Outdoor Dream Builders
ROC #343460
Drought-tolerant, water-wise Arizona plants that thrive on little to no supplemental irrigation. Cut your water bill without losing the greenery.
147 plants · every one a full care + fact page
Acacia aneura
A compact Australian tree with striking yellow rod-shaped blooms, ideal for small desert patios and tight spaces.
Acacia craspedocarpa
A petite Australian acacia with thick leathery foliage and cheerful yellow puffball blooms, perfect for containers and small gardens.
Acacia stenophylla
A graceful weeping tree with long shoestring-like leaves and excellent drought tolerance, ideal for privacy screening.
Acacia salicina
A narrow, upright tree with fragrant cream puffball flowers and graceful willow-like foliage, perfect for tight screening spaces.
Bauhinia lunarioides
A charming small tree with delicate orchid-like white and pink blooms that draw bees and butterflies to the garden.
Brahea armata
A showstopping palm with silvery-blue fan fronds and spectacular cascading cream flower garlands in summer.
Corymbia papuana
A tall, elegant tree with luminous white bark that glows in the landscape, creating a dramatic year-round focal point.
Chamaerops humilis
A compact, multi-trunk fan palm that brings instant oasis charm to courtyards and pool areas.
Chilopsis linearis
A graceful native tree with orchid-like blooms in white, pink, or purple that attract hummingbirds throughout the warm season.
Dermatophyllum secundiflorum
A slow-growing evergreen tree with intensely fragrant purple blooms that smell like grape soda, a true desert garden gem.
Ebenopsis ebano
A rugged, dark-foliaged evergreen with fragrant cream-yellow blooms and exceptional drought tolerance.
Eucalyptus microtheca
A tough Australian shade tree that thrives on minimal water, providing a broad canopy in the hottest desert conditions.
Eysenhardtia orthocarpa
A fragrant native tree with delicate white flower spikes that attract a cloud of bees and butterflies in summer.
Lysiloma watsonii
A lush native tree with feathery, fern-like foliage that gives a tropical feel to Sonoran Desert gardens.
Havardia mexicana
A handsome shade tree with dark, dense foliage and soft cream puffball blooms in spring.
Havardia pallens
A narrow, upright tree with sweetly fragrant cream puffball flowers and a graceful canopy.
Mariosousa willardiana
A sculptural tree with striking white peeling bark that creates an elegant, luminous presence in the desert landscape.
Olea europaea
A classic Mediterranean shade tree with silvery foliage and a sculptural trunk, bred to produce no messy fruit.
Olneya tesota
A keystone species of the Sonoran Desert, treasured for its dusty lavender blooms and extraordinary longevity.
Parkinsonia florida
Arizona's beloved state tree with blue-green photosynthetic bark and a dazzling canopy of bright yellow spring blooms.
Parkinsonia hybrid
A thornless palo verde hybrid combining the best traits of native species with an urban-friendly, clean form.
Parkinsonia microphylla
A sculptural Sonoran native with luminous lime-green bark and a canopy of bright yellow blooms that lights up the spring desert.
Parkinsonia praecox
A compact palo verde relative with smooth green bark and cheerful sulfur-yellow spring blooms from the Baja region.
Prosopis glandulosa
A spreading native mesquite that provides generous shade and critical habitat for bees, birds, and wildlife.
Prosopis hybrid
A robust mesquite hybrid offering expansive shade and attracting bees and birds to the landscape.
Prosopis velutina
A quintessential Sonoran Desert shade tree with soft velvety foliage and deep roots that support a thriving wildlife community.
Ungnadia speciosa
A large deciduous tree with showy pink spring flowers and interesting seed pods, offering generous shade.
Ulmus parvifolia
A compact, semi-evergreen shade tree with attractive mottled bark and a graceful, rounded canopy.
Senegalia berlandieri
A compact tree with delightfully fragrant cream puffball flowers and fine, feathery foliage.
Tara cacalaco
A showstopper that lights up the winter garden with spikes of fragrant yellow flowers when most trees are dormant.
Vachellia constricta
A tough, compact native acacia with cheerful yellow puffball blooms that provide essential food for desert bees and birds.
Vachellia farnesiana
One of the most delightfully fragrant desert trees, filling the late-winter garden with intensely sweet golden blooms.
Vachellia rigidula
A dense, thorny acacia with light yellow spring blooms, ideal as an impenetrable barrier that also supports pollinators.
Ambrosia deltoidea
A compact Sonoran Desert native shrub with low litter and excellent pollinator value for butterflies and hummingbirds.
