Head to the Arboretum’s Monsoon Plant Sale

By Laura Huenneke

Gina Goeghan, nursery manager at The Arboretum, shepherds hundreds of native plants from early life in the greenhouse to suitable size for sale and planting in home gardens. Photo courtesy of Gina Goeghan and The Arboretum at Flagstaff.

Many local gardeners look forward to the annual native plant sales hosted by The Arboretum at Flagstaff. This year those gardeners may have been wondering whether the Pocket Fire would disrupt the early-monsoon tradition. But indeed the Arboretum will offer its sale to both long-term friends and new customers on July 11.

The Arboretum’s mission is to understand and conserve the native plants of the Colorado Plateau, and to educate the public about them. All parts of that mission are served by the annual plant sale, where plants grown by the Arb and by other local vendors are available.

Full disclosure: I’m a long-time supporter of the Arb and its mission. I was delighted to converse recently with Gina Goegan, Arboretum nursery manager, about the upcoming sale and about using native plants.

Why is it a good idea to plant native species? Gina says “I can stand on this soapbox all day long!” She points out that plants with adaptations to our challenging Flagstaff environment offer a path of least resistance to gardening success. “They simply have the built-in defense mechanisms that can protect them from the extreme sun, low water, high winds and perpetual temperature swings,” she says.

Plants for sale at the Arboretum at Flagstaff. Photo courtesy of Gina Goeghan and The Arboretum.

Planting not just native species, but individuals sourced from and grown in our region, adds to the likelihood of survival. Some natives, like blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata) and chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), range across much of North America. But the genetic heritage of local populations differs tremendously; plants grown from regional seeds and propagated in regional environments will be the most successful in local landscapes.

Some species offered by the Arb are not easily found in other commercial venues. Gina’s favorites include the desert four o’clock (Mirabilis multiflora), the Arboretum’s special hybrid columbine, and scarlet cinquefoil (Potentilla thurberi), a native whose range is restricted to northern Arizona. She mentions another regional endemic, many-leaf mousetail or Ivesia multifoliolata, as perhaps the most unique plant being offered.

Plants growing in the greenhouse at the Arboretum at Flagstaff. Photo courtesy of Gina Goeghan and The Arboretum.

Gina celebrates the toughness of these plants. Indeed, they have come almost literally through fire AND ice for this sale! In the latest issue of The Arboretum’s newsletter, she wrote feelingly about experiencing gentle rain, hot wind and smoke from the Pocket Fire, and a couple of nights below freezing all in one week recently. The Arb’s plants for the sale have been growing for anywhere from a few months to more than a year, many overwintering in the unheated greenhouse.

Gina has overseen their journey from seed or cutting to well-rooted plants for transplant. She fondly remembers the weekly efforts of volunteers in The Arb greenhouse, and the field work starting the whole process. “Watching plants grow from seeds collected on those sweet late summer days…is always memorable,” Gina says, reflecting that summer seed collection is her favorite task.

Plants growing in the greenhouse at the Arboretum at Flagstaff. Photo courtesy of Gina Goeghan and The Arboretum.

We’re fortunate to have other suppliers similarly promoting local species and genotypes. These vendors – Lily of the Field, Elevated Gardening, Warner’s, and the Michael Moore Garden - will also have plants available at the sale, so it’s a great opportunity to build your landscape.

In addition, several groups will staff information tables to help you maximize the success of your new plants. These include the Compost Crowd, the City of Flagstaff’s Water Conservation program, and Steady Harvest (a local company offering season extenders). The Arb giftshop also offers numerous books and resources for gardeners. A new book on their shelves is “The Southwest Native Plant Primer,” by Jack Dash. Of course, wandering the paths in the Arboretum itself can give you plenty of ideas for how to use your new plants.

Plants for sale at the Arboretum at Flagstaff. Photo courtesy of Gina Goeghan and The Arboretum.

Some Arboretum-grown plants are available for purchase all season long. And the Arb hosts another late-season plant sale (this year on September 12), when some plants do well establishing roots during the cool fall. But the July plant sale is the largest and features the broadest inventory. Gina says mid-summer is the best time for planting many native perennials, thanks to warm soil temperatures, clouds that moderate temperature swings, and thorough watering by monsoon rains. And some popular varieties sell out at this event – so don’t miss your chance!

The monsoon native plant sale takes place this Saturday, July 11, at The Arboretum, 3.7 miles south on Woody Mountain Road (Forest Road 231) from Old Route 66. Members have early access starting at 9 am; non-members are welcome (no admission fee!) from 11 am to 2 pm. I look forward to seeing you there!

Laura Huenneke is a plant ecologist, a certified Master Gardener, and the coordinator of this weekly column. Gardening Etcetera is written for the community by certified Master Gardeners of the University of Arizona's Coconino County Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program. Have a gardening question? Visit our Online Plant Help Desk at https://extension.arizona.edu/programs/coconino-county-master-gardener.