspiration for a low-water native garden of your own.

At ELS Maintenance & Construction, we install and maintain plants that make sense for the area, following Sustainable Landscape Management (SLM) guidelines. If you know of a community or commercial center that needs new landscapers, contact [email protected] and we can get started!

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Irrigation Lines Break More Often When Seasons Change, But Why?

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A common issue in Arizona landscapes, and landscapes around the world, is for irrigation leaks to sprout from seemingly nowhere. Not many people notice the strong correlation between the frequency of spontaneous irrigation leakage and the weather.

Most small-scale residential and streetscape landscape irrigation lines are either made of poly-tubing or PVC pipe. Poly-tubing is much weaker than PVC pipe, especially when under the Arizona sun for years. This is where you’ll most often find your leaks.

Poly-tubing is composed of polyethylene, a malleable plastic that works great for flexible irrigation installation. For places other than the Southwest, this may be perfect. Unfortunately, the high average UV index in Arizona speeds up the weakening and decomposition of polyethylene. Even though most poly-tubing is installed a few inches underground, the heat and some of the UV radiation still makes it through to the pipes. After experiencing the heat and UV radiation for years on end can lead to such significant weakening that a weaker spot can rupture after a temperature shift.

The change from extreme heat to near freezing temperatures and vice versa each year often happens in major increments upon the arrival of progressive cold or warm fronts. As temperatures decrease, plastics, gasses, and water contract and shrink in size. Then, when temperatures warm in the spring into the summer, they grow. The size and pressure differences are subtle, but when the irrigation line is stuck underground and can only expand into a medium of dirt, this motion can become grating to the polyethylene material over time. Eventually, cracks will appear.

So why do so many communities and municipalities in the desert use poly tubing? It’s easy to install due to being flexible and portable, and it’s cheap. With the rapid development of communities around the Phoenix area in the past 30 years, it makes sense that the quickest and easiest materials would be used to support faster turnover rate. In the long run, poly-tubing is no longer the cheapest option, because it starts requiring more and more maintenance due to leaking and decomposition.

To solve this, ELS has been replacing poly-tubing infrastructures with stronger, long-lasting PVC pipe in contracted irrigation system “revamps.” Though PVC is more difficult to install and thus more costly at first, the lack of the need for maintenance ends up creating net savings for communities.

If your community is in need of an irrigation revamp to replace poly-tubing with PVC infrastructure, reach out to us at [email protected].

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Spotting Invasive Weeds in Arizona Yards

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As we transition from winter rains and frosts to springtime blooms, it’s important to know what we’re looking at when we see flowers in our yards and on the sides of streets. Sometimes, a pretty flower is actually an invasive species – a plant not native to our ecosystem that competes with (and sometimes defeats) native plants. Invasive flowers and grasses in particular interrupt the lifestyle of iconic Sonoran Desert animals as well; starving desert tortoises and keeping quail from walking on the ground, among other dangers. They can also drastically increase the risk and severity of wildfires. Overall, it’s vital to keep invasive species off your property whenever possible.

The plant biodiversity of any given place changes constantly in the long term. A species is only “invasive” when it was brought from one area to another by human activity and it disrupts the equilibrium of the previously existing ecosystem.

There are a few invasive trees that cause problems by lowering biodiversity and preventing the growth of native species.

The Salt Cedar (Tamarix ramosissima) is a tall shrub or medium tree that grows mostly in washes and other wet areas, which spreads rapidly to block water flow and increase fire risk.

The Weeping Acacia (Acacia salicina) is generally considered “benign,” but can quickly reseed and overwhelm any area near a water source. They typically don’t spread very far, and are often still used as trees in landscaping. This is probably the least harmful tree on the list.

The Lead Tree (Leucaena leucocephala) may look like a mesquite or acacia, but is actually one of the worst invasive trees in Arizona.

The invasive bushes and flowers of Arizona are arguably much more harmful, as they spread into the wilderness and are not restricted to washes and wet areas.

One of the worst offenders in the past few decades is the Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum). Its purple variant is fine to plant, but its natural form outcompetes native species throughout the desert.

