Southwest Gardener’s Desert Plant Library contains nearly 200 comprehensive “plant profiles” covering a wide range of popular desert landscape plants.
The information presented in these plant profiles will help you learn how to take better care of the plants you have.
And by using this information before you add a new plant to your landscape, you can determine whether it’s the right plant for the place you have in mind before you buy. The information you find here will ultimately save you time, money, and frustration.
You can search for plants two ways.
Click on the button to “Browse” plants by category.
Or click on the “Drop-down List” to see an alphabetical list of plants by common name.
Desert Flowers
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Angelita daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis)
Arizona milkweed (Asclepias angustifolia)
Arizona poppy (Kallstroemia grandiflora)
Baby sun rose (Mesembryanthemum cordifolium)
Blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
Blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora)
Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens)
Bush morning glory (Convolvulus cneorum)
Chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata)
Coral fountain (Russelia equisetiformis)
Damianita (Chrysactinia Mexicana)
Desert bluebell (Phacelia campanularia)
Desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata)
Desert milkweed (Asclepias subulata)
Desert senna (Senna covesii)
Firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii)
Goodding’s verbena (Verbena gooddingii)
Gregg’s mist (Conoclinium greggii)
Gaura (Oenothera lindheimeri)
Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa)
Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lantana ‘Dallas Red’ (Lantana x ‘Dallas Red’)
Lantana ‘New Gold’ (Lantana x ‘New Gold’)
Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)
Mediterranean carpet (Teucrium majoricum ‘Mediterranean Carpet’)
Mexican evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa)
Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex)
Mt. Lemmon marigold (Tagetes lemmonii)
Myoporum (Myoporum parvifolium)
Outback sunrise emu (Eremophila glabra ‘Mingenew Gold’)
Palmer’s penstemon (Penstemon palmeri)
Paperflower (Psilostrophe cooperi)
Parry’s penstemon (Penstemon parryi)
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
Rock penstemon (Penstemon baccharifolius)
Rocky Point ice plant (Malephora lutea)
Sacred datura (Datura wrightii)
Sandpaper verbena (Verbena rigida)
Trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis)
Tufted evening primrose (Oenothera cespitosa)
Wild sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Yellow dot (Sphagneticola trilobata)
Desert Grasses
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Bear grass (Nolina microcarpa)*
Big muhly (Muhlenbergia lindheimeri)
Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
Bull grass (Muhlenbergia emersleyi)
Deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens)
Desert spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri)*
Kurapia (Lippia nodiflora cultivar)*
Pink flamingo muhly (Muhlenbergia x ‘Pink Flamingo’)
Hesperaloe (Hesperaloe parviflora)*
Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima)
Mexican grass tree (Dasylirion longissimum)*
Pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaries)
Purple fountain grass (Cenchrus setaceus ‘Rubrum’)
Purple muhly (Muhlenbergia rigida)
Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
* grass-like, not technically a grass
Desert Ground Covers
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Angelita daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis)
Baby sun rose (Mesembryanthemum cordifolium)
Beavertail prickly pear (Opuntia basilaris)
Blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
Blue elf aloe (Aloe x ‘Blue Elf’)
Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens)
Bush morning glory (Convolvulus cneorum)
Candelilla (Euphorbia antisyphilitica)
Cape honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis)
Coral fountain (Russelia equisetiformis)
Damianita (Chrysactinia Mexicana)
Elephant food (Portulacaria afra)
Foxtail fern (Asparagus densiflorus ‘Myers’)
Goodding’s verbena (Verbena gooddingii)
Gopher plant (Euphorbia rigida)
Gregg’s mist (Conoclinium greggii)
Kurapia (Lippia nodiflora cultivar)
Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lantana ‘Dallas Red’ (Lantana x ‘Dallas Red’)
Lantana ‘New Gold’ (Lantana x ‘New Gold’)
Mediterranean carpet (Teucrium majoricum ‘Mediterranean Carpet’)
Mexican evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa)
Myoporum (Myoporum parvifolium)
Outback sunrise emu (Eremophila glabra ‘Mingenew Gold’)
Pink trumpet vine (Podranea ricasoliana)
Rock penstemon (Penstemon baccharifolius)
Rocky Point ice plant (Malephora lutea)
Sacred datura (Datura wrightii)
Sandpaper verbena (Verbena rigida)
Trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis)
Trailing rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’)
Tufted evening primrose (Oenothera cespitosa)
Yellow dot (Sphagneticola trilobata)
Desert Shrubs
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Arizona rosewood (Vauquelinia californica)
Autumn sage (Salvia greggii)
Baja ruellia (Ruellia californica subsp. peninsularis)
Baby sage (Salvia microphylla)
Baja fairy duster (Calliandra californica)
Baja spurge (Euphorbia xanti)
Black dalea (Dalea frutescens)
Blue bells emu (Eremophila hygrophana)
Blue plumbago (Plumbago auriculata)
Bougainvillea ‘Torch Glow’ (Bougainvillea ‘Torch Glow’)
Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa)
Cape honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis)
Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus)
Chuparosa (Justicia californica)
Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii)
Creosote (Larrea tridentata)
Desert broom (Baccharis sarothroides)
Desert lavender (Condea emoryi)
Dwarf bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis ‘Little John’)
Dwarf pomegranate (Punica granatum ‘Nana’)
Fairy duster (Calliandra eriophylla)
Featherbush (Lysiloma watsonii)
Feathery cassia (Senna artemisioides)
