Could they be oleanders? They come in those colors including white and some are as big as small trees. If they are, I am afraid they will not grow in zone 5.

Maybe other people will have some ideas also.

HTH

Here is a link that might be useful: Oleanders

Probably Bougainvillea - you see a lot of them here. In order to get color you'll need a *lot* of light - they love it bright and hot - and pretty dry. I've seen them sold as annuals in hanging pots in more temperate areas, you could probably bring them inside in the fall, as long as they were in a bright southern window or maybe under flourescent light (?). I doubt that they'll get very big for you, but who knows?

They apparently like to be pretty pot-bound - and they have a very fragile root-ball, so put 'em where you want 'em would be my advice.

After all that, I hope these are what they are, take a look at the link and that will tell you.

HTH, good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bougie pics

Thank you both. Maybe they were Oleander; I did a quick Yahoo image search and saw some that were growing as trees, at least. Bougainvillea I've seen before, but since it doesn't sound like a free-standing tree, I doubt that's what I'm thinking of. These weren't hanging or in pots; They were either really tall bushes or actual trees growing right from the ground. Hmmmm, I'll look for more pictures of Oleander. I wish I'd had film in my camera as I whizzed by in the shuttle van, darn it! If I ever get out to Phoenix again, I'll be sure to seek these out. :)

Thank you both, I'll look for more photos.

The linked picture below from the "Dave's Garden" website has a caption that explains Oleander's often used as a median plant in CA. That sounds right from the way I saw them growing around Phoenix, along [whatever the main road was heading toward the airport--17, maybe? I was heading south to Phoenix].

These trees, whatever they were, were just heavenly--pink purple red pink pink red purple pink! 'Planted in rows along the road and planted together in the parking lots and around businesses, just such striking colors, like Valentines in-bloom. You all are so lucky to get to see them all the time!! :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Oleander picture

Somehow, I don't think oleander; there are white, pink and red ones all over, but no purple - at least not out here. How tall do you estimate the shrubs/whatever are? We have sages all over that bloom lavender and purple, but they've mostly bloomed out by now.

Probably if they were trees, bougies are more like bushes and typically not as dark green as the oleanders. I've just never seen a purple one and the white ones are not uncommon at all, but you were in a moving car, so... some are a dark pink, there are definitely ones on the hwy as you approach Sky Harbor. And you're right, some are trained into trees around here.

If I remember correctly, they're originally from the Mediterranean, so it's going to be tough for you to get them to grow there...

Sorry I couldn't be better help!

Hmmm, maybe I'm remembering it "backwards" and there were white ones but not purple? Hmmm, I don't know now--I may have gotten them mixed up in my mind with Lilacs since I was thinking they were around the same size. (What a great memory I have at the ripe ol' age of 28! LOL)

I saw them Sunday May 8th, if that helps.

And they were different sizes, but the tall ones were at least 6 feet.

And Pagancat, you've been a great help. :) I didn't think they'd grow here, I just hoped. :) I'd just love to find some real pictures of them for my scrapbooks, at least. My garden is all in pink and white, and I'm always on the lookout for photos of pink bushes and trees.

TF and PC--remember Usha's picture of the fragrant oleander? It could be described a deeper pink or purple depending on your inclination. At a quick glance, it would not surprise me if some of the darker pink ones or reddish ones were mistaken for purple. If you drive out to LA, they have massive hedges of them on the north side of I-10 just past Indio.

I am suprised I even guessed correctly on these things. It have been so long since I live in a cooler climate that I can't remember what lilacs look like. ;o)

ADR, I seriously doubt if the cities planting in rights-of-way even *know* what a fragrant oleander is! Much less plant one. I saw miles and miles of oleander hedges along I-8 going to San Diego, but I've never driven a stretch of road that was fragrant with anything but fumes! I think we're going to have to make a trip to the airport to come up with a correct answer.

BTW, Tenderheart, it's a good thing oleanders won't grow in your zone. Consider yourself lucky; these have to be the messiest plants on earth.

Well, messy or not, they're stunning to look at. :) Thank you for your help, Tommy--And yesssssssssssss, a trip to the airport, wouldn't that be fun for you! LOL :)

During the late summer the stuff that's blooming along the freeways is either oleander(usually dwarf if used along Phoenix freeways), bougainvillea(most common is deep pink, but salmon is also used somewhat along the downtown stretch of I-10), red bird of paradise(spectacular bright orange flowers) and texas sage(purple). Desert Rat-as a side note, the reason that Oleander is planted along I-10 right there in the Coachella Valley is to act as a wall to prevent sand dunes from migrating onto the railroad and freeway. On the south side of 10 you'll see alot of Tamarisk for the same reason. Man, anything that can survive in that area is TOUGH!!!

