Internationally Popular Drought Resistant Plants
Five best sellers from one of the largest nurseries in Italy are classic and compatible additions to contemporary gardens here and abroad, particularly suitable for eco-friendly gardens with reduced water consumption. Founded in 1978, Torsanlorenzo Gruppo Florovivaistico now operates 16 nurseries and offers more than 5,700 plant varieties.
Washington Robusta
Description: A handsome fan palm from the arid areas of Arizona and northern Mexico. It is of rapid growth and can be easily transplanted. Native from a temperate climate zone, it is resistant to hot summers and cold temperatures of -8°/-10° in the winter.
Planting Tips: It is required as a specimen in large landscaping projects and even in small sizes for indoors. It is easy to grow and doesn’t need any particular type of soil, but it should be watered regularly and repotted every year to obtain the optimal development.
Good Companion Plant: Chamaerops, a shrub-like, clumping palm with several stems from a single base.
Ideal for Mediterranean, sub-tropical style gardens.
Description: Commonly known as “Sweet Bay”, this plant was introduced in Europe from Asia. It is a classic evergreen, indispensable as hedging, as a specimen, as a pot plant for the topiary and in the kitchen. Recently it has been grown as tree and can be potted for large landscaping projects. It is popular in urban areas.
Planting Tips: It prefers fertile, humus rich, cool and well-drained soil. It must be pruned in late winter or early spring to maintain a healthy and long lasting shape, while the specimens must be pruned twice during the summer.
Good Companion Plants: Rosemary, Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree), or Spartium junceum.
Ideal for Mediterranean style gardens, both formal and informal.
Description: Commonly known as “Box”, this plant is most widely used as a medium-height hedge or for a topiary and is excellent for growing in pots. It is native to different habitats ranging from rocky hills to the forests of Europe, Africa and Central America.
Planting Tips: It is rather rustic and while preferring calcareous soils, it is suitable for cultivation in any fertile and well-drained soil. It prefers the half-shade but can grow also under the sun. We receive requests of large plants in pots in different shapes: ball, cube, and pyramid ready to be used in landscaping projects.
Good Companion Plant: Rosa iceberg rose which looks spectacular grown behind the Buxus sempervirens in a formal garden.
Ideal for formal style gardens.
Description: It is a species native to the town of Chekiang in China and is widely cultivated. It has opaque green culms. The young shoots are edible.
Planting Tips: It is a cold-resistant species and prefers a sunny position rather than one in the shade, which allows optimal plant growth. The reproduction occurs through creeping rhizomes, mostly underground that spread with rapidly and emit new shoots especially in the rainy season. Together with the Phyllostachys aurea and nigra is one of the most popular species among the many we cultivate in the nurseries of Torsanlorenzo Group.
Good Companion Plant: Shibataea kumasaca, a unique dwarf bamboo with dark green leaves.
Ideal in modern or contemporary style gardens.
Description: Unusual Australian plant, known as “Kangoo Paw” for its odd, velvety flowers and its elegant sword-shaped leaves. Its unusual shape, highly ornamental and colorful flowers capture the attention in the gardens, but it is also appreciated as an indoor plant. We decided to put it again in production in the recent months because it is requested often and to expand our collection of Australian plants. The species flavidus is the more rustic and at the base it is like a strong bush, while the manglesii has bright green flowers which contrasts with the dark red stems.
Planting Tip: It prefers a well-drained soil and a sunny position. If you want to have a prolonged flowering, than water it thoroughly.
Good Companion Plant: Dodonaea atropurpurea, commonly known as purple-leafed hopbush, or Banksia integrifolia.
Ideal for Mediterranean style gardens.
