Natal Plum: Colorful, Elegant Shrub
Natal plum is not a true plum. While it does have edible fruit, this elegant evergreen shrub is usually grown in desert gardens for the year-round interest it provides. Here’s … Read more
Desert Shrubs
Shrub is an informal rather than a scientific classification but I like this definition, “If you can walk under it, it’s a tree. If you have to walk around it, it’s a shrub.”
Shrubs form the backbone of any garden. They provide architectural interest and color. You can use them to block views, form a living fence, or attract wildlife.
We are fortunate here to have a tremendous variety of beautiful shrubs that happily grow in hot dry gardens of the desert southwest.
Here at Southwest Gardener, you’ll find in-depth information to help you choose and care for the best shrubs for your desert garden.
Baja Ruellia: Overlooked Flowering Shrub
If you’d like to grow a flowering shrub that looks like a Texas ranger, but stays a manageable size and flowers more consistently, consider Baja ruellia. Here’s how to plant … Read more
Heavenly Bamboo: Four Seasons of Color
Heavenly bamboo is a bamboo look-alike that is often grown for the year-round interest it provides. But be forewarned that it often struggles in desert gardens and is toxic to … Read more
San Marcos Hibiscus: No-Fuss, Native Alternative
San Marcos hibiscus is a Sonoran Desert native that makes a great alternative to tropical hibiscus species, which are notoriously challenging to grow in the desert. Here’s everything you need … Read more
Firecracker Bush: Fiery & Festive
Firecracker bush is a tropical-looking shrub that provides year-round color — vivid red-orange flowers and leaves that change from bright green to copper in the fall. Here’s how to grow … Read more
Pomegranate: Much More Than a Fruit Tree
If you’re looking to grow fruit in the desert, pomegranate should be a top choice. As a Middle Eastern native, it thrives in hot, dry desert gardens. And it also … Read more
Guayacan: Gorgeous (But Slow Growing)
Guayacan is a shrub that turns heads when in bloom. Its flowers are violet-blue, a color rarely seen in the desert. But the other notable feature of this stunning plant … Read more
Pink Trumpet Vine: Fabulous & Flexible
Pink trumpet vine is a sprawling, tropical-looking plant with bubble gum pink flowers. It can be grown as a shrub, vine, or ground cover depending on how it’s pruned and … Read more
Baby Sage: Enchanting, Underused Shrub
Baby sage is a charming evergreen shrub that stays compact. It has red flowers that bloom much of the year and attract wildlife of all kinds. Here’s everything you need … Read more
Cleveland Sage: Aromatic, Temperamental Shrub
Cleveland sage is an evergreen shrub with whorls of purple flowers that pollinators love. As a native to coastal California, it prefers a Mediterranean climate, but it can be grown … Read more
Woolly Butterfly Bush: Simply Irresistible
If you want to attract butterflies into your yard, consider growing woolly butterfly bush. Butterflies are wildly attracted to its dainty flowers. Here’s everything you need to know about growing … Read more
Creosote: Common Yet Extraordinary
Creosote is the most abundant plant in the three deserts of the US southwest. It’s rarely grown as a landscape plant, perhaps because it’s so “common”, but this shrub can … Read more