Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
pic by : Mary Sisco / Shutterstock
experience in a dry desert clime does n’t signify you ca n’t have a beautiful landscape painting . While desert landscapes do n’t have the exuberant green appearance of a timber garden , they have a pleasing visual prayer of their own . Many desert plant have interesting foliage , flush , grain , bodily structure , and multi - seasonal involvement , traits that mix to create a trance landscape painting .
Desert arise environs are harsh and unforgiving , with spicy temperature , scarce H2O , and lean , rocky land . Native plants have evolved to hold up these conditions , needing small rainfall or nourishment to survive .
Cacti and succulents have adapted with the power to lay in water in their leaves , stanch , and roots . Some plants such as mesquit , creosote bush , and yucca have deep root systems that tunnel into the dirt in hunting of piss .
Other adjustment include a waxy leaf coat , small folio , spines , or thorns to reduce H2O red ink through transpiration ; silverish colorize foliage to excogitate the Lord’s Day ; and long sharp leaves that trap moisture from rainstorms .
By incorporate a mix of plant type including trees , shrubs , cacti , succulent , and perennials , you could make an engaging desert garden that is drouth tolerant and low-spirited sustenance . Here are some of the best desert landscape plants to grow .
Read more : Desert Landscaping : translate Your Yard with Natural Beauty
PLANTS FOR DESERT LANDSCAPES
Photo : Bowonpat Sakaew / Shutterstock
AGAVE (Agavespp.)
Zones:5 - 11Exposure : Full sunHabit : upright piano or mounding spiky habitHeight / Spread:1 to 20 groundwork magniloquent , 1 to 10 understructure all-embracing , depending on the varietyBloom time : Varies ; most blossom just once before dying
Agave is a succulent with stiff pointy leaves and a proportionate spiky habit that adds architectural interest to the landscape painting . There are more than 250 species in a broad range of sizing and foliage colors including green , hoary , blasphemous , and variegated . Use as a focal point in a container , in beds or strip , or massed in the landscape . Learn agave plants .
pic : Keith VanDusen / Shutterstock
ALOE (Aloespp.)
Zones:7 - 12 , depending on the varietyExposure : Full sunHabit : Upright or mound spiky habitHeight / Spread:6 inch to 30 feet grandiloquent , 6 inches to 20 fundament wideBloom time : twelvemonth - round , depend on the variety
Native to warmer region across the orb , Aloeare evergreen plant succulents with spiky fleshy leaf . There are 650 species in a broad range of sizes and colour , from Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree forms to miniature specimen . Plants grow flannel mullein - like flowers , most often in winter . add together structure and color to container and bed , or employ as a focal tip in the landscape painting . Aloecan also be grown as a houseplant . Learn aloe .
Photo : Gill Copeland / Shutterstock
BOUGAINVILLEA (Bougainvilleaspp.)
Zones:9 - 11Exposure : Full sunHabit : Vining spread out habitHeight / Spread:3 to 30 feet tall and wideBloom time : Summer , with nearly yr - round bloom in warm climate
Bougainvilleais one of the most mutual desert bush , grow for the vivid prime bract that occur in shade of pinkish , violent , magenta , orange , and white . With about year - round color in warm climates , this versatile vining shrub can be trained on trellises , allowed to straggle as a ground cover , or to spill over wall . Bougainvilleacan also be grown in container and overwintered indoors in colder climates . study bougainvillea .
pic : Alybaba / Shutterstock
CALIFORNIA POPPY (Eschscholzia californica)
Zones:6 - 10Exposure : Full sunHabit : Mounding habitHeight / Spread:12 to 18 inches tall and wideBloom time : saltation to summer
California poppy produces ferny foliage and cupful - mold blossom in hues of orange , yellow , white , pink , or purpleness . Native to the U.S. and Mexico , this curtly - know perennial is most often grown as an yearbook , and may reseed from year to yr . cultivate in a rock garden , xeriscape , curbside planting , or along a slope .
El Nino ™ Desert Orchid . Photo : Proven winner
EL NINO™ DESERT ORCHID (Chitalpahybrid)
Zones:6 - 9Exposure : Full to fond sunHabit : shaggy spread out habitHeight / Spread:5 to 8 feet grandiloquent , 4 to 6 feet wideBloom time : summertime
Chitalpais a hybrid crossbreed betweenChilopsis(desert willow tree ) andCatalpa , which are both aboriginal to North America . Clusters of fragrant pinkish peak standardised to orchids or snapdragons appear from late spring to former summer , with sporadic rebloom . spring up this easy - charge shrub in beds , border , or container .
