Garden Plants for the Low Desert

We have dedicated web pages for over 150 low desert plants that includes details about each plant’s characteristics and the role they play as part of the pollinator web; these pages are part of our Interpretive Trails Project.

Smart Plant Tags

Gardens and Landscapes: Transform your garden into a gallery of personalized narratives, providing valuable information to both seasoned gardeners and curious visitors.

Public Spaces and Parks: Enhance the educational aspect of public spaces by introducing engraved tags. Create interactive learning experiences that engage and inform visitors about the diverse flora and fauna in the area.

Commercial Landscapes: For businesses looking to add a touch of sophistication to their outdoor spaces, and to communicate your commitment to nature.

Nature Reserves and Conservation Areas: Support conservation efforts by providing informative markers in nature reserves. Raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and conservation.

Educational Institutions: Create interactive outdoor classrooms by incorporating our tags into educational institutions. Foster a love for nature and a thirst for knowledge among students of all ages.

Create your custom tags today – available in our Shop!

Not every landscape plant qualifies for the Recommended Plant list, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a place in your landscape. Some common low desert landscape plants have aesthetic value, but perhaps not so many benefits to native bees or pollinators – these plants are organized under this page.

You can search for a name on this page:

The list of plants that grow in the Southwest and can serve as host or nectar plants can be overwhelming. Selecting plants for your garden is made even more difficult by the dizzying array of plants sold at box stores.

If you’re serious about supporting pollinators, you can whittle down the list by removing plants that have been hybridized for color, plants that take a lot of water to make it through the summer heat, and plants that have been treated with pesticides to increase their beauty and shelf life.

Regarding pesticides, ask a store attendant if they can definitively say that their plants are pesticide free. Unless, of course, the label on the plant explicitly states that no pesticides were used. Neonicotinoid pesticides are especially harmful, and can stay in the plant for a season or more. As an aside, this also means that you shouldn’t use pesticides in your pollinator garden either – here is a list of common pesticides.

Native, Nativar, Cultivar

“Most cultivars, including nativars, are propagated by cloning, so that each plant has the same genetic makeup as the parent plant, and so on. A cloned cultivar has a set genetic package. Sometimes these clones go on to participate in the natural reproductive cycle by cross-pollinating with other true natives, sometimes they do not.”

MPPH – Maricopa Pollinator Pathway Host Starter Palette
MPPN – Maricopa Pollinator Pathway Nectar Starter Palette
* – Coming Soon

A, B

Acacia spp (Also includes Vachellia, Senegalia, Mariosousa, Acaciella) Catclaw Acacia, Senegalia greggii, Acaciella angustissima, Acacia greggii, Vachellia constricta, Vachellia rigidula, Vachellia shaffneri, Vachellia shottii, Vachellia vernicosa
Butterfly/Moth Host: Reakirt’s Blue, Marine Blue, Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth, Mexican Yellow, Mimosa Yellow, Tricolor Buckmoth

Agave spp American Agave, Rough Agave, Golden-flowered Agave, False Sisal, Desert Agave, Slim-footed Agave, Harvard Agave, Holly Agave, Lechuguilla, Murphey’s Agave, Plamer’s Agave, Parry’s Agave, Grand Canyon Agave, Schott’s Agave, Coastal Agave, Sisal, Toumey’s Agave, McKelvey’s Agave, Octopus Agave, Queen Victoria Agave, Twin-flowered Agave, Utah Agave, Sacred Mountain Agave
Butterfly/Moth Host: Arizona Giant Skipper

Aloe spp Aloe Vera, Aloe x ‘Blue Elf’, Tree Aloe

American Elm (Ulmus americana)
Butterfly/Moth Host: Mourning Cloak

Anacacho Orchid Tree (Bauhinia lunarioides)
Butterfly/Moth Host: Silver-Spotted Skipper

