You can have beautiful landscape even in the desert. The first, method of landscaping in the desert is to choose plants that are native to the area in which you are landscaping, in this case Arizona. Second, the plants will not need expensive fertilizers to grow to their full potential. They are made to grow in the dry desert soil, these plants know how to survive with minimal amounts of water. Listed below are excellent plant choices for desert landscapes.
TREES
Desert Willow
The Desert Willow has pink and purple flowers usually attracting humming birds. This tree does well in full sun and in dry soils. Surprisingly despite its name it’s not actually a willow tree.
Desert Museum Palo Verde
The Desert Museum Palo Verde is a thorn less tree with bright yellow flowers. This tree flowers in the Spring and is best in full sun.
Chilean Mesquite
The Chilean Mesquite has greenish yellow flowers. The tree flowers in the Spring and Summer and is dormant in the Winter months.
Cacti
Golden Barrel
The Golden Barrel cactus has spines or sharp edges; use extreme caution when handling. This cactus blooms in mid-summer with a pale yellow flower. It is also Drought-tolerant and does well in full sun.
Yucca Pendula
The Yucca Pendula is a cactus that does great in full sun or partial shade. This Yucca can be identified by its blue-green leathery textures foliage. It also has whitish flowers and blooms in the late summer to mid-fall.
Prickly Pear
The Prickly Pear has flat rounded cladodes with yellow flowers. The cactus blooms in the Sprint to the early Summer and does great in full sun. The colorful fruit that grows on the cacti attracts birds in the summer months.
Shrubs
Baja Fairy Duster
The Baja Fairy Duster does great in full sun and flowers year round. The flowers are Scarlet Red to Orange-Red attracting humming birds.
Desert Ruellia
The Desert Ruellia is a plant native to Mexico. The Desert Ruellia does good in full sun and has funnel-shaped purple or blue flowers. This plant blooms in mid-March to November.
Mexican Honeysuckle
The Mexican Honeysuckle does great in full sun and attracts humming birds. Clusters of bright orange, narrowly tubular flowers appear almost year round.