 

Globe Chamomile (Oncosiphon piluliferum) is the most recent invader to Arizona. It looks like a cute wildflower blooming in little gold spheres. However, it’s certainly the most harmful plant on this list and needs to be removed on sight.

It may look pretty while it blooms, but it actively harms the wildlife of the Sonoran Desert by being inedible and clogging the ground with flammable brush that can catch fire easily during the summer. Pick it before it blooms to prevent its spread. As an identification tip, its young leaves look a bit like carrot leaves.

Several other grasses and flowers are also invasive: Brome Grass, Buffelgrass, Camelthorn, and various Thistles (including the famous “tumbleweed”) are among the most problematic for the ecosystem.

For some lists of invasive plants that should be removed on sight, check out the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management’s Invasive Species list at https://dffm.az.gov/forestry-community-forestry/forest-health/invasive-plants or the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension’s Invasive Species Program at https://extension.arizona.edu/pima-invasive-species-program for more information. Removing invasive species will improve the health of your property’s landscaping and slow the spread of these species while scientists develop strategies to mitigate their impact on the ecosystem.

At ELS Maintenance & Construction, we do what we can to prevent the germination and spread of invasive species at our communities and commercial properties with herbicides, manual pulling, and pre-emergent weed killer. If you know of a community or commercial center that needs new landscapers, contact [email protected] and we can get started!

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Frost Damage on Arizona Grass – What Can Be Done?

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Although the Phoenix area isn’t associated with the words “cold” or “frost,” in January, February, and even early March, frost damage to plants is still a concern here. You can cover your shrubs and vines overnight, and your trees go dormant if they can’t handle the cold… But what do you do about grass?

Typically, one of several varieties of bermudagrass is used for summer turf, and it fades away to be replaced by Winter Rye for the cool season. You would think that a grass intended for use as winter turf would be immune to frost damage. Well, according to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, frost damage can certainly happen to Winter Rye grass. This damage is more common at higher elevations in places like Tucson, but it happens here too.

So, what can you do to prevent this damage? The biggest thing U of A’s Cooperative Extensions suggests is to NEVER step on grass while it’s frozen. Grass blades are small and thin, and if you step on it while it’s frozen, it will suffer huge damage. By noon, the Rye you stepped on will have large, wilted spots in the shape of your footsteps.

You can strengthen your Rye by fertilizing with high-nitrogen fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate or potassium nitrate once in December and once in January. Grass uses up nitrogen quickly, and Arizona soil notably contains barely any nitrogen. Additionally, supplementing with iron can help the integrity of plant cells when it gets cold.

Keep in mind, cold snaps like these don’t happen very often in the Valley. In a typical winter, there are two or three severe cold snaps per year, typically toward the latter half of the season. Keep up to date with weather forecasts and be prepared to stay on the pavement on frosty mornings.

At ELS Maintenance & Construction, we pay close attention to turf conditions to make sure your grass is looking good and going through its natural seasonal cycles as intended. If you know of a community or commercial center that needs new landscapers, contact [email protected] and we can get started!

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Why Saguaros Struggled in 2023

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January through April 2023 were some of the rainiest months in the past 30 years for the Sonoran Desert, and you could tell the plants enjoyed the extra water. Flowers bloomed massively, creosotes sprouted strongly, and cacti were engorged more than they had been in a long time. Then, we experienced the hottest, driest summer on record, and things began to die.

For cacti like saguaros, which are built to store massive amounts of rainwater specifically to survive drought periods, you would think that a dry summer would be taxing, but not fatal. But if you look around the Phoenix area lately, saguaros that are hundreds of years old are dropping like flies, usually after dripping a nasty black goop.

What’s happening, and why?

That black goop dripping from the sides of saguaros is the main symptom of a plant disease called “Bacterial Necrosis.” There’s a very brief window where it can be cured by having an arborist carefully cut out the infected section and sanitize it before it reaches the core of the saguaro’s vascular system. Once the necrosis has spread, it’s nearly always fatal. It can take months or even years to fall over, but an untreated, infected saguaro will most likely die.

Bacterial Necrosis occurs when a plant’s immune system is weakened enough that bacteria is able to enter and colonize it from within. The bacteria eats plant materials and the carbohydrates stored within and gradually degrades its stability until it falls over.