Antelope Horns Milkweed (Asclepias asperula)
Butterfly/Moth Host: Monarch, Queen

Angelita Daisy (Tetraneuris acaulis) Stemless Four-nerve Daisy, Stemless Hymenoxys, Stemless Rubberweed

Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa)

Apache Red Grass (Panicum bulbosum, Zuloagaea bulbosa)
Butterfly/Moth Host: Cassus Roadside Skipper, Texas Roadside Skipper

Apples (Malus spp)
Butterfly/Moth Host: White-Lined Sphinx

Arizona Ash (Fraxinus velutina) Velvet Ash, Desert Ash, Leather Leaf Ash, Smooth Ash, Toumey As, Fresno Ash, Modesto Ash

Arizona Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus wislizenii) Southwestern Barrel Cactus, Candy Barrel Cactus, Fishhook Barrel Cactus, Compass Barrel Cactus

Arizona Foldwing (Dicliptera resupinata)

Arizona Milkweed (Asclepias angustifolia) Slim Milkweed

Arizona Rosemallow (Hibiscus biseptus) Tulipán

Arizona Rosewood (Vauquelinia californica) Reakirt’s Blue, Marine Blue, Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth, Mexican Yellow, Mimosa Yellow, Tricolor Buckmoth

Arizona Spurge (Euphorbia Xanti) Baja Spurge, White Spurge, Liga, Confetti Flower

*Arizona Thistle (Cirsium arizonicum)

Arizona Wrightwort (Carlowrightia arizonica) Arizona Carlowrightia

Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) Red Fairy Duster, Tabardillo

Baja Ruellia (Ruellia peninsularis) Desert Ruellia

Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus spp) Ferocactus cylindraceus (California Barrel Cactus) Ferocactus wislizeni (Arizona Barrel Cactus) Ferocactus emoryi (Emory’s Barrel Cactus)

Bear Grass (Nolina microcarpa) Saw Grass, Sacahuista, Texas Beargrass, Bigelow’s Beargrass, Blue Beargrass Tree

Beebrush (Aloysia wrightii), Oreganillo, Wright’s Beebrush

Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum) – MPPN

Bladdermallow (Herissantia crispa) Curly Abutilon, Pelotazo

Blanketflower (Gaillardia spp) Firewheel,

Bottlebrush (Melaleuca viminalis, Callistemon viminalis) Weeping Bottlebrush

Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) – MPPN

Broom Snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) Broomweed, Kindlingweed, Matchbrush, Matchweed, Perennial Snakeweed, Snakeweed, Stinkweed, Texas Snakeweed, Turpentine Weed, Yellow Top

Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia Acanthocarpa) Choya, Tasajo

Burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa) Burro Weed, Desert Ragweed, White Bursage, Chicurilla, Estafiate, Ambrosia, Huizapol, Hierba del Burro, Chamizo

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Butterfly Milkweed

C, D

Cape Honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis)

Cascalote (Țară cacalaco) Caesalpinia cacalaco, Coulteria mexicana, Russellodendron cacalaco, Poinciana horrida

California Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus) Desert Barrel Cactus, Miner’s Compass, biznaga

Catclaw Acacia (Senegalia greggii) Devilsclaw, Gregg Acacia, Gregg Catclaw, Long-flower Acacia, Long-flower Catclaw, Texas Catclaw, Wait-a-Minute Bush, Uña de Gato, Tèsota, Gatuño, Palo Chino, Algarroba, Tepame, Reakirt’s Blue, Marine Blue, Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth, Mexican Yellow, Mimosa Yellow, Tricolor Buckmoth

Chain Fruit Cholla (Cylindropuntia fulgida) Opuntia fulgida, Cholla Brincadora, Chain-fruit Cholla, Hanging Chain Cholla, Choya, Velas de Coyote

Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata) Chocolate Scented Daisy