AZamigo, I was aware of that fact. They use it overseas in such places like the Middle East for the same purpose. If anything can deal with no rainful, 150+ degree temps (reflective heat in full sun), and complete neglect, the oleander will fit that bill. It is a tough plant that's for sure, although I am not a fan of it.

"It could be described a deeper pink or purple depending on your inclination...."

Hmmmm. Okay, if you say so, Mr. Rat - but I'm thinking that you might be more prone to seeing pink as purple than most ... uh .... people with ... estrogen enhanced vision? (How can I say this without gettting an awful reputation as a sexist pig???)

Oh, c'mon, PC, I love that description, but why not just say he's probably color-blind as a bat?! But then, going through life seeing pink as purple aint' all bad. It's when guys can't tell red from green that there's *really* a problem. Somehow, I think avid gardeners can't be color blind; what then would be the point?

Time to defend myself here. And, no I am not color blind.

PC--colors can be interpreted differently at different times of the day. A pink can easily be interpreted as a purple in reduced light as can some other colors. Colors can be washed in excessive light and "dirtied up" in low light conditions.

Are you going to tell me that someone calling a shade of red as "ruby red" and another calling it "cherry red" are both wrong if you interpret the color it as vermilion? Does one person calling a shade of purple "lavender", another magenta, another "bluish red", and another mauve make a difference from someone calling it purple? Who is wrong here?

Let's see--pink is defined as "any of a group of colors reddish in hue, of medium to high lightness, and of low to moderate saturation." Purple is defined as "Any of a group of colors with a hue between that of violet and red". Violet is defined as "any of a group of colors, reddish-blue in hue, that may vary in lightness and saturation. Let's see, do we see anything in common here? Might as well call things light red or dark red to add more amiguity to the description. Light red is pink and dark red is purple so green should also be described as bluish yellow and orange as reddish yellow or yellowish red depending on your preference.

The defense rests --but reserves the right for rebuttal. ;-) In the meantime, take this test and see how you do.

Here is a link that might be useful: Color Test

No, dear rodent - I'm not even gonna go to the trouble of writing out what just about any woman on this forum already knows!

It's okay, if you want to think that someone might easily interepret any pink oleander as a purple one, you go right ahead. It's a man's perogative.

Not to say, Tenderheart, that a woman in a speeding vehicle looking at unknown plants might not have mixed up a purple flowering plant for a pink one - that's a different story altogether. It's just kind of fun to yank at the poor Rat's chain a little. He gets his lawyer hat on and starts searching for appropriate links...

>ever see a cat wink? ....

Desertrat, I was correct on all the plates except one. I guess I have more color problems than I suspected.

I'm not a fan of oleander either... it's messy, I don't think it's very pretty, and it's poisonous... I have dogs so I figure I have a good excuse not to get it...

There is a dark purple variety of bougainvillea, but it's not planted nearly as much as the Barbara Karst(hot pink). It's a lot smaller, not as vigorous but I'm sure like any of the other bougies it would love the Phoenix climate.

Thank you all. I'm still listening.... :)

Tenderheart- the Texas sage come in a variety of colors, purple, pink, bluish (but I don't think white, if my poor memory serves me at all). In May they were blooming all over the freeway, as were a couple other sages. (Eva, Gay- remember how beautiful and the different colors along the freeway when we went to Tucson Weird Plant sale?). We even commented on the lovely variety of colors. I can't remember the name of the other sage- but it was also blooming (russian or one of those) along the freeway. Maybe this is what you saw?

(Pay no attention to the rat and the cat- they like to play!)

Susie

Thanks, Susie. :) LOL at the rat and the cat explanation too. :)

When people suggest I look at certain plants, it's hard for me to dtermine anything because I didn't see close-ups of the flowers, leaves, etc.--'Just the bushes and trees as I sped by at 60 MPH. :) So, unless I see pictures of [whatever it is] along a highway or in a parking lot or something--the way I saw it that day--, I don't know if I'd even recognize it. The pictures I've looked up of Texas Sage are mostly close-ups, and I have no idea how what I saw that day looks like close-up. I'll keep all these ideas in a file, though, and maybe soemday will get back to see them. :)

Thank you for your help. :)

I travel on the freeway everyday and work right by the airport. If you remember what freeway you were on, I can take a quick glance as I go by and see if I can identify anything!

