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Xeriscaping is the practice of designing landscapes to reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation. This means xeriscaped landscapes need little or no water beyond what the natural climate provides.
Xeriscaping has been embraced in dry regions of the western United States. Prolonged droughts have led water to be regarded as a limited and expensive resource. Denver, Colorado, was one of the first urban areas to support xeriscaping. That citys water department encouraged residents to use less of the city's drinkable water for their lawns and gardens.
Xeriscaping has become widely popular in some areas because of its environmental and financial benefits. The most important environmental aspect of xeriscaping is choosing vegetation that is appropriate for the climate. Vegetation that thrives with little added irrigation is called drought-tolerant vegetation. Xeriscaping often means replacing grassy lawns with soil, rocks, mulch, and drought-tolerant native plant species. Trees such as myrtles and flowers such as daffodils are drought-tolerant plants.
Plants that have especially adapted to arid climates are called xerophytes. In desert areas like Phoenix, Arizona, xeriscaping allows gardeners to plant native xerophytes such as ocotillo.
Supporters of xeriscaping say it can reduce water use by 50 or 75 percent. This saves water and money. In Novato, California, residents were offered conservation incentives (reductions in their water bills) to convert from traditional lawns to xeriscaping. The citys water department estimated that the houses that chose xeriscaping saved 120 gallons of water a day.
Another main component of xeriscaping is installing efficient irrigation methods. Drips and soaker hoses direct water directly to the base of the plant and prevent the water evaporation that sprinklers allow. More efficient irrigation is also achieved when types of plants with similar water needs are grouped together. A xeriscaped landscape needs less maintenance than an area landscaped with grass and water-intensive plants.
Drought-Tolerant Plants
The most common example of a xeriscape-friendly plant is the cactus, which has hundreds of different species that are native to North and South America. Cacti have evolved many physical adaptations that conserve water. For example, their prickly spines, the cactus version of leaves, protect the plants from water-seeking animals. Their large, round stems have thickened to store large amounts of water. Their waxy skin reduces water lost to evaporation.
Cacti are far from the only plants appropriate for xeriscaping. Other drought-resistant plants include agave, juniper, and lavender. Many herbs and spices are used in xeriscaping, such as thyme, sage, and oregano. Some plants used for food are drought-resistant, such as black walnuts, Jerusalem artichokes, and sapodilla, a sweet fruit native to Mexico.
Xeriscaping saves water in arid areas.
Photograph by Vanessa Vadim, MyShot
Natural Xeriscaping
The saguaro is a cactus that has become a familiar icon of Western movies. They dominate the desert landscapes of Arizona and northern Mexico, and can grow as tall as 15 meters (49 feet). As frightening as the saguaro can be because of their sharp spines, there are many bird and mammal species that call them home. The gila woodpecker and gilded flicker are two bird species that are good at carving out nesting sites in the saguaros. When these birds abandon the nests, other species, such as the elf owl or cactus wren, often take them over.
abandon
Verb
to desert or leave entirely.
adept
Adjective
skilled or good at something.
agave
Noun
type of succulent plant native to the Americas.
appropriate
Adjective
fitting.
arid
Adjective
dry.
aspect
Noun
view or interpretation.
base
Noun
bottom layer of a structure.
black walnut
Noun
nut tree native to North America.
cactus
Noun
type of plant native to dry regions.
cactus wren
Noun
bird native to the Americas.
climate
Noun
all weather conditions for a given location over a period of time.
component
Noun
part.
conservation incentive
Noun
financial encouragement for people or businesses to reduce their use of natural resources.
daffodil
Noun
type of flowering plant.
Noun
area of land that receives no more than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of precipitation a year.
dominate
Verb
to overpower or control.
drip irrigation
Noun
system that delivers moisture to plants by tubes with holes that drop water.
drought-tolerant
Adjective
able to survive an arid climate.
efficient
Adjective
performing a task with skill and minimal waste.
elf owl
Noun
bird native to North America.
eliminate
Verb
to remove.
embrace
Verb
to support enthusiastically.
estimate
Verb
to guess based on knowledge of the situation or object.
evolve
Verb
to develop new characteristics based on adaptation and natural selection.
financial
Adjective
having to do with money.
flower
Noun
blossom or reproductive organs of a plant.
frightening
Adjective
scary.
fruit
Noun
edible part of a plant that grows from a flower.
gila woodpecker
Noun
bird native to North America.
gilded flicker
Noun
bird native to North America.
herb
Noun
type of seasonal plant often used as a medicine or seasoning.
icon
Noun
an image or person used to represent something.
install
Verb
to introduce and make ready for use.
Jerusalem artichoke
Noun
plant native to North America.
juniper
Noun
type of evergreen shrub or tree.
lavender
Noun
type of flowering plant.
lawn
Noun
area of grass mowed, watered, and maintained by people.
maintenance
Noun
support or upkeep.
mammal
Noun
animal with hair that gives birth to live offspring. Female mammals produce milk to feed their offspring.
method
Noun
way of doing something.
mulch
Noun
covering placed on or around plants to prevent evaporation and weed growth.
myrtle
Noun
flowering plant native to Europe and Africa.
native species
Noun
species that occur naturally in an area or habitat. Also called indigenous species.
nest
Noun
protected area built by birds to hatch their eggs and raise their young.
ocotillo
Noun
plant native to North America.
oregano
Noun
aromatic herb.
prolonged
Adjective
taking more time than anticipated.
reduce
Verb
to lower or lessen.
resource
Noun
available supply of materials, goods, or services. Resources can be natural or human.
rock
Noun
natural substance composed of solid mineral matter.
sage
Noun
aromatic herb.
saguaro
Noun
plant native to North America.
sapodilla
Noun
fruit tree native to the Americas.
soaker hose
Noun
water hose that sits at the base of plants, delivering water directly to the plants' roots.
soil
Noun
top layer of the Earth's surface where plants can grow.
spice
Noun
tasty and aromatic plant substances used in cooking.
thyme
Noun
aromatic herb.
tree
Noun
type of large plant with a thick trunk and branches.
vegetation
Noun
all the plant life of a specific place.
waxy
Noun
smooth and slightly sticky.
xerophyte
Noun
plants that have adapted to dry climates.