Aloysia gratissima
A fragrant shrub from the Chihuahuan Desert that attracts abundant bees and butterflies with its scented orange-red flowers.
Anisacanthus quadrifidus
A compact, very drought-tolerant shrub with vibrant orange-red flowers that draw bees and butterflies from summer through late fall.
Berberis trifoliolata
A dense shrub from the Chihuahuan Desert that provides excellent forage and shelter for wildlife with its spring and summer blooms.
Atriplex canescens
A tough, extremely drought-tolerant shrub native to western North America with prickly leaves that provide shelter and food for birds.
Buddleja marrubiifolia
A woolly-leaved shrub from the Chihuahuan Desert that is a magnet for butterflies with its orange spring and summer blooms.
Bahiopsis parishii
A compact Sonoran Desert native with cheerful yellow daisy flowers that attract butterflies in spring and summer.
Cordia boissieri
A drought-tolerant shrub with showy white flowers that bloom from spring through fall, attracting birds and wildlife.
Cordia parvifolia
A versatile Sonoran Desert native shrub with white flower clusters, ideal for screening and low-water landscapes.
Dalea frutescens
A compact shrub with rose-purple blooms in fall and early winter that attract butterflies and quail.
Dalea pulchra
An Arizona native shrub with purple blooms spanning fall through spring that attract bees and butterflies.
Dalea versicolor
A graceful Sonoran Desert native with a weeping form and violet blooms in winter and spring that attract butterflies.
Dodonaea viscosa
A large evergreen shrub often used as a safe oleander alternative, providing excellent screening and bird habitat.
Encelia farinosa
An iconic Sonoran Desert native with silver foliage and bright yellow daisy flowers that support bees, butterflies, birds, and mammals.
Ephedra nevadensis
A unique western US native shrub with jointed stems and red tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds in late winter and spring.
Eremophila hygrophana
A compact Australian shrub with stunning violet-blue blooms from fall through spring that attract hummingbirds.
Ericameria laricifolia
A compact, fragrant Sonoran Desert native with yellow blooms in late summer and fall that support local wildlife.
Eriogonum fasciculatum
A compact Sonoran Desert native with white-pink summer blooms that age to rust-red seed heads and attract bees, birds, and butterflies.
Gossypium harknessii
A compact, very drought-tolerant shrub with yellow and red summer blooms that attract bees, birds, and butterflies.
Erythrostemon gilliesii
A showy shrub with striking yellow flowers and prominent red stamens that attract butterflies and hummingbirds from spring through fall.
Hamelia patens
A very drought-tolerant shrub with vibrant red-orange summer flowers that are irresistible to hummingbirds.
Justicia californica
A large Sonoran Desert native shrub with fragrant orange-red flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in winter and spring.
Leucophyllum candidum
A silver-leaved shrub with small yellow flowers from spring through fall that attract hummingbirds.
Larrea tridentata
The iconic desert shrub known for its distinctive rain-triggered fragrance, supporting bees and wildlife across the Sonoran Desert.
Leucophyllum frutescens
A very drought-tolerant shrub with deep violet blooms after monsoon rains that attract hummingbirds.
Leucophyllum laevigatum
A fragrant silver-green shrub with lavender summer blooms that attract hummingbirds.
Lycium fremontii
A Sonoran Desert native shrub with lavender summer blooms that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Leucophyllum langmaniae
A lush green sage with spring blooms that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, offering a softer look than silver-leaved varieties.
Maytenus phyllanthoides
A large, very drought-tolerant shrub from Baja California and Sonora with white-lavender blooms that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and birds.
Rhus ovata
A large Arizona native shrub with orange-red spring blooms, edible fruit, and strong bee appeal.
Carnegiea gigantea
The towering icon of the Sonoran Desert, providing critical habitat for birds and nocturnal pollinators alike.
Cereus hildmannianus
A striking columnar cactus whose large night-blooming flowers attract hawk moths under moonlight.
Echinocactus grusonii
A beloved golden-spined globe cactus that looks stunning planted in clusters among desert boulders.
Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa
A native cholla that provides critical nesting habitat for desert birds and dazzling red-yellow spring blooms.
Echinocereus engelmannii
A compact native hedgehog cactus that erupts with brilliant magenta blooms beloved by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Echinopsis huascha
A clumping Argentine cactus whose night-blooming white flowers create a magical display for nocturnal pollinators.
Echinopsis candicans
A towering columnar cactus producing spectacular 6-to-8-inch fragrant white flowers that perfume the night air.
Echinopsis terscheckii
A compact Argentine cactus that draws hummingbirds with its spectacular orange-red spring and summer flowers.