In the case of the saguaro, several factors led to the mass dying we are currently seeing.

Firstly, we experienced over a month where the nighttime temperature didn’t descend below 95 degrees in some areas. Most desert plants are attuned to the temperature and strategically close their stomata and pause cellular respiration when the temperature is above 90 degrees, to preserve water. But just like animals, plants can’t hold their breath forever. If more than a week goes by without being able to engage in cellular respiration, any plant will begin to suffer. This stress can be enough to weaken the immune system and allow bacteria to get in.

Secondly, bad landscaping practices can lead to extra stress on saguaros. Even though they are known for being the icon of the harsh ecosystem we live in, they are not invincible. A saguaro planted in the median of a busy street goes through much more stress than a saguaro in nature, since it’s stuck in a spot where the ground is always hot from asphalt and there is little horizontal room for roots to grow.

A saguaro moved from its original location and planted somewhere else is also more likely to experience more stress than a saguaro in nature. If the saguaro was planted multiple feet deeper in the ground than where it was born, its rootball will have little to no access to oxygen and there will be multiple feet of trunk buried under the ground experiencing constant tissue damage as it grows and shrinks with the seasons. It may take several years, even up to two decades after being planted badly, before bacterial necrosis sets in. If a saguaro’s trunk doesn’t taper in width at its bottom foot or two, it was likely planted too deep and will likely die prematurely.

Additionally, the cardinal direction of the saguaro’s planting is vital to its long-term health. Growers often keep track of which part of a cactus is facing north. If this knowledge is lost through repotting or transit, a saguaro can be planted facing the wrong direction. This will lead to sun damage and a higher likelihood of dying prematurely to necrosis or other diseases.

Other human actions can lead to a saguaro’s untimely demise as well.

Installing a saguaro in a spot with no other plant life and covered in gravel? Cutting off the saguaro’s root space permanently to install a pool? Covering an area near a saguaro with fake turf? Overwatering a saguaro or putting a plant with high water requirements too close to a saguaro?

All of these actions can build up stress for a saguaro in the long term. Then, one bad summer, and next thing you know your prized plant is falling over.

With all this in mind, it’s important to note that saguaros are very low-maintenance plants. They are icons of the Sonoran Desert, vital to the ecosystem, and can increase property value by tens of thousands of dollars. The tricky part comes in the installation. You need to make sure your saguaro is being planted in the correct spot, with the correct cardinal orientation, at the healthiest depth for the rootball, and near other low-water plants.

ELS Maintenance & Construction does installation jobs for communities across the Valley, utilizing Arizona’s best practices to keep every tree, shrub, and cactus as healthy as possible. If you’re interested in submitting a Proposal Request, email us at [email protected] or call 602-243-1106.

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Before You String Up Your Christmas Lights – Which Arizona Trees Go Dormant in the Winter?

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With the holiday season approaching, you may be looking over your yard thinking of ideas of where to hang up lights and place decorations. If you’ve just moved here, it may be difficult to tell which trees are going to lose their leaves and which ones are evergreen.

Before you put your Christmas lights up, and before you call up your community manager worried that your favorite tree is dying, let’s go over some of the basics about deciduous trees in Arizona landscaping.

First, let’s go over some trees native to the Sonoran Desert. Desert Willows are often the first to go completely bald as nighttime temperatures descend. Almost every species of Mesquite Tree goes dormant in the winter, keeping few or no leaves from December until the beginning of April.

American Native Acacia species such as the Sweet Acacia look similar to mesquites and lose most of their leaves during the winter. Many species of Palo Verdes actually lose their leaves in the summer AND the winter, regrowing their tiny leaves during the spring and fall just to shed them again.

The riparian (river) trees of the desert such as Cottonwoods, Arizona Ash, and Sycamores are the only ones that notably change colors before shedding their leaves, akin to the trees of the more temperate regions of the United States.

 

A few other Arizona trees only lose their leaves during extended periods of drought, with Ironwood trees being the commonly used example. During warmer winters, Chilean Mesquites can sometimes keep the majority of their leaves.

