Six Tough Picks for the Southern Plains Hell Strip

Drought tolerance, compact forms, and minimal care are star qualities in these robust perennials

If you ’ve ever walked down a city sidewalk , then you are in all probability familiar with a hell flight strip — that minute section of grounds sandwiched between the sidewalk and the street . The hell strip goes by many name , including devil striptease , verge , meridian , tree belt , utility program landing strip , and many more , but it is singularly despised by many nurseryman for its inhospitable weather . In our neighborhood , the hell strip tends to be especially hot and teetotal and often does n’t grow goodly turf grass even when the residual of the K does . It ’s often easier ( and more attractive ) to tear out the grass in this strip and implant it as a garden bed rather . prefer your plants carefully , though , because they ask to be species that can take high layer of reflected heat , low urine , restrict outer space , and passing foot dealings . Keep final plant size in thinker , because many hell strips are only about 3 feet spacious and larger works will grow onto the pavement and be a hassle to contain . Cacti and succulent species are well - become for their drought margin but ill - suited for their thorns and rachis , which may take in passers - by . Keeping all of this in mind , here are a few dauntless whizz to make your snake pit strip less hellish and more heavenly .

Autumn sage

Salvia greggii , Zones 6–9

Autumn sage is a swell prospect for the hell flight strip due to its warmth tolerance , scummy water needs , and compact form . It takes on a mounded manakin that reaches about 2 to 3 feet across with red , pink , regal , or blanched flowers depending on the provenance of the plant life or the cultivar chosen . A phallus of the mint class , autumn sage has a pleasant smell , making it an attractive plant to have in the garden . It has a very foresighted bloom season ( March through November ) and does n’t mind being pruned to be kept in shape .

Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis , geographical zone 7–10

The goodish , most vigorous rosemary plant I ’ve ever grown was in the inferno strip at my old house . Rosemary is easily grown as a perennial in our region ; it is resistant to plague , need no fertilizer , and suffer drouth and misfortunate dirt . The lovely part about growing rosemary in the hell on earth cartoon strip is that its fresh , pinelike smell is released when someone spend by brushes against it . Plus , the leafage is soft and bushy , and the piddling purplish - blue flowers are a bonus . ( Sage[Salvia officinalis , Zones 4–8],thyme[Thymus vulgaris , Zones 5–9 ] , andoregano[Origanum vulgaressp.hirtum , zone 4–8 ] can be corking choices too . )

Mexican feather grass

Nassella tenuissima , zone 6–10

face for something soft and billowy to break the concrete borders of your hell cartoon strip ? Mexican feather grass tally that flier famously . This graceful native accent pasturage forms clumps about 1 to 2 feet tall with silvery blank tips that charm the light and the gentle wind . This grass requires well - drained grime , so do n’t found it in heavy remains , and quash lumbering mulch coverage . It ’s ideally used in a more xeric setting , which is a rough-cut and successful planting root word for many pit strip .

Queen Victoria agave

Agave victoriae - reginae , Zones 8–11

I be intimate I said that succulent metal money are ill - suit to hell strips because of their spines , but there is an exclusion to every rule , and Queen Victoria agave is truly exceptional . This thick agave only reaches about 18 inch in superlative . It forms a strikingly symmetrical rosette where each leaf is trace with silvery white and tip with a lowly dagger point . It is a slow grower , so make trusted it is n’t dwarf by larger plant farm too skinny by . After a identification number of twelvemonth , it acquire a very tall , woody flower stalk topped with creamy livid flowers , after which the plant dies . Because it is such a small , compact agave , it is pretty promiscuous to plant in modest spaces such as hell on earth slip without risking injury to go by people and animal .

Rock rose

Pavonia lasiopetala , Zones 7–9

Rock rose , also call Texas swamp mallow and Wright pavonia , is n’t a true rose , but it is just as beautiful as one and is a heck of a draw more drought tolerant . It ’s one of the last plants stand — one of those hardy pratfall that keep properly on unfolding through our spicy previous summers . This native blooms from April through November , and the flowers resemble small pink hibiscus bloom . Rock rise can get up to about 4 feet tall and wide but is easily kept to a smaller size if dress thinly once or twice a year .

Frog fruit

Phyla nodiflora , Zones 8–10

My personal favorite for a ground cover in a sin strip is batrachian yield . It is passing tough , take virtually no inputs or maintenance , and sends small white and brown bloom creep over the ground . This native species farm up and over the asphalt wayside in my land neck of the woods , a space that never receive any subsidiary water and has summertime aviation temperatures up to 110 ° degree Fahrenheit ( and asphalt temperatures that are much higher ) . Frog yield is evergreen plant in warmer area ; mine never drop dead altogether hibernating in the winter in Central Texas . The foliage are medium immature , taking on a scarlet tinge in cold winter , and the flowers bloom white from May through October .

For more expert filling for the hell strip , listen toFine Gardeningeditors discuss their preferent hell strip candidateshere .

— Karen Beaty is a horticulturalist at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin , Texas .

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Rock rose is a hardy native mallow with great drought tolerance and a very long bloom period. Photo: Karen Beaty

Salvia greggii

Hot pink upright flowers bloom all over this mounded, bushy perennial, although the species can come in many different colors.Photo: Joseph A. Marcus, courtesy of Karen Beaty

Rosmarinus officinalis