Sonoran Garden        
Common Name Latin Name T H X W Ornamental Value
         
Banana Yucca, Datil Yucca Yucca baccata YA 4' X 4' Green leaves, white, greenish, or reddish flowers
Bastard Sage Eriogonum wrightii P 2' x 2' Lacy flowers in spring, deciduous
Beargrass Nolina bigelovii S 4' X 3' Long grass-like leaves, white flowers
Beavertail Cactus Opuntia basilaris CS 1' X 2' Magenta to red flowers, purple green fruit
Blackfoot Daisy Melampodium leucanthum PS 6" X 1' White one inch daisies
Black-Spine Prickly Pear Opuntia macrocentra CS 4' X 4' Red and bright yellow flowers late spring to early summer, red fruits
Blind Prickly Pear Opuntia rufida CS 5' X 5' Orange flowers in spring to early summer, fruits have several colors
Blue Palo Verde Cercidium floridum T 12' X 15' Evergreen branches, yellow flowers two weeks in April or May, fragrant
Bunny Ears Opuntia microdasys CS 4' X 4' Pale yellow flowers in spring to early summer, red fruits
California Buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum P 18" x 3' Lacy flowers in spring
California Barrel Cactus Ferocactus acanthodes C To 6' Yellow to orange to red flowers in late summer or early fall
Century Plant Agave americana YA 7' X 12' Evergreen, yellow flower once at about 10 years or more (monocarpic), stalk 15 to 30 feet high
Claret Cup Cactus Echinocereus triglochidiatus CS 1' X 4' Showy scarlet to wine flowers in spring or early summer
Cow's Tongue Prickly Pear Opuntia engelmannii var. linguiformis CS 4' X 4' Yellow flowers in spring, purple fruits
Creosote Bush Larrea tridentata S 6' X 6' Yellow flowers, evergreen, fragrance from leaves when humidity is high
Desert Agave Agave deserti YA 3' X 3' Yellow flowers
Desert Almond Prunus fasciculata S 3' X 3' Tiny, white flowers, not showy
Desert Lavender Hyptis emoryi S 8' X 8' Lavender flowers, minty fragrance in spring
Desert Marigold Baileya multiradiata   1' X 1' Yellow daisies almost all year
Desert Rosemallow Hibiscus coulteri P 4' X 4' Showy cream, tan, or yellow flowers March through November
Desert Spoon, Sotol, Desert Candle Dasylirion wheeleri S 5' X 4' Yellow flowers on 15 to 20 foot stalks
Desert Willow Chilopsis linearis T 12' X 15' Trumpet shaped flowers 2 to 3 inches long in white to rose to purple, often two toned
Dwarf White Zinnia, Desert Zinnia Zinnia acerosa P 3" X 1' White flowers after rains
Feather Dalea, Feather Plume Dalea formosa P 1' X 2' Bloom fall through spring with small purple and white or cream flowers
Fishhook Barrel Cactus Ferocactus cylindraceus CS 4' X 1' Yellow flowers in early summer, yellow fruit
Fragrant Evening Primrose Neriserenia camporum P 8" X 1' White to pale pink flowers in spring
Graham's Nipple Cactus Mammillaria grahamii CS 6" Large pink flowers February to July, red fruits
Globe Mallow, Desert Mallow Sphaeralcea ambigua P 2' X 3' Orange, pink, white, or lavender leaves mostly in spring
Golden Yarrow Eriophyllum confertiflorum P 2' Mat of bright yellow flowers
Honey Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa T 20' x 20' White flowers with long stamens February through September, seed pods
Huajillo Havardia pallens T 20' X 15' Fragrant, white, ball shaped flowers May through August
Jumping Cholla, Chainfruit Cholla Opuntia fulgida var. fulgida CS 8' X 6' Red-purple to pink flowers mid spring, green fruits in fall
Lechuguilla Agave lechuguilla CS 18" X 2' Evergreen, fragrant yellow-green flower
Littleleaf Mock Orange, June Bride Philadelphus microphyllus S 1' X 1' Dark green leaves, small white flowers have fragrance of pineapples
Mariola Parthenium incanum P 2' X 2' Gray-white, velvety, aromatic, drought and cold deciduous
Mescal Ceniza Agave colorata Y 3' X 3' Yellow flowers on stem, grey leaves (monocarpic)
Mescal Pelon Agave pelona Y 6' X 6' White bloom on stem in early spring, light green leaves (monocarpic)
Mexican Grass Tree Dasylirion longissimum Y 6' X 6' White flowers after red buds, stalk up to 15 feet tall in mid-summer, dioecious
Mexican Tree Ocotillo Fouquieria macdougalii T 15' X 10' Red  flowers mid-spring
