Arizona Native Plants

True Arizona and Sonoran Desert native plants — adapted to the heat, water-wise, and habitat for local pollinators and wildlife.

77 plants · every one a full care + fact page

tree

Native

Canyon Hackberry

Celtis reticulata

A tough native shade tree prized for its wildlife value, producing berries that attract birds and mammals.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

tree

Native

Desert Willow

Chilopsis linearis

A graceful native tree with orchid-like blooms in white, pink, or purple that attract hummingbirds throughout the warm season.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

tree

Native

Kidneywood

Eysenhardtia orthocarpa

A fragrant native tree with delicate white flower spikes that attract a cloud of bees and butterflies in summer.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

tree

Native

Feather Bush

Lysiloma watsonii

A lush native tree with feathery, fern-like foliage that gives a tropical feel to Sonoran Desert gardens.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

tree

Native

Ironwood

Olneya tesota

A keystone species of the Sonoran Desert, treasured for its dusty lavender blooms and extraordinary longevity.

Very Low Waterfull sun

tree

Native

Blue Palo Verde

Parkinsonia florida

Arizona's beloved state tree with blue-green photosynthetic bark and a dazzling canopy of bright yellow spring blooms.

Very Low Waterfull sun

tree

Native

Foothills Palo Verde

Parkinsonia microphylla

A sculptural Sonoran native with luminous lime-green bark and a canopy of bright yellow blooms that lights up the spring desert.

Very Low Waterfull sun

tree

Native

Texas Honey Mesquite

Prosopis glandulosa

A spreading native mesquite that provides generous shade and critical habitat for bees, birds, and wildlife.

Low Waterfull sun

tree

Native

Velvet Mesquite

Prosopis velutina

A quintessential Sonoran Desert shade tree with soft velvety foliage and deep roots that support a thriving wildlife community.

Very Low Waterfull sun

tree

Native

Whitethorn Acacia

Vachellia constricta

A tough, compact native acacia with cheerful yellow puffball blooms that provide essential food for desert bees and birds.

Very Low Waterfull sun

tree

Native

Sweet Acacia

Vachellia farnesiana

One of the most delightfully fragrant desert trees, filling the late-winter garden with intensely sweet golden blooms.

Low Waterfull sun

shrub

Native

Superstition Mallow

Abutilon palmeri

A subtropical shrub with velvety leaves and orange-yellow flowers that attract bees and butterflies throughout the warm season.

Moderate Waterfull sun

shrub

Native

Triangleleaf Bursage

Ambrosia deltoidea

A compact Sonoran Desert native shrub with low litter and excellent pollinator value for butterflies and hummingbirds.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Fourwing Saltbush

Atriplex canescens

A tough, extremely drought-tolerant shrub native to western North America with prickly leaves that provide shelter and food for birds.

Very Low Waterfull sun

shrub

Native

Golden Eye

Bahiopsis parishii

A compact Sonoran Desert native with cheerful yellow daisy flowers that attract butterflies in spring and summer.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Pink Fairy Duster

Calliandra eriophylla

A compact southwestern native with charming pink powderpuff flowers in spring that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Desert Hackberry

Celtis pallida

A large Arizona native shrub prized for its excellent wildlife value, providing food and shelter for birds and other wildlife.

Moderate Waterfull sun

shrub

Native

Little Leaf Cordia

Cordia parvifolia

A versatile Sonoran Desert native shrub with white flower clusters, ideal for screening and low-water landscapes.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Bush Dalea

Dalea pulchra

An Arizona native shrub with purple blooms spanning fall through spring that attract bees and butterflies.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Weeping Dalea

Dalea versicolor

A graceful Sonoran Desert native with a weeping form and violet blooms in winter and spring that attract butterflies.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Hop Bush

Dodonaea viscosa

A large evergreen shrub often used as a safe oleander alternative, providing excellent screening and bird habitat.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Brittlebush

Encelia farinosa

An iconic Sonoran Desert native with silver foliage and bright yellow daisy flowers that support bees, butterflies, birds, and mammals.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Desert Tea

Ephedra nevadensis

A unique western US native shrub with jointed stems and red tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds in late winter and spring.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Turpentine Bush

Ericameria laricifolia

A compact, fragrant Sonoran Desert native with yellow blooms in late summer and fall that support local wildlife.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Flattop Buckwheat

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.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Desert Lavender

Hyptis emoryi

An aromatic Sonoran Desert native shrub with wooly gray foliage and small lavender-blue flowers that draw bees and hummingbirds over a long season.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Chuparosa

Justicia californica

A large Sonoran Desert native shrub with fragrant orange-red flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in winter and spring.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Red Justicia

Justicia candicans

A compact Arizona native shrub with vivid bright red flowers from fall through spring that are a favorite of hummingbirds.

