Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "Fifth of May") is an annual celebration in Mexico held to commemorate the Mexican Army's difficult victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. In the United States the date has become associated with the celebration of Mexican-American culture. To commemorate this fun holiday, expand your celebration to include Cinco de Mayo gardening!
Here are some ideas for plantings in your Cinco De Mayo garden:
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| Photo heirloomroses.com |
Cinco de Mayo Shrub Rose: (
Rosa WEDcobeju’)
Flowers are a blend of smoked lavender & rusty red-orange, the festive shrub provides a variety of color in a single bouquet! Its clean, round habit is ideal for use as a hedge or in a border. CSU Fact sheet on planting roses in Colorado:
Growing Roses in Colorado
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| Photo Hosta Photo Library |
Guacamole Hosta: (
Hosta x ‘Guacamole’) The apple green foliage in the center is bordered by dark green margins creating a dazzling effect. These large hostas grow two feet tall and over four feet across. It has a magnificent fragrance that comes from the large white flowers in late summer. Nebraska Extension Fact sheet for growing hostas:
Growing hostas.
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| Photo perennials.com |
Salsa Red Coneflower: (
Echinacea Sombrero Salsa Red) Echinaceas are native that bloom heavily from summer to fall. They are drought tolerant and long-lasting. This variety has intense, red daisy-like flowers with dark cones, produced on strong, well branched stems. Attractive to butterflies and bees,
Echinacea Salsa Red is a free bloomer and a fundamental flower for the perennial border, natural meadow, butterfly or pollinator garden, or native wildflower garden. Sunset Magazine tips on growing echinacea:
Growing Coneflowers.
Pueblo Chile: (
Caipsicum annuum) Some of the best chiles in the world are grown right here in Colorado. The Pueblo chile aka ‘Mosco” was bred in Pueblo County, Colorado and is considered to be an outstanding roasting chile. This chile has roots that go back to the Oaxaca region of Mexico. Hatch THAT New Mexico!
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| Photo Farm Direct Seeds |
For tips on growing chiles:
Growing your own chiles in Colorado. For information on the Colorado vs. New Mexico chile debate:
The Great Green Chile Debate
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| Photo Its For Dinner |
Cilantro: (
Coriandrum sativum) The leaves are used in Mexican dishes to season guacamole and salsa. It is an easy herb to grow in containers. Fact sheet from the University of Illinois on growing it successfully:
Cilantro
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| Photo worldofsucculents.com |
Burrito sedum: (
Sedum morganianum - Burrito): A trailing plant with wiry stems densely covered with short thick leaves; native to southern Mexico and Honduras. It has fleshy blue-green leaves and terminal pink to red flowers in summer. They are not a winter hardy sedum but can be grown successfully indoors in Colorado:
Grow Burrito Sedum
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| Photo vinepair.com |
Blue Agave: (
Agave tequilana) What Cinco de Mayo garden would be complete without tequila? The blue agave or tequila agave, is an important agriculture plant of Jalisco, Mexico, as its sugar is used in the making of tequila. Unfortunately, you will have to buy yours from the liquor store. It is not cold hardy for growing outside in Colorado and is rarely kept as a houseplant. However there are several varieties of cold hardy agaves which do well in Colorado. In the spirit of the Cinco De Mayo garden you might try one of these. They are very hardy and drought tolerant:
Cold Hardy Agaves
Have a fiesta and a margarita in your garden and Happy Cinco de Mayo!