Pictured : El Nino ™ Desert Orchidfrom Proven Winners .
" This gorgeous industrial plant grow really well in a container for us . We both loved its beautiful , frilly flower and its patterned advance of flowers blooming from bottom to top . The pollinator loved it too ! " — Sean & Allison , Spoken Garden
Photo : U. Eisenlohr / Shutterstock
CREOSOTE BUSH (Larrea tridentata)
Zones:7 - 11Exposure : Full sun to partial shadeHabit : Upright bushy habitHeight / Spread:4 to 8 feet tall and wideBloom time : twelvemonth - round
Creosote bush is an evergreen shrub with minuscule green leaves and bright yellowed flowers that are followed by white fluffy semen heads . Native to the Sonoran Desert , Mojave Desert , and Chihuahuan Desert , this tough plant is tolerant of heat , drouth , and poor soils . The open graceful habit is useful as a background signal element in a motley border or xeriscape .
Center Stage ® Pink crepe Vinca minor . Photo : Proven success
CENTER STAGE® PINK CRAPE MYRTLE (Lagerstroemia indica)
Zones:6 - 10Exposure : Full sunHabit : erect bushy habitHeight / Spread:6 to 12 feet tall , 8 feet wideBloom metre : Summer
Center Stage ® crape Vinca minor is a deciduous tree or shrub with dark burgundy - black leafage that provides a stunning backdrop to the red-hot pink peak . The small stature is suitable for small urban lots and containers . Use as an attractive focal point or in mass planting . watch crepe Vinca minor .
visualize : Center Stage ® Pink crape myrtlefrom Proven Winners .
Photo : Proven winner
DESERT MARIGOLD (Baileya multiradiata)
Zones:7 - 10Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright spreading habitHeight / Spread:1 to 2 feet tall , 2 to 3 feet wideBloom time : outpouring to go down
This annual , biyearly , or unawares - lived perennial produces silver - green foliation and pollyannaish xanthous flowers that resemble marigold . Plants flower over an exceptionally long menstruum , from later spring to accrue . expend this Southwest native wildflower as a filler works in rock gardens , bed , and curbside strips .
Chicklet ® Orange esperanza . exposure : Proven Winners
CHICKLET® ORANGE ESPERANZA (Tecomahybrid)
Zones:8 - 11Exposure : Full sunHabit : Compact shaggy-haired habitHeight / Spread:3 to 6 foot tall , 2 to 4 feet wideBloom time : Summer
This deciduous bush produces deep lobed leaf and cluster of orange horn - shaped flowers that are appeal to butterflies and hummingbirds . The compact size of it is desirable for belittled spaces and container . Use as an attractive focal point or in a sundry border . memorise esperanza plants .
Pictured : Chicklet ® Orange esperanzafrom Proven Winners .
Estrellita Little Star ® cracker bush . photograph : Proven Winners
ESTRELLITA LITTLE STAR® FIRECRACKER BUSH (Bouvardiahybrid)
Zones:8 - 10Exposure : Full to fond sunHabit : Compact bushy habitHeight / Spread:18 to 24 in tall and wideBloom clock time : Summer
Showy bunch of trumpet - shaped flowers pass off in strong tropical hues of red , orange , and blistering garden pink . A favourite of hummingbirds , this long - blossom deciduous bush has a compact riding habit that is versatile in container , mass plantings , recurrent , and bush borders . Learn bouvardia works .
Pictured : Estrellita Little Star ® firecracker bushfrom Proven Winners .
Juiced ™ Orange Jessamine . Photo : Proven Winners
JUICED™ ORANGE JESSAMINE (Cestrum corymbosum)
Zones:7 - 10Exposure : Full to partial sunHabit : vertical bushy habitHeight / Spread:4 to 5 feet tall , 3 to 4 feet wideBloom time : Spring to summer
Clusters of creamy orangish tubular flowers are a magnet for hummingbirds and butterfly . This foresightful flower evergreen plant shrub , which is resistant of heat and drought , lend colouring material and fragrance to foundation plantings , borders , and container .
