- Groundcovers
- Perennials
- Shrubs
- Succulents
- Vines
- Cacti
- Rescued (from bulldozers and discards)
- Borrowed (from friends)
- Collected (seeds or cuttings from live plants)
- Experimental (out of comfort zone)
or 1
| Xeriscaping with native plants in Mesa, AZ | ||
|---|---|---|
These plants are native to Maricopa county in Arizona or to the surrounding arid regions of the American southwest.
Their water needs are rated as "Very Low" or "Low" by Arizona Municipal Water Users Association and by University of Arizona Campus Arboretum, or as "Very Little" by Desert Botanical Garden.
Photos are from AMWUA, iNaturalist, Wikimedia Commons or from my own gallery.
| ||
| Groundcovers | ||
| Groundcovers | ||
| Water: Very Low | Chrysactinia mexicana (Damianita Daisy) Native to: Western Texas, Mexico | |
| Groundcovers | ||
| Water: Low | Dalea greggii (Trailing Indigo Bush) Native to: Chihuahuan Desert | |
| Perennials | ||
| Perennials | ||
| Water: Very Low | Melampodium leucanthum (Blackfoot Daisy) height: 1 foot | |
| Perennials | ||
| Water: Very Low | Baileya multiradiata (Desert Marigold) height: 1 foot | |
| Perennials | ||
| Water: Very Low | Psilostrophe cooperi (Whitestem Paperflower) flowers following monsoon rains, height: 1 foot | |
| Perennials | ||
| Water: Very Low | Sphaeralcea ambigua (Desert Globemallow) wide range of flower colors, height: 3 feet | |
| Perennials | ||
| Water: Low | Tetraneuris acaulis or Hymenoxys acaulis (Angelita Daisy) height: 1 foot | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Very Low | Eriogonum fasciculatum (California Buckwheat) Native to: Southwestern deserts; height: 1 foot | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Very Low | Ericameria laricifolia (Turpentine Bush) Native to: Southwest U.S., Mexico; attracts birds, height: 2 feet | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Very Low | Encelia farinosa (Brittlebush) attracts birds, height: 3 feet | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Very Low | Leucophyllum candidum (Violet Silverleaf) Native to: Chihuahuan Desert; silvery leaves, height: 3 feet | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Very Low | Buddleja marrubiifolia (Woolly Butterflybush) Native to: Chihuahuan Desert; height: 5 feet | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Very Low | Hyptis emoryi (Desert Lavender) Native to: Southwestern deserts; attracts hummingbirds, height: 6 feet | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Very Low | Cordia parvifolia (Little-leaf Cordia) use as a hedge, height: 6 feet | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Very Low | Leucophyllum frutescens (Texas Sage (Cenizo)) Native to: Chihuahuan Desert; height: 6 feet | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Low | Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) height: 6 feet | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Low | Tecoma stans var. angustata (Arizona Yellow Bells) attracts hummingbirds, height: 6 feet | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Very Low | Lycium fremontii (Wolfberry) thorns: medium, attracts birds, height: 8 feet | |
| Shrubs | ||
| Water: Low | Vauquelinia californica (Arizona Rosewood) larval host for Two-Tailed Swallowtail, height: 10 feet | |
| Succulents | ||
| Succulents | ||
| Water: Very Low | Yucca pallida (Paleleaf Yucca) Native to: Texas, height: 2 feet | |
| Succulents | ||
| Water: Very Low | Yucca baccata (Banana Yucca) soak seeds; height: 3 feet | |
| Succulents | ||
| Water: Very Low | Agave parryi (Parry's Agave) Thorns: Sharp tips, tolerates light shade, height: 3 feet | |
| Succulents | ||
| Water: Low or 1 | Nolina microcarpa (Beargrass (Sacahuista, asparagus family)) stratify seeds; height: 3 feet | |
| Succulents | ||
| Asclepias albicans (Whitestem Milkweed) larval host for monarch butterfly, height: 8-10 feet | ||
| Succulents | ||
| Water: Very Low | Asclepias subulata (Desert Milkweed) soak seeds; height: 3 feet | |
| Succulents | ||
| Water: Very Low | Fouquieria splendens (Ocotillo) Thorns: Medium, attracts hummingbirds, height: 12 feet | |
| Vines | ||
| Vines | ||
| Water: Low | Cissus trifoliata (Grape Ivy) seeds: shade tolerant, height: 15 feet | |
| Cacti | ||
| Cacti | ||
| Water: Very Low | Opuntia basilaris (Beavertail Pricklypear) Thorns: Small, height: 1 foot | |
| Cacti | ||
| Water: Very Low | Ferocactus cylindraceus (California Barrel) Thorns: Long, height: 2 feet | |
| Rescued | ||
| Rescued | ||
| Water: Very Low | Opuntia santa-rita (Purple Prickly Pear) Thorns: Small, height: 4 feet | |
| Rescued | ||
| Podaxis pistillaris (Desert Shaggymane) | ||
| Borrowed | ||
| Borrowed | ||
| Ditaxis serrata (Yuma Silverbush) height: 20 inches | ||
| Collected | ||
| Collected | ||
| Water: Very Low | Calliandra eriophylla (Pink Fairy Duster) scarify or soak seeds; attracts hummingbirds, height: 3 feet | |
| Collected | ||
| Water: Low | Hesperaloe parviflora (Hummingbird Yucca) Native to: W Texas, NE Mexico; from seeds; height: 3 feet | |
| Collected | ||
| Water: Low | Dermatophyllum secundiflorum (Texas Mountain Laurel) Native to: Chihuahuan Desert; height: 8 feet | |
| Collected | ||
| Water: Low | Tecoma stans (Arizona Yellow Bells) seeds or cuttings; height: 12 feet | |
| Experimental | ||
| Experimental | ||
| Water: Very Low | Larrea tridentata (Creosote Bush) allelopathic, height: 6 feet | |
| Experimental | ||
| Water: Low | Prosopis velutina (Velvet Mesquite - Salvage assessed) cuttings; Thorns: Medium, height: 25 feet | |
| Experimental | ||
| Castela emoryi (Crucifixion-Thorn - Salvage restricted) endangered in California, height: 3 - 13 feet | ||
| Experimental | ||
| Senegalia greggii (Catclaw Acacia) most despised: wait a minute; height: 20 feet | ||
| Experimental | ||
| Water: Very Low | Parkinsonia florida (Blue Palo Verde) scarify & soak seeds; Arizona state tree, height: 30 feet | |
| Experimental | ||
| Water: Low | Erythrostemon gilliesii (Yellow Bird-of-paradise) Native to: Argentina; height: 30 feet | |
 CC BY Peter Chen 2.0
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