Moderate Waterpartial shadePool Safe

shrub

Native

Creosote Bush

Larrea tridentata

The iconic desert shrub known for its distinctive rain-triggered fragrance, supporting bees and wildlife across the Sonoran Desert.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Wolfberry

Lycium fremontii

A Sonoran Desert native shrub with lavender summer blooms that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

White Plumbago

Plumbago zeylanica

A compact Arizona native shrub with distinctive red buds that open to cream-colored flowers, attracting butterflies in spring.

Moderate Waterpartial shadePool Safe

shrub

Native

Sugar Bush

Rhus ovata

A large Arizona native shrub with orange-red spring blooms, edible fruit, and strong bee appeal.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

cactus

Native

Saguaro

Carnegiea gigantea

The towering icon of the Sonoran Desert, providing critical habitat for birds and nocturnal pollinators alike.

Very Low Waterfull sun

cactus

Native

Buckhorn Cholla

Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa

A native cholla that provides critical nesting habitat for desert birds and dazzling red-yellow spring blooms.

Very Low Waterfull sun

cactus

Native

Engelmann's Hedgehog

Echinocereus engelmannii

A compact native hedgehog cactus that erupts with brilliant magenta blooms beloved by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Very Low Waterfull sun

cactus

Native

Engelmann's Prickly Pear

Opuntia engelmannii

A widespread native prickly pear whose vivid magenta-pink spring flowers give way to edible purple fruit.

Very Low Waterfull sun

cactus

Native

Beavertail Prickly Pear

Opuntia basilaris

A low-growing native prickly pear with distinctive blue-gray pads and cheerful yellow spring blooms that feed desert birds.

Very Low Waterfull sun

cactus

Native

Compass Barrel

Ferocactus cylindraceus

A rugged native barrel cactus that famously tilts toward the south, crowned with yellow-orange summer blooms.

Very Low Waterfull sun

cactus

Native

Purple Prickly Pear

Opuntia santa-rita

A showstopper prickly pear with vivid purple pads that intensify in winter cold, paired with bright pink spring blooms.

Very Low Waterfull sun

cactus

Native

Organ Pipe

Stenocereus thurberi

A majestic multi-stemmed native cactus whose night-blooming flowers are pollinated by lesser long-nosed bats.

Very Low Waterfull sun

cactus

Native

Senita

Pachycereus schottii

A whiskered columnar cactus with an exclusive pollination partnership with the tiny senita moth.

Very Low Waterfull sun

succulent

Native

Parry's Agave

Agave parryi

A compact native agave with tightly packed blue-gray leaves forming one of the most decorative rosettes in the desert.

Very Low Waterfull sun

accent

Native

Desert Milkweed

Asclepias subulata

A vital native butterfly host plant with rush-like stems that supports monarch and queen butterfly populations.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

accent

Native

Desert Spoon

Dasylirion wheeleri

An exceptional native specimen with a dense sphere of blue-gray leaves and a towering summer flower spike.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

accent

Native

Ocotillo

Fouquieria splendens

An unmistakable desert icon whose thorny canes erupt with fiery red-orange blooms that hummingbirds cannot resist.

Very Low Waterfull sun

accent

Native

Beargrass

Nolina microcarpa

A graceful native grass-like accent that softens harsh desert hardscape with its flowing cascade of narrow leaves.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

accent

Native

Soaptree Yucca

Yucca elata

A treelike native yucca that depends on the tiny yucca moth for pollination, creating a timeless desert silhouette.

Very Low Waterfull sun

accent

Native

Banana Yucca

Yucca baccata

A rugged native yucca bearing dramatic white blooms and fleshy banana-shaped fruit once prized by indigenous peoples.

