How cold can it get before your plants experience cold damage? Before you make the effort to protect any plant in your garden from frost, make sure it needs protecting! Most desert landscape plants don’t need special care. Know for sure by finding the cold tolerance of nearly 200 plants in the charts below.
Every winter, desert gardeners have to make a judgment call when cold weather is in the forecast — “Should I cover my plants? Which ones?“
Don’t assume that all your plants need cold protection. Most desert landscape plants are sufficiently cold hardy to withstand an occasional freeze, especially if they’re native or well-established.
When you’re deciding whether to cover a particular plant, there are two things you need to know:
- How cold is it likely to get?
- How cold hardy is that plant?
This guide is to help you with the second factor — how cold hardy your plants are.
The temperatures in the right-hand column of these charts indicate the lowest temperature a plant can withstand and still survive. Of course, as it nears that temperature, a plant may exhibit cosmetic damage and look a little worse for wear until new spring growth appears.
Flowers & Ground Covers
Here is the cold-hardiness of some of the more common desert landscape flowers and ground covers. Most plants on this list are perennials, but there are also a few annuals and wildflowers.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | ℉ |
| Angelita daisy | Tetraneuris acaulis | 10 |
| Arizona milkweed | Asclepias angustifolia | 10 |
| Baby sun rose | Aptenia cordifolia | 25 |
| Blackfoot daisy | Melampodium leucanthum | -20 |
| Blanket flower | Gaillardia x grandiflora | -20 |
| Bulbine | Bulbine frutescens | 15 |
| Bush morning glory | Convolvulus cneorum | 15 |
| Chaparral sage | Salvia clevelandii | 15 |
| Chocolate flower | Berlandiera lyrata | -20 |
| Coral fountain | Russelia equisetiformis | 25 |
| Damianita | Chrysactinia Mexicana | 0 |
| Desert bluebells | Phacelia campanularia | 20 |
| Desert marigold | Baileya multiradiata | -10 |
| Desert milkweed | Asclepias subulata | 20 |
| Desert senna | Senna covesii | 25 |
| Desert zinnia | Zinnia acerosa | 20 |
| Firecracker penstemon | Penstemon eatonii | -10 |
| Foxtail fern | Asparagus densiflorus ‘Myers’ | 25 |
| Gregg’s mist | Conoclinium greggii | 0 |
| Gaura | Oenothera lindheimeri | 10 |
| Goodding’s verbena | Glandularia gooddingii | 10 |
| Jerusalem sage | Phlomis fruticosa | 15 |
| Madagascar periwinkle | Catharanthus roseus | 30 |
| Mealy cup sage | Salvia farinacea | 10 |
| Mexican evening primrose | Oenothera speciosa | -20 |
| Mexican petunia | Ruellia simplex | 15 |
| Mt. Lemmon marigold | Tagetes lemmonii | 15 |
| Myoporum | Myoporum parvifolium | 15 |
| Lantana | Lantana camara | 15 |
| Lantana, trailing | Lantana montevidensis | 10 |
| Mexican hat | Ratibida columnifera | 0 |
| Moss verbena | Glandularia tenera | 20 |
| Outback sunrise emu | Eremophila glabra | 15 |
| Pansies | Viola spp. | -10 |
| Palmer’s penstemon | Penstemon palmeri | -30 |
| Paperflower | Psilostrophe cooperi | 10 |
| Parry’s penstemon | Penstemon parryi | 10 |
| Purple ruellia | Ruellia simplex | 15 |
| Rock penstemon | Penstemon baccharifolius | 10 |
| Rocky Point ice plant | Malephora lutea | 15 |
| Sacred datura | Datura wrightii | 15 |
| Trailing lantana | Lantana montevidensis | 10 |
| Trailing rosemary | Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus‘ | 10 |
| Tufted evening primrose | Oenothera cespitosa | -30 |
| Wild sunflower | Helianthus annuus | 30 |
| Yellow dot | Sphagneticola trilobata | 25 |
Succulents
