Some homeowners may think that there isn’t much choice for plants when it comes to the dry Arizona desert climate. However, there are plenty of options to choose from that widely vary in both their size as well as features. Consider these plants that thrive in Arizona gardens to add to your yard this year:
Blue Palo Verde
This gorgeous tree is well known for its bright yellow blooms that attract nothing but attention. The Blue Palo Verde is a hardy tree that does well in the desert Arizona climate. It requires very little water and overgrows up to a size of 30 feet in height and width. The semi-evergreen foliage turns a blue-green color once the blooms fade away making this a more neutral plant come summer through winter. The leaves are a beautiful texture, and the tree grows in a vase-shaped form with a small trunk at the bottom moving into a crown of branches at the top. The Blue Palo Verde enjoys full or reflected sun making it a natural choice for sunny Arizona gardens.
Mexican Thread Grass
Also known as Mexican feather grass, this ornamental grass is a great addition to add interest and movement to a garden. Mexican Thread Grass enjoys partly sunny conditions and overgrows to a mature size of 18 inches in height and width. It includes a fine texture of leaves that create a somewhat busy look with blades going in every direction. Mexican Thread Grass is a great addition to add fall interest to a garden as the foliage will turn golden yellow after the summer heat dissipates. The plant requires a medium amount of water and would benefit from a regular water schedule during the temperature of the summer.
Bush Morning Glory
Many Arizona homeowners have inorganic mulch options, like pebbles or stone, in their gardens as a ground cover but many plant options can add much more life to an Arizona garden. One of these excellent ground cover options is the Bush Morning Glory that is quick to spread without requiring very much water whatsoever. It enjoys full sun conditions and can quickly reach its mature width of 3 feet within a season. This particular ground cover overs more than just a bed of silvery-gray leaves but also beautiful white blossoms that appear in the spring. The white flowers have delicate yellow centers making this a plant that attracts wildlife as well.
Indian Fig
Cacti are the heart of the desert region plants. However, there is a wide range of size, colors, and shapes in the cacti family that make this plant quite diverse. The Indian Fig is a smaller cactus that enjoys full sun and requires very little water. It has a moderate growth tendency and will reach about 12-18 inches in height and width at maturity. Indian Figs are considered to be a shrub or small tree size and have nodes of medium green colored leaves. Spring brings a beautiful yellow or orange flowers as well.
Parry’s Agave
Many Arizona gardens include succulent varieties based on their low water requirements and the ability to store the little water that they receive. Parry’s Agave is a commonly found succulent within Arizona that offers rigid gray-green spikes that form in a rosette shape. This plant reaches 2 feet high and wide at maturity and provides not only a unique design to the garden but also texture in its foliage. Bright yellow blooms will appear in summer making this an excellent option for Arizona gardens.
Blackfoot Daisy
Don’t count out flowers from thriving in an Arizona garden due to the harsh climate. Many flowering varieties enjoy the hot sun of the region as well as require little water. One of these is the Blackfoot Daisy which offers beautiful white-petaled flowers with bright yellow centers. This fast-growing flower looks gorgeous when planted close together to form a bed of inviting blooms that last year round. Blackfoot Daisy is a simple choice to add color and long-lasting flowers to any Arizona garden.
Arizona gardens will look different than other gardens throughout the country, but that doesn’t mean that they are any less beautiful. Choose from a variety of shrubs, trees, and flowers that will fill your garden with various color. Using a mixture of succulents and cacti are also good ways to ensure that your garden will thrive throughout the year. Consider using all of these plants that thrive in Arizona gardens this year.
Nannette Walker is a gardening and design writer for WikiLawn, and has a true passion for growing her own food. She loves to make quirky decor using recycled elements, she is also a music lover, always making time for a sing along with her guitar. For more information about WikiLawn, visit www.wikilawn.com/lawn-care/az/phoenix/