Very Low Waterfull sun

groundcover

Native

Trailing Indigo Bush

Dalea greggii

A native groundcover with silvery foliage and lavender-purple spring blooms, excellent for erosion control on slopes.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

vine

Native

Grape Ivy

Cissus trifoliata

A native vine ranging from Arizona to Florida that gracefully drapes over walls and fences.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

grass

Native

Sideoats Grama

Bouteloua curtipendula

A fast-growing native range grass with distinctive sidelong seed spikes that attract birds.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

grass

Native

Blue Grama

Bouteloua gracilis

A fast-growing native grass with charming eyelash-shaped seedheads, ideal for meadow-style plantings.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

grass

Native

Deer Grass

Muhlenbergia rigens

A fast-growing versatile native bunch grass with lush flower plumes that dries to an attractive tan.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

grass

Native

Bamboo Muhly

Muhlenbergia dumosa

A native grass that resembles bamboo, perfect for containers and adding a lush tropical texture to the landscape.

Moderate WateranyPool Safe

perennial

Native

Desert Marigold

Baileya multiradiata

A cheerful Southwestern native that blankets the landscape with sunny yellow daisies nearly every month of the year.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Chocolate Flower

Berlandiera lyrata

A delightful native perennial whose sunny yellow flowers release an irresistible chocolate fragrance in the morning sun.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Hummingbird Trumpet

Epilobium canum

A fiery late-season bloomer whose tubular orange-red flowers are an essential fuel stop for migrating hummingbirds.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Blackfoot Daisy

Melampodium leucanthum

A tough little native that produces a constant show of crisp white daisies with almost no water at all.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Goodding's Verbena

Glandularia gooddingii

A fragrant Southwestern native that carpets the ground with lavender-pink blooms, drawing butterflies from across the garden.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Firecracker Penstemon

Penstemon eatonii

A vivid Southwestern native that lights up late winter gardens with scarlet spikes hummingbirds cannot resist.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Parry's Penstemon

Penstemon parryi

A stunning Sonoran Desert native whose hot pink flower spikes make spring landscapes unforgettable.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Coral Penstemon

Penstemon superbus

Tall spikes of bright coral flowers rise from the Chihuahuan Desert floor, beckoning every hummingbird in the neighborhood.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Paperflower

Psilostrophe cooperi

A resilient desert native whose papery yellow blooms intensify with the monsoon rains and last for months.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Canyon Penstemon

Penstemon pseudospectabilis

Rose-purple flower spikes and unique clasping leaves make this Southwestern native a showstopper in spring gardens.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Desert Senna

Senna covesii

A velvety Sonoran Desert native that draws bees and butterflies with its bright yellow blooms from late spring through fall.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Globe Mallow

Sphaeralcea ambigua

A rugged Southwestern native available in a palette of orange, white, pink, and lavender that thrives on neglect.

Very Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

perennial

Native

Mt. Lemmon Marigold

Tagetes lemmonii

An Arizona mountain native whose fragrant foliage and orange-yellow blooms brighten the garden when little else is flowering.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

annual

Native

Spreading Fleabane

Erigeron divergens

A prolific Southwestern native that scatters tiny daisy-like flowers in white, pink, purple, and red across the landscape.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

annual

Native

Owl's Clover

Castilleja exserta

Dense spikes of rose-pink to purple blooms paint the desert floor in spring, creating a wildflower spectacle.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

annual

Native

Mexican Gold Poppy

Eschscholzia californica mexicana

Silky golden cups open in the late winter sun, carpeting desert hillsides in one of Arizona's most beloved wildflower displays.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

annual

Native

Arizona Poppy

Kallstroemia grandiflora

Bright red flowers burst into bloom with the summer monsoons, transforming barren ground into a vivid desert carpet.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

annual

Native

Arroyo Lupine

Lupinus succulentus

Stately spikes of violet-blue flowers rise above lush palmate foliage, signaling the arrival of desert spring.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

annual

Native

Blue Flax

Linum lewisii

Delicate sky-blue flowers open fresh each morning on wiry stems, reseeding generously to return year after year.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

annual

Native

Chia

Salvia columbariae

The original superfood plant of the Southwest, producing whorls of blue flowers followed by the famous nutritious seeds.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

annual

Native

Golden Dyssodia

Thymophylla pentachaeta

A diminutive desert gem that covers itself in tiny golden daisies from late spring through fall, attracting butterflies all season.

Moderate Waterfull sunPool Safe

shrub

Native

Yellow Bells

Tecoma stans

Arizona native that produces masses of trumpet-shaped yellow flowers from spring through fall.

Low Waterfull sunPool Safe

succulent

Native

Century Plant

Agave americana

Bold architectural succulent that makes a dramatic statement in any landscape.

Very Low Waterfull sun