This list is nowhere near being complete — there are over 200 agaves alone! But I’ve included a sampling of the most popular succulents often used as landscape plants whose cold hardiness may be in question.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | ℉ |
| Aloe diablo | Aloe divaricata ‘Diablo’ | 25 |
| Aloe vera | Aloe vera | 26 |
| Argentine hedgehog | Echinopsis huascha | 10 |
| Artichoke agave | Agave parryi var. truncata | 25 |
| Baja spurge | Euphorbia xanti | 27 |
| Banana yucca | Yucca baccata | 0 |
| Bear grass | Nolina microcarpa | -10 |
| Beavertail prickly pear | Opuntia basilaris | 10 |
| Blue Elf aloe | Aloe x ‘Blue Elf’ | 20 |
| Blue flame agave | Agave x ‘Blue Flame’ | 20 |
| Blue glow agave | Agave x ‘Blue Glow’ | 15 |
| Blue yucca | Yucca rigida | 10 |
| Bunny ear’s cactus | Opuntia microdasys | 0 |
| Cape aloe | Aloe forex | 20 |
| Candelilla | Euphorbia antisyphilitica | 10 |
| Caribbean agave | Agave angustifolia | 25 |
| Century plant | Agave americana | 20 |
| Desert spoon | Dasylirion wheeleri | 0 |
| Elephant food | Portulacaria afra | 30 |
| Engelmann’s Prickly Pear | Opuntia engelmannii | 15 |
| Firesticks | Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’ | 28 |
| Foxtail agave | Agave attenuata | 25 |
| Giant hesperaloe | Hesperaloe funifera | 5 |
| Golden barrel cactus | Echinocactus grusonii | 20 |
| Gopher plant | Euphorbia rigida | 10 |
| Hesperaloe | Hesperaloe parviflora | 0 |
| Indian fig | Opuntia ficus-indica | 22 |
| Joshua tree | Yucca brevifolia | 0 |
| Lady slipper | Euphorbia lomelii | 25 |
| Mexican fence post | Lophocereus marginatus | 20* |
| Mexican grass tree | Dasylirion longissimum | 15 |
| Moroccan mound | Euphorbia resinifera | 20 |
| Ocotillo | Fouquieria splendens | 10 |
| Octopus agave | Agave vilmoriniana | 20 |
| Parry’s agave | Agave parryi | -5 |
| Peruvian apple cactus | Cereus repandus | 25 |
| Queen Victoria agave | Agave victoriae-reginae | 10 |
| Santa Rita prickly pear | Opuntia ‘Santa Rita’ | 15 |
| Smooth agave | Agave desmetiana | 30 |
| Soaptree yucca | Yucca elata | -10 |
| Tall slipper plant | Euphorbia bracteata | 20 |
| Torch cactus | Trichocereus hybrids | 0 |
| Totem pole cactus | Pachycereus schottii f. monstrosus | 18* |
| Twin flowered agave | Agave geminiflora | 25 |
| Weber’s agave | Agave weberi | 12 |
*Mexican fence post and totem pole cactus have frost-sensitive tips. Consider covering the tips when the temperature drops to 25.
Shrubs & Small Trees
Since whether a plant is a tree or a shrub can be subjective, I’ve included them on one chart. Many desert plants can be grown as either, depending on how they are pruned.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | ℉ |
| Arizona rosewood | Vauquelinia californica | 15 |
| Autumn sage | Salvia greggii | 0 |
| Baby sage | Salvia microphylla | 10 |
| Baja fairy duster | Calliandra californica | 20 |
| Baja ruellia | Ruellia californica subsp. peninsularis | 20 |
| Black dalea | Dalea frutescens | 0 |
| Blue bells emu | Eremophila hygrophana | 20 |
| Blue plumbago | Plumbago auriculata | 25 |
| Bougainvillea | Bougainvillea spp. | 20 |
| Brittlebush | Encelia farinosa | 10 |
| Bush dalea | Dalea pulchra | 10 |
| Cape honeysuckle | Tecoma capensis | 18 |
| Chaste tree | Vitex agnus-castus | 0 |
| Chihuahuan sage | Leucophyllum laevigatum | 10 |
| Chuperosa | Justicia californica | 25 |
| Cleveland sage | Salvia clevelandii | 10 |
| Creosote | Larrea tridentata | 5 |
| Desert hackberry | Celtis pallida | 10 |
| Desert lavender | Condea emoryi | 20 |
| Dwarf bottlebush | Dwarf bottlebrush | 15 |
| Dwarf pomegranate | Punica granatum ‘Nana’ | 10 |
| Easter egg emu | Eremophila racemosa | 20 |
| Fairy duster | Calliandra eriophylla | 20 |