There are lots of non-native tree species that are commonly used in Arizona landscaping, many of which begin to shed for the winter after the first few cold nights. Red Push Pistache, Chinese Elms, and Chitalpas shed their leaves slowly and without much drama – these are the ones that most often worry newcomers when the seasons change.

Texas Ebony Trees have leaf patterns similar to mesquites and acacias, but they only partially lose their leaves in the winter. Their foliage is so dense that they will cause a mess even if they still look relatively full in the dead of the winter.

Jacarandas lose their leaves as soon as it gets cold at night, and sometimes don’t grow back until the end of April. On the other end of the spectrum, the ironically-named Evergreen Pear Tree very briefly loses its leaves in late December or January, only to come back to life covered in white flowers in February.

Southern Live Oaks only shed leaves during especially cold winters when temperatures go below freezing for multiple nights. Texas Mountain Laurels, Bottle Trees, Ficus Trees, Pine Trees, Olive Trees, Arborvitae, and Citrus Trees DO NOT go dormant. If you see them shedding leaves, something may actually be wrong.

This list is by no means exhaustive – these are just some of the most commonly found trees in Phoenix-area landscaped spaces.

At ELS Maintenance & Construction, we have an entire dedicated Arbor Division that makes sure trees are healthy and following their normal seasonal patterns at all of our communities. If you know of a community or commercial center that needs new landscapers, contact [email protected] and we can get started!

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Which Arizona Shrubs Need Winter Rejuvenation Pruning?

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Winter is a very interesting time in the field of Arizona landscaping, much different from most other places in the world. Most trees and shrubs native to the Sonoran Desert are drought deciduous, meaning they strategically grow and lose leaves depending on precipitation and humidity. Only the riparian trees (Mesquites, Cottonwoods, Sycamores, Desert Willows, etc.) lose their leaves in the classic autumn fashion of the rest of the United States. It’s the non-native trees and shrubs that behave that way… or at least they’re supposed to in their natural habitats. There are several species of plants that need to be cut back manually to keep them from getting hollow and ugly over time. This is just one of several reasons landscapers engage in “Rejuvenation Pruning.”

Rejuvenation Pruning is the act of chopping a shrub back nearly to the ground, leaving only its main trunks, once every year or so. Simple trimming works to keep plants looking neat in the short term, but over time this leaves them hollow shells of their former selves, with thin and weak foliage barely covering an empty, leafless interior. Not only does this start looking ugly after several months, but it leaves plants more vulnerable to pests, diseases, and sun damage. For these reasons, rejuvenation is vital to keeping a healthy landscape, even if the stumps of the cut back shrubs look ugly for a few weeks. This is, in fact, the best practice for the Arizona landscaping industry.

Evergreen shrubs need rejuvenation to fix the hollow look, typically once per year or every other year. Some notable examples of evergreen bushes in need of regular rejuvenation include Sage, Deergrass, Ruellia, and Lantana. Drought-deciduous shrubs will eventually need rejuvenation as well, though since they grow slowly, they often only need rejuvenation every few years. Some drought-deciduous examples include Creosote, Bursage, Fairy Duster, Chuparosa, and Eremophylla species. Seasonally deciduous shrubs are usually rejuvenated annually in the late fall once their leaves begin to fall off. Some notable deciduous shrubs include Mexican Bird of Paradise, Vitex, Rose, and several others.

Whether the shrub is seasonally deciduous, drought deciduous, or evergreen, the smartest times to rejuvenate are during the late fall and early spring. Big cutbacks like this can be harmful in the extreme heat of the summer or the near-freezing temperatures of the winter. For deciduous shrubs, they won’t have leaves on them by then anyway.

The most important thing to remember is not to worry when you see your landscapers chop down your favorite shrubs. This is the best strategy to keep plants healthy in the long run, even if it means they may look ugly for a few weeks before new foliage emerges. If the shrub is seasonally deciduous, it wasn’t going to be growing until springtime anyway. ELS Maintenance makes sure all shrubs are on a proper pruning and rejuvenation schedule for their species, location, and age, keeping things looking healthy and vivacious. If you know of a community or commercial property looking for a new landscaping company, email us at [email protected] and we’ll get started!

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