Susie

I'm with Frangipani, I hate oleander's. They grow everywhere here in my area of Arizona. My neighbors have them and all the leaves drop on my side of the fence and I have to pick them up. I am sorry, but it is a boring plant, poisonous and messy, and they really are worthless,(this is my opinion anyway) I can't understand why anyone would plant these. A nice rose shrub is better for ones garden anyway, sorry Tenderheart! Now I can see them being planted by the freeway because that is all that will grow there. I don't live in Phoenix, so I cannot nominate myself to drive by the airport. Gosh you can tell I really hate this plant, It must be because I am tired of picking up the neighbors leaves.
Carrie

hahaha... I agree... I used to go on evening walks with my fiance but it's too hot now... but oleanders everywhere... they hang over the sidewalk, you have to walk around them or you get them all over you... a worthless plant indeed...
Brittany

Heading south TO Phoenix?? The I-10 will take you to the airport, the airport is just deeper in Phoenix... where were you leaving from when going to the airport??
Brittany
P.S. sorry about our dislike of oleanders :)

Brittany- She probably took I-17 around the Broadway curve to I-10, went to the bus depot on Buckeye and then on into the airport.

I go that way somedays, depending on meeting location. I'll take a gander some day this week.

Susie

If you want to get more information on the oleanders, the latin name is Nerium oleander, I believe. They're about the only thing reliably blooming on big bushes right now - they bloom right through our summer heat.

One other thing you should know about these puppies is that every part of them - leaf, stem, bloom - is poisionous to both man and beast. I've not encountered it myself, but it's rumored that even smoke from burning the wood will kill you if inhaled.

One other thing you should know about these puppies is that every part of them - leaf, stem, bloom - is poisionous to both man and beast. I've not encountered it myself, but it's rumored that even smoke from burning the wood will kill you if inhaled.

You heard right PC. If these puppies catch on fire, the fire department will not put out the flames until they are in no danger from the smoke. That is why it is not recommended that these be placed alongside your home. Beside the nasty root system, if your house catches on fire and the oleanders start smoldering, by the time the firefighters get to the fire, it may be too late for the house.

I think Eileen's DH can confirm this, but everything I have read is that that the smoke is poisonous enough that firefighters won't even put it out. Almost need a hazmat team out there to with these plants. Good thing they are not really flammable either.

I remember that when I was touring Sicily they told us how the Romans used to set piles of oleander leaves on the top of castle walls, light it on fire then use palm leaves to blow the smoke down onto their enemies. The enemies would fall like flies.

Susie, thanks again. I'll check back here from time to time to see what the verdict is. :)

Could they be Crape Mrytle? I know they grow them like crazy as a landscape plant in public places in the Fresno area (long hot bone dry summer like Pheonix). In my opinion, they are the prettiest shrub/small tree around. And a few varieties do grow in zone 6 (Boston suburbs), but they will not survuve zone 5. So, is Crape Myrtle commonly planted in the Pheonix area?

Nope. Crape myrtle is available at nurseries and is only so-so (IMO) as a landscape tree. They do *much* better in CA than here. When I was in Bakersfield last year, I was blown away by the gorgeous crape myrtles. Don't see them like that in Phx. They're not grown here in ROW's at all.

I went to the Central Velley last summer for the first time (Fresno area) and I too was blown away by the incredible Crape's growing all over the place. The entire region is irrigated, even the strip of land between the local interstate lanes! It was all very lush and yards were filled with everything from palms to paper birch trees! Yes..paper birch in Fresno. But, in those areas that no longer received irrigation...forget about it...not a green thing in sight...totally dead. I guess unlimited sun + unlimited irrigation + great soil = grow anything you want.

Thanks for the suggestions, Rockman50, even if they're not Crape Myrtles. :) It's funny that after a year of gardening, these bushes/trees are the only thing I remember feeling so awed by that I just had to know what they were and all about them and see them again. Even if they turn out to be the dangerous and messy Oleander that some of you think it is, they were so very pretty. :)

Thanks again. :)

Well- forgot about this post until we were coming home from Prescott on Sunday. Kept an eye out for what is on the freeway sides and median. We are all correct (:>)- there are oleanders, several different sages, bougainvillea, mexican bird of paradise and various trees. Some were blooming and some were not, so I could not say which flowers you saw. Perhaps you will return to our beautiful state and have a second look! >grinSusie

Thanks, Susie. :)

Crepe Myrtles also grow really well in both southern and northern Nevada (and we do get quite a bit colder in the winter...so my lemon trees tell me) than Phoenix. They are lovely in the summer! Chaste trees also thrive here with their wisteria-like blooms in the summer and fall. That may also be what you saw. Good Luck!

Woweeeee! This Texas girl just landed at Sky Harbor and immediately asked my friends, Siri, what the beautiful pink bushes growing near the airport are. What a thoroughly entertaining thread! I’ve been trying to read it to my husband and son, but they’ve had all they can take of this color talk. Y’all are the best! I’ll try to take a picture on Sunday when we return to the airport. Maybe one of my plant apps can pinpoint!

Commenting 15 years later because my mother just asked the same question. Definitely oleander!

That comes at such a surprise to me. They’re not very big bushes… And Oleander tend to be huge! But, I shan’t argue…. You’re most likely correct!