| Featherbush | Lysiloma watsonii | 20 |
| Feathery senna | Senna artemisioides | 20 |
| Firecracker bush | Hamelia patens | 25 |
| Globe mallow | Sphaeralcea ambigua | 15 |
| Guayacan | Guaiacum coulter | 25 |
| Heavenly bamboo | Nandina domestica | 10 |
| Hibiscus | Hibiscus rosa-sinensis | 20 |
| Hop bush | Dodonaea viscosa | 15 |
| Hummingbird bush | Anisacanthus quadrifidus | 5 |
| Indian hawthorne | Rhaphiolepis indica | 10 |
| Jojoba | Simmondsia chinensis | 20 |
| Knife leaf acacia | Acacia cultriformis | 20 |
| Lady Banks rose | Rosa banksiae | 10 |
| Leatherleaf acacia | Acacia craspedocarpa | 15 |
| Lemon bottlebrush | Callistemon citrinus | 20 |
| Little leaf cordia | Cordia parvifolia | 15 |
| Mastic | Pistacia lentiscus | 15 |
| Mexican bird of paradise | Caesalpinia mexicana | 15 |
| Mexican honeysuckle | Justicia spicigera | 10 |
| Natal plum | Carissa macrocarpa | 26 |
| Oleander | Nerium oleander | 20 |
| Pineapple guava | Feijoa sellowiana | 15 |
| Pomegranate | Punica granatum | 10 |
| Purple hop bush | Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’ | 18 |
| Red bird of paradise | Caesalpinia pulcherrima | 15 |
| Red justicia | Justicia candicans | 15 |
| Rosemary | Rosmarinus officinalis | 10 |
| Sago palm | Cycas revoluta | 15 |
| San Marcos hibiscus | Gossypium harknessii | 25 |
| Shoestring acacia | Acacia stenophylla | 15 |
| Skyflower | Duranta erecta | 25 |
| Superstition mallow | Abutilon palmeri | 20 |
| Texas olive | Cordia boissieri | 20 |
| Texas ranger | Leucophyllum frutescens | 10 |
| Trailing indigo bush | Dalea greggii | 15 |
| Turpentine bush | Ericameria laricifolia | 0 |
| Valentine emu | Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’ | 15 |
| Wolfberry | Lycium fremontii | 20 |
| Yellow bells | Tecoma stans | 10 |
| Yellow bird of paradise | Erythrostemon gilliesii | 10 |
| Winter Blaze’ emu bush | Eremophila glabra ‘Winter Blaze’ | 20 |
| Woolly butterfly bush | Buddleja marrubiifolia | 15 |
Vines
| Common Name | Scientific Name | ℉ |
| Arizona grape ivy | Cissus trifoliata | -10 |
| Arizona passionflower | Passiflora arizonica | 20 |
| Black-eyed Susan vine | Thunbergia alata | 28 |
| Bower vine | Pandorea jasminoides | 25 |
| Carolina jessamine | Gelsemium sempervirens | 10 |
| Cat’s claw | Dolichandra unguis-cati | 15 |
| Creeping fig | Ficus pumila | 10 |
| Lilac vine | Hardenbergia violacea | 20 |
| Pink trumpet vine | Podranea ricasoliana | 10 |
| Purple orchid vine | Mascagnia lilacina | 15 |
| Queen’s wreath | Antigonon leptopus | 20 |
| Snail vine | Cochliasanthus caracalla | 20 |
| Star jasmine | Trachelospermum jasminoides | 10 |
| Tangerine crossvine | Bignonia capreolata ‘Tangerine Beauty’ | 15 |
| Trumpet creeper | Campsis radicans | – 20 |
| Yellow orchid vine | Callaeum macropterum | 20 |
| Yuca vine | Distimake aureus | 25 |
Before You Go…
As you peruse these lists, you may be pleasantly surprised to see how few desert landscape plants can’t tolerate cold. Hopefully, this will relieve you from the onerous chore of covering your plants every time you experience frost.
If you’d like more about the plants listed here, check out our Desert Plant Library, where you’ll find comprehensive “plant profiles” of over 175 plants.
Citrus — It’s Complicated
You may be wondering why I haven’t mentioned citrus. I intentionally left citrus off the charts because it’s complicated! The cold hardiness of citrus depends on the variety as well as numerous other factors.
If you grow citrus, you’ll find the cold hardiness (and lots of other useful information) of dozens of varieties of citrus at Four Winds Growers Citrus Variety Chart.
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