Plant Min Zone: 6a
Plant Max Zone: 9b
Sunlight: All Day Full Sun, Full Sun
Water / Rainfall: Low, Average
Soil Quality: Poor, Average
Bloom Season: Summer, Late Summer
Flower Color: Magenta, Purple, Pink
Berry / Fruit Color: None
Spring Foliage Color: Green
Summer Foliage Color: Green
Fall Foliage Color: Green
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: No
Scented Flowers: Yes
Drought Tolerance: Medium, High
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: Medium
Wind Tolerance: High
Poor Soil Tolerance: Clay Soils, Rocky Soils, Sandy Soils, Alkaline Soils (high PH)
Height: 5' - 7'
Width: 4' - 6'
Growth Rate: Fast
Service Life: Long: 5-10 years
Maintenance Need: Low
Spreading Potential: N.A.
Yearly Trimming Tips: Shrub Normally Winter-kills so trim to 6-12" off Ground in Winter or Early Spring: Blooms on New Wood.
Plant Grouping Size: Specimen Planting of 1-3, Small Grouping of 3-5, Medium Grouping of 5-10
Best Side of House: South Exposure, West Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Tolerates Extreme Heat, Survives Severe Drought, Resistant to Rabbits
Ornamental Features: Long Blooming Season, Large Tropical Foliage / Flowers, Fine Texture, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: None
Possible Pest Problems: Occasional Problems, Disease
Plant Limitations: May get Occasional Winter-kill, Needs Thick Winter Mulch
***Description for this plant available with future update!*** >>>>>Desert Willow is a small open irregularly branched tree or large shrub with bright green narrow leaves (but not related to true willows) It features gorgeous pink, white and magenta snapdragon-like flowers with yellow throats. Blooming season is immensely long beginning in June continuing all summer until frost. Desert Willow grows in all soil types here in Kansas but prefers rich silty loam. It will not grow in excessively wet anaerobic soils though. Absolute full sun is needed for best growth to produce flowers and avoid spindlyness. In the landscape, Desert Willow can be used as a specimen shrub or small tree. It handles hot west for south locations very well. It's native range covers most of the Southwest and western Texas along streams and riparian areas. Being surprisingly cold hardy here, Several Desert Willow cultivars can be found at the Denver Botanic Gardens in Denver CO (zone 5b) and at the Dyck Arboretum in Hesston, Kansas (zone 6b). Bubba Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis 'Bubba') has been thriving in our display garden and other Lawrence, KS locations for over 15 years and has endured temperatures as low as a -18. During the most severe winters, winter kills it down to the ground. However, just like Crapemyrtle or Butterfly Bush, Desert Willow blooms on new wood and at a young age with blooms even occurring on 3 foot tall nursery plants. Water sprout regrowth from established landscape plants is rapid with heights reaching 5-6'. These blooms are more numerous and larger than normal, especially with a handful of time-release fertilized applied in the early spring.