Opuntia engelmannii
A widespread native prickly pear whose vivid magenta-pink spring flowers give way to edible purple fruit.
Opuntia basilaris
A low-growing native prickly pear with distinctive blue-gray pads and cheerful yellow spring blooms that feed desert birds.
Ferocactus cylindraceus
A rugged native barrel cactus that famously tilts toward the south, crowned with yellow-orange summer blooms.
Myrtillocactus geometrizans
A treelike blue-green cactus bearing fragrant blooms and edible purple fruits reminiscent of blueberries.
Opuntia robusta
An imposing prickly pear with enormous silver-blue pads that creates an unforgettable desert focal point.
Pachycereus marginatus
A columnar cactus traditionally used as a living fence, turning a dramatic purple when cold weather arrives.
Opuntia santa-rita
A showstopper prickly pear with vivid purple pads that intensify in winter cold, paired with bright pink spring blooms.
Opuntia ficus-indica
A mostly spineless prickly pear prized for its delicious edible fruit and sculptural treelike presence.
Tephrocactus articulatus
A spineless oddity with pine-cone-shaped segments that looks like a living sculpture in containers and rock gardens.
Stenocereus thurberi
A majestic multi-stemmed native cactus whose night-blooming flowers are pollinated by lesser long-nosed bats.
Pachycereus schottii
A whiskered columnar cactus with an exclusive pollination partnership with the tiny senita moth.
Pachycereus schottii f. monstrosus
A smooth, spineless mutation of the senita prized for its surreal, totem-like sculptural columns.
Agave bovicornuta
A glossy green agave with striking decorative marginal teeth that catch the light like stained glass.
Agave desmettiana
A fast-growing agave with a perfectly symmetrical rosette that brings effortless elegance to modern desert gardens.
Agave colorata
A compact blue-gray agave with beautifully banded leaves that add intricate texture to desert compositions.
Agave geminiflora
A fast-growing agave with hundreds of slender, smooth-edged leaves radiating in a perfect dense sphere.
Agave parryi
A compact native agave with tightly packed blue-gray leaves forming one of the most decorative rosettes in the desert.
Agave weberi
A soft-tipped agave that attracts hummingbirds to its towering flower spike and offers winter color interest.
Agave vilmoriniana
A fast-growing, spineless agave with gracefully arching leaves that twist and curl like octopus tentacles.
Aloe dawei
A bold, large-scale aloe that commands attention with its impressive rosette and cheerful yellow flower spikes.
Aloe ferox
A towering South African aloe whose fiery orange-red winter blooms draw hummingbirds and create a lush oasis feel.
Aloe vera
The classic healing aloe whose soothing gel has been used for centuries, while its blooms support bees and butterflies.
Asclepias subulata
A vital native butterfly host plant with rush-like stems that supports monarch and queen butterfly populations.
Bulbine frutescens
A low-growing succulent ground cover with cheerful yellow flower spikes that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Dasylirion quadrangulatum
A sculptural accent with twisting narrow leaves that cascade like a living fountain from atop a slender trunk.
Cycas revoluta
A prehistoric-looking cycad that adds tropical elegance to desert landscapes, but all parts are highly poisonous to pets and people.
Dasylirion wheeleri
An exceptional native specimen with a dense sphere of blue-gray leaves and a towering summer flower spike.
Euphorbia antisyphilitica
A waxy-stemmed Chihuahuan native with delicate pink-white blooms, historically harvested for its natural candle wax.
Fouquieria splendens
An unmistakable desert icon whose thorny canes erupt with fiery red-orange blooms that hummingbirds cannot resist.
Euphorbia lomelii
A quirky succulent bearing tiny red slipper-shaped flowers that hummingbirds love to visit.
Euphorbia rigida
A blue-gray Mediterranean succulent that lights up winter gardens with bright chartreuse flower clusters.
Euphorbia tirucalli
A pencil-branched succulent that transforms from green to blazing orange-red in winter, but beware its highly toxic sap.
Hesperaloe funifera
A statuesque hesperaloe that sends up towering flower spikes attracting bees by day and nocturnal pollinators by night.
Hesperaloe parviflora
One of the toughest and most rewarding desert plants, sending up arching coral-red flower spikes that hummingbirds adore.
Nolina microcarpa
A graceful native grass-like accent that softens harsh desert hardscape with its flowing cascade of narrow leaves.
Gonialoe variegata
A diminutive variegated aloe with striking banded leaves that thrives in containers and tight garden spaces.
Yucca elata
A treelike native yucca that depends on the tiny yucca moth for pollination, creating a timeless desert silhouette.
Yucca pallida
A compact pale blue-green yucca perfectly sized for containers and small garden spaces, pollinated by yucca moths.