Mojave Aster Xylorhiza tortifolia P 1' X 2' Light purple flowers March through May and again in September-October
Mojave Prickly Pear, Tulip Prickly Pear Opuntia phaeacantha CS 3' X 6' Yellow flowers in spring slowly changing to pinkish orange, mahogany fruits
Mojave Verbena Verbena gooddingii P 1' X 1' Pale lavender-blue flowers from February to November, fragrant
Mormon Tea Ephedra trifurca or E. viridus S 4' X 6' Texture of stems, yellow flowers on males in spring
Nevada Jointfir Ephedra nevadensis S 5' X 5' Texture of stems, yellow flowers on males in spring
New Mexico Agave Agave neomexicana YA 2' X 2' Evergreen, yellow flower once in spring
New Mexico False Yucca Hesperaloe funifera Y 6' X 6' White to yellow blooming stalk to 15 feet March through May
Ocotillo, Candlewood Fouquiera splendens S 12' X 8' Red to orange flowers after rain
Pancake Prickly Pear Opuntia chlorotica CS 3' X 3' Yellow-orange flowers in spring, red fruits
Prince's Plume Stanleya pinnata P 6' X 5' 3 foot yellow flower spikes bloom April through September
Quadricolor Century Plant Agave lophantha CS 1' x 1' Evergreen, greyish green to yellow flower once at about 10 years or more (monocarpic), stalk 12 feet high
Red Barberry Berberis haematocarpa S 6' X 8' Fragrant yellow flowers, red berries, purple fall color
Red Yucca Nolina bigelovii S 3' X 3' Evergreen, red flowers
Sacahuista Nolina microcarpa  YA 6' X 8' Greenish white flower cluster in spring, 6 foot leaves
Saguaro Carnegiea gigantea CS 50' x 15' Attractive, borne on the branch tips in rings, white with a yellow center, 2 inches across, blooming at night during May and June
Santa Rita Prickly Pear Opuntia violaceae santa rita CS 3' X 6' Pale yellow flowers mid spring, purple fruit in fall drying to grey
Screwbean Mesquite Prosopis pubescens T 15' X 15' Yellow flowers in late spring, fragrant, interesting seedpods
Skeletonleaf Goldeneye Viguiera stenoloba P 2' X 3' Golden flowers after rains
Soaptree Yucca Yucca elata S, T 6' X 4' Green leaves, bell-shaped white flowers, limbs, dead leaves hang on limbs
Soapweed Yucca Yucca glauca YA 3' x 3' Bell shaped flowers, greenish white, pendulous, June to August
Spinystar Cactus, Beehive Cactus Coryphantha (Escobaria) vivipara CS 1' X 1' Showy pink to purple flowers in spring or early summer
Starleaf Mexican Orange, Fragrant Starleaf Choisya dumosa S 18" X 3' White fragrant flowers after rains, fancy leaves
Strawberry Cactus, Fishhook Cactus Mammillaria dioica CS 18" X 1' White to pink flowers, scarlet fruit
Sundrops Calylophus hartwegii v. fendleri P 1' x 2' Spring and summer clear yellow over night flowers turning pink in morning
Teddybear Cholla Opuntia bigelovii CS 4' X 4' Green-yellow to white flowers in spring, green or yellow fruit
Texas Beargrass, Texas Sacahuista Nolina texana S 4' X 3' Long grass-like leaves, white flowers
Texas Sotol Dasylirion texanum YA  3' X 5' Creamy white flowers on 15 foot stalks spring and summer, light green evergreen leaves
Torry Mesquite, Western Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana T 10' X 25' Yellow flowers in late spring, fragrant, seedpods are sometime scarlet
Tree Cholla, Cane Cholla, Chain Link Cactus Opuntia acanthocarpa CS 8' X 8' Pink to purple flowers most of the year, fruit yellow green
Turpentinebush, Larchleaf Goldenweed Ericameria laricifolia S 6' X 8' Yellow flowers, red berries, purple fall color
Velvet Mesquit, Common Mesquite Prosopis velutina T 15' X 15' White flowers with long stamens, seed pods
Waterjacket, Anderson Wolfberry Lycium andersonii S 3' x 18" Butterflies and bees use flowers, songbirds eat berries
Weber's Century Plant Agave weberi YA 6' X 6' Evergreen blue-green toothed leaves, yellow flowers on 15 foot stalk (monocarpic)
Whitethorn Acacia Acacia constricta T 15' X 10' Yellow puffballs in spring, fragrant, attractive brown pods in fall
Yellow Butterfly Vine Mascagnia macroptera S 15' vine Bright yellow butterfly shaped flowers during hottest months
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