'Valentine' Emu BushWinter Color That Thrives on Neglect Phoenix's Best Low Water Blooming Shrub 'Valentine' Emu Bush (Eremophila maculata 'Valentine') is one of the most rewarding flowering shrubs you can plant in a Phoenix Valley landscape. This compact, evergreen beauty erupts with deep pink to red tubular flowers from late fall through spring the exact months when most desert gardens are starving for color. It stays a manageable 34 feet tall, handles full sun and

Summer (May to Sep): Full bloom right through the hottest months

Texas Olive is a great choice near pools

Avoid planting in June–August if possible — extreme heat puts extra stress on newly transplanted palms

A 5-gallon tree planted in fall can reach 10–12 feet within 2 seasons

since the fine glochids irritate skin and are best kept a step back from walkways

Dwarf Pittosporum: glossy low evergreen for mixed low-hedge and border work

poorly drained soil

creating an upright

Blue Elf Aloe: Blue-green clumps and orange winter blooms that layer color under the tree

Hard freezes below 25°F can damage stems

and low hedges

a safe pool-side specimen in Chandler