Portulacaria afra
A dense, shrubby South African succulent with tiny round leaves that makes an excellent informal hedge or security barrier.
Yucca baccata
A rugged native yucca bearing dramatic white blooms and fleshy banana-shaped fruit once prized by indigenous peoples.
Acacia redolens
A tough Australian groundcover valued for erosion control on banks with fragrant small yellow flowers in early spring.
Baccharis hybrid (male)
A male hybrid groundcover that thrives in tough conditions and produces no allergenic seed fluff.
Dalea greggii
A native groundcover with silvery foliage and lavender-purple spring blooms, excellent for erosion control on slopes.
Gazania rigens
A South African groundcover with brilliant yellow daisy-like flowers that may die if overwatered.
Oenothera cespitosa
A fragrant dusk-blooming groundcover with white flowers that fade to pink, attracting hawk moths and birds.
Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus
A prostrate form of rosemary with aromatic foliage and butter yellow flowers, perfect for borders and containers.
Teucrium chamaedrys Prostratum
A fragrant creeping groundcover with pale pink flowers that thrives in well-drained soil.
Bougainvillea spectabilis
A spectacular vine available in many colors and forms, bearing large thorns and producing high litter.
Callaeum macropterum
An unusual vine with yellow orchid-like flowers and decorative paper-like seed pods native to Baja California and Sonora.
Cissus trifoliata
A native vine ranging from Arizona to Florida that gracefully drapes over walls and fences.
Hardenbergia violacea
A fast-growing Australian vine prized for its purple flowers that provide winter color in well-drained soil.
Merremia aurea
A Baja California vine with bright yellow summer flowers that dies back in winter and returns each year.
Passiflora arida
A striking Sonoran vine with exotic white and purple flowers that serves as a host plant for Gulf Fritillary butterflies.
Rosa banksiae
A thornless climbing rose with showy lightly fragrant pink flowers, ideal for arbors and walls.
Bouteloua curtipendula
A fast-growing native range grass with distinctive sidelong seed spikes that attract birds.
Bouteloua gracilis
A fast-growing native grass with charming eyelash-shaped seedheads, ideal for meadow-style plantings.
Muhlenbergia rigens
A fast-growing versatile native bunch grass with lush flower plumes that dries to an attractive tan.
Muhlenbergia capillaris
A fast-growing ornamental grass with stunning pink plumes that glow when backlit by the sun in fall.
Baileya multiradiata
A cheerful Southwestern native that blankets the landscape with sunny yellow daisies nearly every month of the year.
Berlandiera lyrata
A delightful native perennial whose sunny yellow flowers release an irresistible chocolate fragrance in the morning sun.
Chrysactinia mexicana
A compact, fragrant perennial that fills courtyards with golden blooms and aromatic foliage through spring and fall.
Melampodium leucanthum
A tough little native that produces a constant show of crisp white daisies with almost no water at all.
Oenothera lindheimeri
Graceful wands of white and pink butterfly-like flowers dance above the foliage from summer through fall.
Penstemon eatonii
A vivid Southwestern native that lights up late winter gardens with scarlet spikes hummingbirds cannot resist.
Penstemon parryi
A stunning Sonoran Desert native whose hot pink flower spikes make spring landscapes unforgettable.
Penstemon superbus
Tall spikes of bright coral flowers rise from the Chihuahuan Desert floor, beckoning every hummingbird in the neighborhood.
Psilostrophe cooperi
A resilient desert native whose papery yellow blooms intensify with the monsoon rains and last for months.
Penstemon pseudospectabilis
Rose-purple flower spikes and unique clasping leaves make this Southwestern native a showstopper in spring gardens.
Salvia clevelandii
One of the most intensely fragrant sages, filling the garden with heavenly scent while feeding bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Senna covesii
A velvety Sonoran Desert native that draws bees and butterflies with its bright yellow blooms from late spring through fall.
Sphaeralcea ambigua
A rugged Southwestern native available in a palette of orange, white, pink, and lavender that thrives on neglect.
Zephyranthes candida
Magical white blooms pop up seemingly overnight after summer rains, earning this charming bulb its evocative name.
Tetraneuris acaulis
A tiny powerhouse that produces golden yellow daisies nearly every day of the year in an impossibly compact form.
Tecoma stans
Arizona native that produces masses of trumpet-shaped yellow flowers from spring through fall.
Agave americana
Bold architectural succulent that makes a dramatic statement in any landscape.
Pennisetum setaceum Rubrum
Dramatic ornamental grass with burgundy foliage and feathery purple plumes.
Browse more