The variety of desert-adapted plants offers many beautiful options that contribute texture, softness, seasonal color, and form to the landscape. Numerous low-water-use plant species are native to our area, while others have been imported from various parts of the United States and worldwide. The possibilities for creating beautiful, easy-to-maintain landscapes that thrive in our environment are endless.
Explore your options with AMWUA’s Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert website, a searchable online database featuring more than 200 drought-tolerant, water-wise plants ideal for residential landscapes.
Consider the mature size of the plant. A plant that outgrows its available space will require pruning and may crowd other nearby plants. Also, do you want plants that attract wildlife, such as butterflies, hummingbirds, and different bird species? Do you want plants that are rabbit-resistant?
Keep poisonous plants and plants with thorns away from walkways and play areas.
Consider color and texture. Some plants bloom almost all year, while others display a vibrant display of color only once or twice each year. You may want to select plants with a variety of foliage colors that blend well together. Select a mix of plants that bloom during different seasons to enjoy year-round color.
Consider the growth rate of selected plants. There are numerous beautiful plants with slow to moderate growth rates that require time and your patience to reach their mature size.
Keep plants that drop flowers, leaves, or seed pods away from a pool area.