Chollas (Cylindropuntia spp) Teddy Bear Cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii) Chain Fruit Cholla (Cylindropuntia fulgida) Staghorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia versicolor) Cane Cholla (Cylindropuntia spinosior) Silver Cholla (Cylindropuntia echinocarpa) Buckhorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa) Pencil Cholla (Cylindropuntia leptocaulis)

Chuparosa (Justicia californica) California Beloperone, Hummingbird Bush

Citrus spp – MPPH

Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii) California Blue Sage

Collectable Succulent Tags

Colorado Four O’clock (Mirabilis multiflora) Wild Four O’clock, Froebel’s Four O’clock

Coreopsis spp Plains coreopsis, Golden Tickseed, Lanceleaf Tickseed, Desert Coreopsis

Cowpen Daisy (Verbesina encelioides) Cowpen Crownbeard, Golden Crownbeard, American Dogweed, Butter Daisy, Crown-beard, Gold Weed, Wild Sunflower, South African Daisy

Creosote (Larrea tridentata) Covillea tridentata, Larrea divaricata, Zygophyllum tridentatum

Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata) Trumpet Vine, Trumpet Flower

Dalea (Dalea spp) Black Dalea, Trailing Dalea, Bush Dalea, Dalea frutescens, Dalea pulchra, Soft Prairie Clover, Downy Dalea, Hairy Dalea, Soft Prairie-Clover, Silk Dalea, Feather Dalea, Featherplume, Indigobush, Scruffy Prairie Clover, White Flower Dalea, Whiteflower Prairieclover

Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana) Calanca, Damianita Daisy, False Damiana, Garanona, Mariola, Romerillo, San Nicolas, Yeyepaxtle, Hierba de San Nicolas

Desert Bluebells (Phacelia campanularia) Arizona Bluebell, California Bluebell, Desert Bells

Desert Broom (Baccharis sarothroides) Broom Baccharis, Greasewood, Groundsel, Rosin Bush, Romerillo, Hierba del Pasmo, Escoba Amarga

Desert Ceanothus (Ceanothus greggii)

Desert Cotton (Gossypium thurberi) Thurber’s Cotton, Arizona Wild Cotton, Algondoncillo

Desert Globe Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) Desert Mallow, Desert Hollyhock, Apricot Mallow

Desert Hackberry (Celtis pallida) Chaparral, Desert Hackberry (Spiny), Granjeno, Garambullo, Cumbro, Bainoro, Garabato, Granjeno, Granjeno Huasteco, Huasteco, Vaino Blanco, Acebuche, Capul, Palo de Guila, Rompecapa

Desert Honeysuckle (Anisacanthus thurberi) Cola de Gallo

Desert Justicia (Justicia candicans) Red Justicia, Red Jacobinia, Muicle Cimarron, Arizona Water-willow

Desert Lavender (Hyptis emoryi) Salvia del Sesierto, Lavanda, Condea emoryi, Mesosphaerum emoryi

Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata) Paper Daisy, Desert Baileya

Desert (Rush) Milkweed (Asclepias subulata) Desert Milkweed, Rush Milkweed, and Ajamete

Desert Rosemallow (Hibiscus coulteri) Coulter Hibiscus, Desert Hibiscus and Desert Rose Mallow, Tulipán, Hibisco

Desert Senna (Senna covesii) – MPPH

Desert Willow (Chilopsis spp) Desert Catalpa

Dill (Anethum graveolens) – MPPH

Dogweed (Thymophylla pentacheata) Five-needle Prickly Leaf, Golden Dyssodia

E, F, G, H, I, J

Eastern Mojave Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium) California buckwheat, eastern Mojave Wild Buckwheat, Flattop Buckwheat, Yellow Buckwheat, Maderista, Valeriana, Gordo Lobo

Emu Bush (Eremophila spp) Red Valentine, Yellow Emu, Blue Emu, Blue Bells, Winter Blaze

Engelmann’s Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii) Strawberry Cactus, Purple Torch, Sinita Barbona, Cacto Fresa, Pitahayita

