Hi, you might search member: ospreynn
He's a nice fella. You might also email him from
GardenWeb.

Link below is a recent thread.

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: Some trees in my collection (High Desert)

Add ponderosa and edulis (& monophylla)

Do you have a copy of Sunset's Western Garden Book? This can be an extremely useful tool in determining what you can grow as it divides the west up by very specific climate zones (no relationship to the USDA zones - much more detailed as to summer highs, rainfall and altitude). Depending on your exact location, you are listed as Sunset zone 10 or 11 (high desert). And that does not exactly limit you hugely as to species - many of the true cypress (Cupressus), pines and junipers will deal with that situation just fine and with irrigation, you should be able to expand that selection. If in zone 10, you could maybe sneak in a couple Cedrus species as well.

California has some rather unique native conifers that might fit your situation.
Digger Pine (California Gray Pine) is one. There should be 1 or 2 other pine species suited for your conditions.
Incense Cedar is another conifer that should fit.
Arizona Cypress would certainly fit. Not sure if it is actually native to Cal. There are several other cypress varieties that are similar to Ariz. Cypress but are definitely native.
There are also several junipers : California Juniper and Western Juniper come to mind.
If others don't chime in with the more native trees will try to look them up. Not sure how available they will be in the nursery trade.

Ponderosa won't survive here- too hot for it... I have poured through the Sunset guide and some of the things they say won't grow here will, and vice versa... but they don't really go into an extensive list of Conifers... most of the rare ones even in there. Yet Sunset lists Douglas Fir as one that will grow here.. .I see it for sale at all the nurseries.. .and see dead and dying ones in people's yards... pretty sure that is not one that likes the super hot, arid weather.

Here's what I have observed planted in two similar situations :
West Texas(~ 15-20" rainfall) : Afghan Pine, Arizona Cypress, and Italian Cypress. Alligator and Mex. Drooping Junipers & Pinyon Pine in the wild in addition.
Sedona (~17" rainfall): Pinyon Pine, Arizona Cypress, Junipers (Utah I think), Deodar Cedar, & Italian Cypress. Alligator J. and Ponderosa Pine as well in the wild.

I live in Great Plains wheer conditions are similar to these you described: hot in summer (100 is normal), dry, no humidity, high winds.
From my 4 y old garden which I planted and replanted so many times (learning experience and expensive too), number one are Arizona cypresses; P. thunbergii and P. densiflora. P.omorica also is doing great-I am testing several cultivars (Peve Tijn needed to be planted in mostly shade location). P. contorta both Frisian Gold and Taylor's Sunburst are doing fine too. I lost many P.pungens with white/yellow new growth because of sunburn so rather avoid that; "The Blues" is doing great.
Mugo pines are doing good too; I am partially shading these with white variegations, otherwise they are fine.
My Douglas firs didnt survive summers. Same with Pinus parviflora's.

I'd be interested in knowing whether the above mentioned
Doug-firs attempted were the big cone ,Pseudotsuga macrocarpa varieties, native to arid and high temp SW
range.Doug

If somebody sticks something in their yard and doesn't mulch it or even keep it adequately watered - or give it something else it needs to get going in that environment, like setting up shade cloth the first few years - and it therefore dies, that does not necessarily indicate that it cannot be grown there at all.

Throughout the intermountain region there is a fuelwood buildup problem in forested areas due to the Smokey Bear policy preventing ground fires, allowing Douglas fir etc. understory thickets to form beneath the pines. Anywhere there the elevation is high enough, Douglas fir can grow as a wild tree where there is some shade (and a forest litter layer) to alleviate the full effects of the climate. So it may in fact be possible to grow it lower down when cultivation techniques like consistent irrigation are employed.

BBoy, it is interesting to me, how you read something in my post I didnt write.
I AM mulching all my plants about 1 ft deep; and they have sufficient watering by the drip irrigation. It wasnt water stress. Are you knowing better than me what do I do?
I had two Douglas firs and do not try them anymore. I am not going to plant 50, so I could make a reasearch, how many will survive and how many die. It was my personal opinion from my personal experience.

Thank you.