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In urban settings, this scrappy little late season daisy is found in empty lots, sidewalk cracks and other barren environments. The cheery bright flowers pop brightly in contrast to the unimpressive leaves, buds and stems.

Known under several names, including Lacy Tansyaster and Spiny Goldenbush, the genus name Xanthisma (Xanthis'ma:) is Greek, meaning "that which is dyed yellow." According to Southwest Desert Flora (.com), Lacy Tansyasters have variable characteristics and are taxonomically confusing to botanists, with many taxonomic changes over the years.

This flamboyant crimson bloom looked exactly like the photo on the Baker Creek Heirloom seed packet, but pictures of Pepperbox poppies on various websites and in this database show a wide variety of colors and forms. The pale grayish-green plant I grew in a pot from seed shot up beyond three feet before blooming with large floppy ragged leaves and sturdy stems. She is certainly a drama queen and deserves a prominent position in the garden!

Added 4 days later: A new one appeared today, white with purple blotches — not so much a variation than a whole different bloom, but with the the same foliage and plant structure, from the same seed packet. Looking forward to seeing if any others appear.

This seemingly wild poppy pops up every year here in my high desert garden in uncultivated areas. The plants range from scrappy 3 inches to 3 feet, depending mostly on available water, and reseed freely. They require winter chill to germinate. Many years I have sprinkled seeds in cultivated beds, yet they always appear in spring in the more barren areas or gravely pathways. They seem to eschew nutrition or luxury accommodations.

I have become so accustomed to these in my garden that I always assumed they were a local native until I researched them this year. They are native to North Caucasus, near the Black Sea and are not, in fact, especially widespread or common, although iNaturalist lists many sightings throughout New Mexico.

I planted Radio Red mid-April in full sun. The flowers emerged dark red and immediately bleached to white by the end of their first day. Relocated to a pot and determined that it needed half-day afternoon shade to avoid bleaching. In late summer and early fall it maintained rich, deep red coloration with some mid-day shade. Our high-altitude June-July sun is quite intense, but I have never seen another Salvia bleach like this.

Interesting to note that so many people don't care for the taste of goji berries; I find them to be sweet, juicy and tasty. Because my vines are young and still in pots, my first-year harvest is small but I've savored every berry, tossing them onto oatmeal or just snacking on them fresh and plain. Here in the desert, they need afternoon shade and moderate water. They have not been bothered with pests or disease.

Chamaebatiaria millefolium, known as Fernbush, is a monotypic genus of aromatic shrub in the rose family containing the single species. Its single white flowers that grow clustered along its upright stalks look like little single roses. It is trouble-free, xeric once established, and useful for filling dry open spaces.

I really wanted to love my Gomphocarpus physocarpus* aka balloon plant, balloon cotton-bush, bishop's balls, monkey balls, hairy balls, nailhead and swan plant. I obtained an 8" plant and it grew incredibly fast and floppy as reported and soon needed the tomato cage I had installed. The flowers were plentiful and fascinating and pods developed quickly. When it was about five feet tall the Aphis nerii Boyer de Fonscolombe arrived—a fancy name for Milkweed aphids—in massive numbers. If I had a bigger garden and could grow this plant somewhere off in a corner, I would have ignored them, but I had parked it between herbs and tomatoes and even though the aphids clearly preferred the milkweed, they did travel to surrounding plants. Their honeydew coated everything nearby. Then the ants arrived. With heavy heart I cut it down, sealed it in a plastic bag and put it in the trash because it was too infested with aphids to compost.

*Its name changed from Asclepias physocarpa in 2001 to reflect that it is in the family of African milkweeds.

The leaves of Eau de Cologne mint have a delightful sweet floral citrus scent with only a subtle undertone of mint. This plant completely died back during our two-month stretch of night temps in the 20s and lower (dropped below 10 degrees a few times) but survived, being heavily mulched and protected under plastic sheeting. It was slow to emerge this spring but looks like it will bounce back.

This Mentha piperita Lime mint is a striking plant and in only one month is proving to be the standout in my mint garden. The dark green rounded 1 1/2-inch leaves have wine-purple veins and undersides, the same color as the sturdy upright stems. It has so far grown robustly during our windy, chilly early spring; looking forward to discovering how well it tolerates our brutally hot summer.

The name Schizachyrium derives from the Greek root word schizein, "to split" (same as the psychiatric term schizophrenia), and achryon, meaning "chaff," because the lemmas (bracts in the flower spikelet) are divided.

I tried growing this vine in the high desert in zone 7b knowing it wouldn't be evergreen but had been assured it would withstand the cold winters. I wanted something wisteria-like to grow on a trellis that didn't take over. It did lose its leaves and smaller branches in the freezes, but it re-emerged in late spring. However, the leaves emerged severely chlorotic every year. A heavy application of iron and high-nitrogen fertilizer always corrected the chlorosis. It withstood summer heat but sometimes the leaves got sunburned. Although it bloomed well it never fully filled out (a few tendrils did make it up the trellis to about 6 feet) and it was apparent it wasn't at home in my climate and alkaline soil. I finally pulled it out after four years (I really did want to give it a chance!). I think in the right climate and soil it would be a rewarding vine. The flowers are luscious!

I purchased this plant in late summer during an extended heatwave. It was scraggly and nearly leafless with no flowers, but I had researched this cultivar and took a chance on this xeric, hardy desert plant. The bright orange desert globemallow is a common sight in New Mexico, but this was described as having larger flowers than the orange ones that grow wild, and "watermelon" colored. I put it into a new rock garden in October and didn't expect to see flowers until spring. It snowed and froze at the end of October. A week later after warm temperatures, it produced two lovely watermelon-hued blossoms. I'm looking forward to a full blooming cycle in the spring.

Found this on a goal-less ramble around a local nursery in blazing August. The Echibeckia (TM) is a cross between Rudbeckia and Echinacea and makes for a bit of fun and flash. I'm not certain if all the irregularities are intended in this line or are a result of it being rushed to market before it was perfected, but they provide interest. Little mutant petal-like growths, fuzzy tips and tiny bits of green poke out from under the disks, and the occasional tubular petal appears in the rays. I look forward to seeing how this performs and whether the bees like it.

The Cestrum Orange Peel is hardy in zone 7b, but dies to the ground every winter. It blooms steadily from late spring until the first frost if deadheaded, reaching about 4 feet in my garden in New Mexico. Hummingbirds adore it. Not bothered by most insect pests. Takes some shade in very hot climates.

This plant is hardy in zone 7b. It is a desert plant and needs no irrigation, but will welcome a drink occasionally. It has several interesting features: The yellow flowers with red stamens look almost tropical. The ripe seed pods split in half with an audible SNAP and it flings seeds up to 30 feet away. The twisted, spiraled pods litter the ground and some stay on the plant. It continues to produce new flowers while throwing seeds. The seeds start sprouting the following summer wherever they land. This plant is basically a weed where I live in New Mexico and it grows fast on a single trunk, but if cut at the base in fall it re-emerges with multiple trunks. I'll usually let one grow for a few years then dig it out, letting others come up in different places as I choose. It does not have a pleasant smell. Not recommended for the manicured garden, but is a fast, flashy filler for difficult dry spots.

Salvia darcyi Vermilion Bluffs Pscarl is not a flashy plant, but has a deep, monochromatic intensity that deserves a second look. The leaves have just a hint of lemon under the "salvia" scent.