Evening Primrose (Oenothera spp) Mexican Evening Primrose, White-tufted Primrose, Chihuahuan Primrose, Hooker’s Evening Primrose, Baja Primrose

False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)

False Tansy Aster (Dieteria asteroides) Aster amplifolius, A. canescens var. latifolius, A. canescens var. tephrodes, A. tephrodes, Dieteria asteroids, Starry Spine Aster

Feather Tree (Lysiloma watsonii) Tepeguaje, Machauhui, Feather Bush, Fern of the Desert, Little False Tamarind

Fennel (Ferula vulgare) – MPPH

Frost Sensitive (see Specialty tags below)

Four Wing Saltbush (Atriplex canescens) Fourwing Saltbush, Four-wing Saltbush, Hoary Saltbush, Shadscale, Wing-scale, Cenzio, Chamiso

Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)

Grama Grass (Bouteloua spp) Sprucetop Grama, Side-oats Grama, Black Grama, Hairy Grama, Blue Grama, Slender Grama, Rothrock Grama, Needle Grama, Six Weeks Grama

Graythorn (Ziziphus obtusifolia) Lotebush, Gray-thorn, Gumdrop Tree, Lote Bush, Lote-bush Condalia, White Crucillo, Barchata, Ciruela de Monte, Abrojo

Gregg’s Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii, Eupatorium greggii, Conoclinium dissectum) Eupatorium greggii, Blue Mistflower

Guayacan (Guaiacum coulteri) Pockwood, Sonora Guaiacum, Tree of Life, Wood of Life

Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus spp) Echinocereus engelmannii (Engelmann’s Hedgehog Cactus) Echinocereus arizonicus (Arizona Hedgehog Cactus) Echinocereus fasciculatus (Claret Cup Cactus) Echinocereus triglochidiatus (Kingcup Cactus or Claret Cup Cactus) Echinocereus bonkerae (Banana Hedgehog Cactus) Echinocereus nicholii (Nichol’s Turk’s Head Cactus) Echinocereus reichenbachii (Lace Hedgehog Cactus) Echinocereus dasyacanthus (Hedgehog Cactus)

Heart Leaved Hibiscus (Hibiscus cardiophyllus) Tulipan del Monte, Hibiscus cardiophyllus

Hooker’s Evening Primrose (Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri) Giant Evening Primrose

Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) – MPPH

Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), Texas Honey Mesquite

Hopseed Bush(Dodonaea viscosa) Hopseed Bush, Sticky Hop Bush, Switch Sorrel, Varnish Leaf, Casol, ‘A’ali’i

Ironwood (Olneya tesota) Tesota, Palo De Hierro

Jewels of Opar (Talinum paniculatum) Flame Flower, Pink Baby-breath, Pink Baby’s Breath, Big Talinum

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) Goat Nut, Coffee Berry, Deer Nut, Pignut, Wild Hazel, Quinine Nut, Gray Box Bush

K, L, M, N, O

Lantana spp Trailing Lantana Lantana camara, Confiturilla, Tangerine, Irene, Carnival, Gold Mound, Radiation, Spreading Sunshine, Trailing Yellow

Littleleaf Ash (Fraxinus greggii) Gregg’s Ash, Gregg Ash, Littleleaf Ash, Dogleg Ash, Escobilla, Barreta China

Littleleaf Cordia (Cordia parvifolia) Small-leaf Geigertree, Smallleaf Cordia, Vara Prieta, Palo Prieto, San Juanito

Mangle Dulce (Maytenus phyllanthoides) Florida Mayhem, Sweet Mangrove, Gutta-percha Mayten, Leatherleaf

Mastic Tree (Pistachio lentiscus) Terebinthus lentiscus, Lentiscus vulgaris

Mealy Cup Sage (Salvia farinacea) Victoria, Victoria White, Strata, Rhea, Cirrus, Blue Sage, Texas Violet

