32. Bird-of-Paradise-flower
Reading edition
Not a southwestern desert native, this striking shrub, 3 to 10 feet high, was introduced from South America and has escaped from cultivation to establish itself in parts of the desert where conditions are suitable. The blossoms are showy but ill-smelling, and are popular as ornamentals about homes, especially in Mexico. The shrub’s principal advantage in landscape plantings is its long blossoming period, which sometimes lasts from April to September.
Caesalpinia gilliesii Pea Family
BIRD-OF-PARADISE-FLOWER
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