Pictured : Juiced ™ Orange Jessaminefrom Proven Winners .
Photo : Koytun Hydrobio / Shutterstock
JOSHUA TREE (Yucca brevifolia)
Zones:6 - 10Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright fork habitHeight / Spread:15 to 30 feet improbable and wideBloom time : Spring
Joshua tree is an iconic industrial plant native to the Mohave Desert and other parts of the southwestern U.S. This slow - growing evergreen succulent has a stalwart tree diagram - like trunk , undefendable branching , and spiky green leave of absence at the bakshis . The unique architectural bodily structure makes a compelling focal level in the landscape painting .
Luscious ® Citrus Blend ™ lantana . Photo : Proven Winners
LANTANA (Lantanaspp.)
Zones:9 - 11 , also farm as an annualExposure : Full sunHabit : Upright , bushy , spreading , or land top habitHeight / Spread:2 to 6 feet tall , 3 to 10 feet wideBloom fourth dimension : Late fountain through frost , or nearly year - rhythm in warmer climates
This shaggy-haired evergreen plant shrub is grown for the tropical - hued flower clusters that are a magnet for hummingbirds , butterfly , and other insect pollinator . Blooming nearly year - round in milder mood , this vervain congeneric is usually originate as an yearly or overwintered indoors in milder climates . Grow in a container , foundation planting , as hedging or a groundcover , or mass in the landscape . acquire lantana .
depict : Luscious ® Citrus Blend ™ lantanafrom Proven Winners .
Prairie Winds ® ' Blue Paradise ' little bluestem . Photo : Proven Winners
LITTLE BLUESTEM (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Zones:3 - 9Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:2 to 4 feet tall , 1 to 2 feet wideBloom time : Late summer to fall
fiddling bluestem is an decorative smoke aboriginal to North American prairies . The finely textured blue - green foliage grow tawny brown , with airy seed heads that seem in former summertime . This carefree perennial adds graceful movement and multi - seasonal interest to mixed molding , meadow garden , and mass plantings . find out petty bluestem .
Pictured : Prairie Winds ® ' Blue Paradise ' little bluestemfrom Proven Winners .
pic : Jared Quentin / Shutterstock
MESQUITE (Prosopisspp.)
Zones:7 - 11Exposure : Full sunHabit : unsloped bushy habitHeight / Spread:8 to 50 feet tall , 8 to 30 foot wideBloom metre : Spring to summertime
This shrubby deciduous tree is native to dry region of the southwesterly U.S. The thorny branches bring on ferny foliage and feeding bottle brush flowers that are pursue by dangling pea plant - same seedpod . plant are well - adapted to dry climate with a deep taproot system . Use as a backdrop element to append texture to the landscape .
Photo : Asharkyu / Shutterstock
MEXICAN BIRD OF PARADISE (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
Zones:9 - 11Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright shaggy habitHeight / Spread:10 to 12 understructure magniloquent , 6 to 20 feet wideBloom time : Summer to fall
Mexican hoot of paradise is an evergreen bush or pocket-sized tree that get thorny foliage and clusters of orange - reddened flowers . The showy blooms , which are especially attractive to butterfly stroke and hummingbirds , are followed by curly cum pods . Its smaller stature is suitable for minor urban lots . Use as a background component or focal point in the landscape . ( It is toxic to dogs and cats . )
picture : Cheri Alguire / Shutterstock
OCOTILLO (Fouquieria splendens)
Zones:8 - 11Exposure : Full sunHabit : upright piano habitHeight / Spread:8 to 20 feet marvellous , 5 to 10 base wideBloom time : Spring
Ocotillo is a shrubby succulent native to the southwestern U.S. Plants have an graceful vase - form wont , with longsighted stem that emerge from the base . Ocotillo survives prolonged dry turn by shedding its small fleshy gullible leaves and run torpid . vivid reddened flowers that come out in spring are highly attractive to hummingbird and butterflies . utilisation as a morphological element or focal peak in the landscape painting .