Firecracker bush (Hamelia patens)
Globe mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua)
Guayacan (Guaiacum coulter)
Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)
Hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa)
Indian hawthorne (Rhaphiolepis indica)
Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis)
Knife leaf acacia (Acacia cultriformis)
Lady Banks rose (Rosa banksiae)
Leatherleaf acacia (Acacia craspedocarpa)
Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus)
Little leaf cordia (Cordia parvifolia)
Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus)
Mexican honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera)
Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex)
Mt. Lemmon marigold (Tagetes lemmonii)
Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa)
Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)
Oleander (Nerium oleander)
Orchid tree (Bauhinia lunarioides)
Pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana)
Pink trumpet vine (Podranea ricasoliana)
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Purple hop bush (Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’)
Red bird of paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
Red justicia (Dianthera candicans)
San Marcos hibiscus (Gossypium harknessii)
Skyflower (Duranta erecta)
Superstition mallow (Abutilon palmeri)
Texas mountain laurel (Dermatophyllum secundiflorum)
Texas ranger ‘Heavenly Cloud’ (Leucophyllum x ‘Heavenly Cloud’)
Texas Ranger ‘Little Lynn’ (Leucophyllum x ‘Little Lynn’)
Trailing rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’)
Turpentine bush (Ericameria laricifolia)
Valentine emu bush (Eremophila maculata ‘Valentine’)
White plumbago (Plumbago auriculata ‘Alba’)
‘Winter Blaze’ emu bush (Eremophila glabra ssp. carnosa ‘Winter Blaze’)
Wolfberry (Lycium fremontii)
Yellow bells (Tecoma stans)
Yellow bird of paradise (Erythrostemon gilliesii)
Woolly butterfly bush (Buddleja marrubiifolia)
Desert Succulents
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Aloe ‘Blue Elf’ (Aloe x ‘Blue Elf’)
Aloe ‘Diablo’ (Aloe divaricata ‘Diablo’)
Artichoke agave (Agave parryi var. truncata)
Banana yucca (Yucca baccata)
Bear grass (Nolina microcarpa)
Baja spurge (Euphorbia xanti)
Beavertail prickly pear (Opuntia basilaris)
Blue flame agave (Agave x ‘blue flame’)
Blue glow agave (Agave x ‘blue glow’)
Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens)
Bunny ears cactus (Opuntia microdasys)
Cape aloe (Aloe ferox)
Candelilla (Euphorbia antisyphilitica)
Century plant (Agave americana)
Desert spoon (Dasylirion wheeleri)
Elephant food (Portulacaria afra)
Firesticks (Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’)
Foxtail agave (Agave attenuata)
Giant hesperaloe (Hesperaloe funifera)
Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)
Gopher plant (Euphorbia rigida)
Hesperaloe (Hesperaloe parviflora)
Lady slipper (Euphorbia lomelii)
Mexican fence post (Lophocereus marginatus)
Mexican grass tree (Dasylirion longissimum)
Moroccan mound (Euphorbia resinifera)
Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens)
Octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana)
Parry’s agave (Agave parryi)
Peruvian apple (Cereus repandus)
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
Queen Victoria agave (Agave victoriae-reginae)
Rocky Point ice plant (Malephora lutea)
Sago palm (Cycas revoluta)
Santa Rita prickly pear (Opuntia ‘Santa Rita’)
Smooth agave (Agave desmetiana)
Soaptree yucca (Yucca elata)
Tall slipper plant (Euphorbia bracteata)
Totem pole cactus (Pachycereus schottii f. monstrous)
Twin-flowered agave (Agave geminiflora)
Weber’s agave (Agave weberi)
Desert Trees
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Arizona ash (Fraxinus velutina)
Blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida)
Bottle tree (Brachychiton populneus)
Cascalote (Tara cacalaco)
Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus)
Chitalpa (X Chitalpa tashkentensis)
Desert willow ‘Bubba’ (Chilopsis linearis ‘Bubba’)
Featherbush (Lysiloma watsonii)
Foothills palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla)
Fruitless olive (Olea europaea ‘Wilsonii‘)
Ironwood (Olneya tesota)
‘Joan Lionetti’ oak (Quercus virginiana x fusiformis ‘Joan Lionetti’)
Leatherleaf acacia (Acacia craspedocarpa)
Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus)
‘Leslie Roy’ mesquite (Prosopis x ‘Leslie Roy’)
Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus)
Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis)
Mexican bird of paradise (Erythrostemon mexicanus)
Mexican blue palm (Brahea armata)
Mexican redbud (Cercis canadensis var. mexicana)
Mulga (Acacia aneura)
Palo blanco (Mariosousa willardiana)
Pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana)
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Red push pistache (Pistacia x ‘Red Push’)
Sago palm (Cycas revoluta)
Soaptree yucca (Yucca elata)
Sweet acacia (Vachellia farnesiana)
Texas ebony (Ebenopsis ebano)
Texas mountain laurel (Dermatophyllum secundiflorum)
Texas olive (Cordia boissieri)
Desert Vines
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Arizona grape ivy (Cissus trifoliata)
Arizona passionflower (Passiflora arizonica)
Black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata)
Bower vine (Pandorea jasminoides)
Cape honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis)
Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
Cat’s claw (Dolichandra unguis-cati)
Creeping fig (Ficus pumila)
Lady Banks rose (Rosa banksiae)
Lilac vine (Hardenbergia violacea)
Orchid tree (Bauhinia lunarioides)
Pink trumpet vine (Podranea ricasoliana)
Purple hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus)
Purple orchid vine (Mascagnia lilacina)
Queen’s wreath (Antigonon leptopus)
Shoestring acacia (Acacia stenophylla)
Skyflower (Duranta erecta)
Snail vine (Vigna caracalla)
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
Tangerine crossvine (Bignonia capreolata ‘Tangerine Beauty’)
Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans)
Yellow orchid vine (Callaeum macropterum)
Yuca vine (Distimake aureus)
Native Desert Plants
