Plants that get through the Moroccan summer

Look for three traits: small, thick or silvery leaves (olive, lavender, rosemary), water-storing tissues (agave, aloe, yucca) or a deep root system able to reach moisture (bougainvillea, oleander, pomegranate). Large, thin, tender leaves transpire too fast.

• Water early in the morning, never in full sun: water evaporates before reaching the roots and droplets scorch the foliage.
• A deep watering every three or four days beats a daily glass of water: it encourages roots to go down.
• Mulch everything: bark, coco fibre or pale gravel halve evaporation.
• In pots, prefer thick terracotta or pale fibreglass to black plastic, which cooks the roots.

Air conditioning dries the air as much as the chergui does. Keep plants away from vents, group them to create a microclimate and mist tropical foliage in the evening. Snake plants, ZZ plants and dracaena tolerate everything; calathea and alocasia need attention.