Ongoing research

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Black Tower Elderberry

Sambucus Black Tower in May 2016 showing blooms at 80% ET0. Photo: SK Reid. This is a striking, columnar form of elderberry with very dark foliage. Although it bloomed in May, this was not a main feature of the plant in our trials.
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Autumn Embers™ Encore® Azalea

Azalea Autumn Embers in December 2015, at the end of its first year in the ground. Photo: SK Reid. Mortality for this azalea on the two lowest irrigation treatments was 33% for 20% of ETo and 17% for 40% ETo.
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Autumn Royalty™ Encore® Azalea

Azalea Autumn Royalty blooming in April 2016, before irrigation treatments began. Photo: SK Reid. This cultivar of Encore Azalea was slightly hardier than the orange one and grew larger to an average width of 20 (50.9cm) and average height of 16 (40.8cm).
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Soft Caress Chinese Mahonia

Mahonia Soft Caress in April 2016. Photo: SK Reid. Soft Caress is a long, thin-leaved form of this Mahonia species. Heading it after blooming can help it acquire a dense, lush form, rather than becoming leggy, leaning, and non-uniform as it did in some cases in the trial.
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Howard MicMinn Manzanita

Arctostaphylos densiflora Howard McMinn in March 2013. Photo: SK Reid. This exceptionally adaptable manzanita grew and thrived in every site where it was grown and on every irrigation level.
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Little Rev™ Flax Lily

Dianella revoluta 'DR5000' - Little Rev on 20% of ETo in September 2018. Photo: SK Reid. Little Rev flax lily is a small grass-like plant, possessing an architectural form due to its stiff, upright, blue-green leaves.
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Pure Gold® Dietes

Dietes bicolor African Gold on 20% of ETo in July 2018. Photo: SK Reid. Pure Gold is a newer cultivar of the landscape stalwart Dietes bicolor, commonly called fortnight lily.
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Vintage Jade Distylium

Distylium 'Vintage Jade' in April before irrigation treatments began. Photo: SK Reid. This genus has been the focus of increased breeding efforts over the past 10-15 years as an alternative to evergreen shrubs such as Euonymus or Rhaphiolepis.
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Silver Cape Tauhinu

Ozothamnus Silver Cape in April 2016 contrasting well with roses in the background. Photo: SK Reid. Silver Cape is a densely foliaged plant that performed solidly on all irrigation levels with an average overall appearance rating at or approaching 4 for all treatments (Table 6).
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Pink Knock Out® Rose

Rosa Radcon Pink Knock Out in April 2018 with first flush of blooms and rich green foliage. Photo: SK Reid. Pink Knock Out was a truly superior shrub rose in our trials.
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