Austin Pretty Limits ® oleander . exposure : Proven victor
OLEANDER (Nerium oleander)
Zones:8 - 11Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright shaggy-coated habitHeight / Spread:4 ot 20 feet tall , 3 to 15 foot wideBloom time : twelvemonth - one shot , with peak heyday during warm months
A wide used landscape shrub in warmer climates , Oleanderis develop for its long - blossom whizz - work flush and tough carefree nature . This Mediterranean native can be grown in home landscapes , but care must be taken due to its perniciousness . Use in a creation planting , waterwise strip show , or slew along a slope to stem wearing away . acquire oleander shrubs .
fancy : Austin Pretty Limits ® oleanderfrom Proven Winners .
picture : LHBLLC / Shutterstock
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS (Stenocereus thurberi)
Zones:9 - 11Exposure : Full sunHabit : good columnar habitHeight / Spread:15 to 20 foot tall , 10 to 12 understructure wideBloom time : springiness to summer
Organ pipe cactus , which is native to the desert Southwest , produces 5 to 20 trunks that emerge from the foundation . The gray - green stem with upright rib and brown spines resemble reed organ pipage . dark blooming white flowers are conform to by edible fruits . The distinctive complex body part makes a stunning focal point in a rock garden or xeriscape .
Photo : Page Light Studios / Shutterstock
PENCIL CACTUS (Euphorbia tirucalli)
Zones:11 - 12Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright branching habitHeight / Spread:20 to 30 feet magniloquent , 6 to 10 foot wideBloom time : Spring to summertime
Also known as fire stick , this evergreen succulent shrub produce pencil - like stems on branching plants that resemble sea red coral . Native to southerly Africa and Indonesia , the unripe arm may acquire affectionate chromaticity of red , yellow , and coral at the tips , hence the name fire sticks . The sculptured appearance sum up vertical interest to xeriscapes , rock gardens , and containers .
exposure : Atiger / Shutterstock
PINK MUHLY GRASS (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Zones:6 - 9Exposure : Full sun to fond shadeHabit : upright piano mounding habitHeight / Spread:2 to 3 feet tall and wideBloom prison term : Late summer to fall
Native to the eastern U.S. , this affectionate - time of year decorative grass is grown for the pink seed heads that form a billowy cotton wool candy force . The semen guide fade to tan for long - lasting winter interest . Mass in a dry border or native garden to add drifts of soft grain , trend , and color .
exposure : Halitomer / Shutterstock
PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS (Opuntiaspp.)
Zones:4 - 11Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright , spreading habitHeight / Spread:1 to 15 foot magniloquent and wide , look on the varietyBloom time : summertime
Globe - shaped blossom , which are actually colorise leafage bracts , bloom over a long catamenia of time to support a all-embracing range of bee and butterfly , include skippers . memorise prickly pear cactus .
Photo : Jack N. Mohr / Shutterstock
ROCK PURSLANE (Calandrinia grandiflorasyn.Cistanthe grandiflora)
Zones:9 - 11Exposure : Full sun to fond shadeHabit : Upright spreading habitHeight / Spread:1 to 3 feet tall , 2 to 3 feet wideBloom time : saltation to fall
aboriginal to Chile , rock purslane is a repeated succulent with heavy gray - green leaves and cup - shaped magenta blossom that grow on foresightful thin stems above the foliage . Flowers bloom over an exceptionally recollective time , from springtime to go down . Mass as a footing cover along a substructure , at the front of a border , or as edging .
pic by : Thosabhorn / Shutterstock .
TEXAS SAGE (Leucophyllum frutescens)
Zones:8 - 10Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright bushy habitHeight / Spread:5 to 8 feet tall , 4 to 6 feet wideBloom time : summertime to fall
This evergreen shrub , native to Texas , is a common landscape painting plant uprise for the soft silverish foliage and tube-shaped roseate - purple flowers , which typically appear after it rains . habituate as a background element in bed and borders , in base plantings , as hedging or cover .
Color Guard yucca . Photo : Proven Winners
YUCCA (Yuccaspp.)
Zones:4 - 11 , bet on the varietyExposure : Full sunHabit : unsloped spiky habitHeight / Spread:2 to 30 feet marvelous , 2 to 25 feet wideBloom metre : give to summer
Also known as Spanish bayonet , yucca is a diverse grouping of repeated trees and shrubs native to the Americas and Caribbean region . This succulent make proportionate rosette of shaft - shaped green , grizzly or variegated foliage , producing showy white flower spikes in spring or summer . Use as a focal point in container , rock garden and beds , or mass in the landscape painting . watch yucca plant .
Pictured : Color Guard yuccafrom Proven Winners .
