Conservation/Environment

Leave three- to six-inch stalks, rather than cutting the plants to the ground level. That way the plants are easy to find next spring. Or, if you want to keep birds in your yard during the winter, leave plants as they are and clean up in the spring. This gives birds food and the plants protection from the cold.

Fall is a great time of the year to plant. The cooler temperatures do not stress the plants and they have time to develop a root system before the heat of next summer. Many nurseries have their plants on sale in the fall.

Xeriscape plants generally reach maturity in three years. During the fall, plants can be divided to fill in open spaces in the garden.

Fall is the time of year to plant spring bulbs. They are the ultimate Xeriscape plants, taking their moisture from the winter snow and rain.

To view individual images of Xeriscape plants in the Riverfront Park Demonstration Garden, click on the plant name below. For an overview and plant finder, click here.

Achillea filipendulina — Moonshine yarrow — After die-down, trim halfway

Achillea varieties — Yarrow — Cut to ground in fall or spring

Agastache rupestris — “Apricot Sunrise” Hybrid hummingbird mint — Trim in spring

Amorpha canescens — Leadplant — An annual late-fall pruning back to a foot tall will increase the flowers

Armeria maritima “Compacta” — Common thrift — No maintenance needed

Artemisia versicolor “Seafoam” — Curlicue sage — In spring, cut back 4" to 6" from ground

Buddelia davidii — Butterfly bush — Cut back to 1/3 in spring

Calamagrostis x acutiflora — Karl Foerster — Cut to about 1' in spring

Callirhoe involucrata — Poppy mallow — Trim in spring

Campsis radicans — Trumpet vine — Trim as desired in spring

Caryopteris x clandonensis — Dark Knight — Trim in spring

Centaurea montana — Mountain bluet — Cut to ground in spring

Centranthus ruber “Albus” — Jupiter’s beard — Clean up in spring

Centranthus ruber “Red” — Valerian — Cut to ground in spring

Cerastium tomentosum — Snow-in-summer — Shear off faded flowers throughout growing season

Chrysanthemum x superbum — Double Shasta daisy — Cut off blooms and divide in spring every three years

Coreopsis grandiflora “Sunray” — Tickseed — Dies back with frost

Coreopsis verticillata — “Zagreb” — Clean up in spring

Dalea purpureum — Purple prairie clover — No maintenance needed

Dianthus — Pinks — Clear flower heads through season. No winter prep

Echinacea purpurea — Purple coneflower — Dies back with frost

Eriogonum umbellatum — Sulfur buckwheat — No maintenance needed

Eupatorium spp. — Joe Pye weed — Trim stems in fall to about 6"

Falugia paradoxa — Apache plume — Trim to shape only. Self-shedding in fall

Gaillardia grandiflora “Goblin” — Goblin blanket flower — Cut flower stems in fall, leaves form mulch

Gaura lindheimeri — Pink cloud — Trim long stems back halfway

Geranium sanguineum — Cranesbill — Clean up in spring

Helianthemum nummelarium — Wisley primrose — Clean up in spring

Helianthus maximiliani — Maximilian’s sunflower — Cut to ground in spring

Helictotrichon sempervirens — Blue oat grass — No maintenance needed

Helictotrichon sempervirens — Blue avena grass — No maintenance needed

Hemerocallis fulva — Daylily — Clean up in spring

Hemerocallis hybrid — Daylily — Dies back with frost. Leave or split and replant

Iberis sempervirens — Dwarf candytuft — No maintenance needed

Lavandula — Lavender — In spring, cut back old stems by one third

Liatris punctata — Gay feather — Cut to ground in spring

Linum perenne “Lewisii” — Blue flax — Cut to ground in spring

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’ — Maiden hair — Cut down to about 1' in spring

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Silberfeder’ — Silver feather maiden hair — Cut to about 1' in spring

Nassella tenuissima (Stipa) — Silky thread grass — Do nothing; does not like to be cut at all

Nepeta varieties — Catmint — Clean up in spring

Oreganum laevigatum (Herrenhausen) — Ornamental oregano butterfly — Self-shedding in fall

Penstemon “Prairie dusk” — Prairie dusk beard tongue — Leave stalks; mulch with leaves and lightweight material

Penstemon pinifolius — Pineleaf penstemon — Cut off only flower stalks in fall or spring

Penstemon strictus — Rocky Mountain penstemon — Leave stalks; mulch with leaves, lightweight material

Perovskia atriplicifolia — Russian sage — Trim in spring

Phlomis russeliana — Hardy Jerusalem sage — Trim stalks to ground

Salvia pachyphylla — Giant flowered purple sage — Prune back and shape in the fall after the flowers are finished

Salvia pitcheri “Grandiflora” — Pitcher’s blue sage — Trim in spring

Salvia x sylvestris — Sage — Cut back in spring after seeing what comes back

Sedum telephium — Autumn joy — No maintenance needed

Sedum varieties — Stonecrop — Cut to bushy base or clean in spring

Tanacetum niveum — White bouquet tansy — Cut back old flowering wood at the base of the stem

Thymus varieties — Creeping thyme — Benefits from a 1" layer of fine compost

Tradescantia virginiana — Spiderwort — Self-shedding in fall

Verbascum chaixii — Mullein — Trim in spring

Veronica allionii — Speedwell — Cut stalks in fall. Takes care of itself

Yucca Filamentosa — Adam’s needle — Remove brown leaves and stalks in fall or spring

Zauschneria arizonica — Hardy Hummingbird Trumpet — Cut back in spring