Mesquite Trees (Prosopis spp) Argentine Mesquite, Prosopis alba, Chilean Mesquite, Prosopis chilensis, Honey Mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa, Velvet Mesquite, Prosopis velutina, Screw bean Mesquite, American Screwbean, Fremont Screwbean, Screwbean, Screwbean Mesquite, Screwpod Mesquite, Twisted Bean, Tornillo, Mezquite Tornillo, Arizona Mesquite, South American Mesquite, White Carob Tree, Algarrobo Blanco, Algarrobo Panta

Mexican Bird of Paradise (Erythrostemon mexicanus) Caesalpinia mexicana, Poincianella mexicana, Yellow Bird of Paradise, Mexican Holdback, Mexican Poincianella, Mexican Caesalpinia, Mexican Poinciana

Mexican Elderberry (Sambucas mexicana) Sambucus cerulea, Blue Elderberry

Mexican Blue Palm (Brahea armata), Erythea armata, Erythea glauca, Erythea roezlii, Blue Hesper Palm

Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera) Red-spike Mexican Hat, Upright Prairie Coneflower, Prairie Coneflower, Long-headed Coneflower, Thimbleflower

Mexican Honeysuckle (Justicia spicigera) Firecracker Plant, Firecracker Bush

Mexican Petunia (Ruellia brittoniana, Ruellia simplex, Ruellia angustifolia) Mexican Bluebell, Britton’s Wild Petunia

Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) Goldylocks, Tree Marigold, Mexican Tournesol, Bolivian Sunflower

Mexican Tree Sunflower (Tithonia fruticosa) Mirasol

Milkweed (Asclepias spp) Asclepias subulata (Desert Milkweed) Asclepias speciosa (Showy Milkweed) Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Milkweed)Asclepias linaria (Pineneedle Milkweed) Asclepias fascicularis (Narrowleaf Milkweed) Asclepias angustifolia(Arizona Milkweed) Asclepias cryptoceras (Pallid Milkweed) Asclepias asperula (Spider Milkweed) Asclepias erosa(Desert Green Milkweed) Asclepias albicans (White-stemmed Milkweed) Asclepias latifolia (Broadleaf Milkweed)

Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia spp) Muhlenbergia capillaris, Pink Muhly, Muhlenbergia rigens, Deer Grass, Muhlenbergia fragilis, Delicate Muhly, Muhlenbergia arizonica, Arizona Muhly, Muhlenbergia lindheimeri, Big Muhly, Muhlenbergia dumosa, Bamboo Muhly

Netleaf Hackberry (Celtis reticulata, Celtis retusa, Celtis laevigata) Canyon Hackberry, Western Hackberry

New Mexico Thistle (Cirsium neomexicanum) Desert Thistle, Foss Thistle, Lavender Thistle, Powderpuff Thistle, Utah Thistle

Oaks (Quercus spp) Arizona White Oak, Canyon Live Oak, Belota, Gambel’s Oak, Gray Oak, Silverleaf Oak, Chinquapin Oak, Mexican Blue Oak, Dunn’s Oak, Sandpaper Oak, Netleaf Oak, Tourmey Oak, Scrub Oak, Emory, Shrub Live, Wavy-leaf Oak, Dunn Oak, Palmer Oak

Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) Buggywhip, Coachwhip, Candlewood, Slimwood, Desert Coral

Odora (Porophyllum gracile) Slender Poreleaf, Slenderleaf Poreleaf

Orange Jubilee (Tecoma X ‘Orange Jubilee) Orange Bells

Oreganillo (Aloysia wrightii) Wright’s Beebrush, Bee Brush, Lemon Verbena, Mintbush Lippia, Wright Aloysia, Wright Lippia

P, Q

*Painted Leaf (Euphorbia cyathophora) Desert Poinsettia

Paleface Hibiscus (Hibiscus denudatus) Rock Hibiscus, Naked Hibiscus

Palo Verde Trees (Parkinsonia spp) Foothill Palo Verde, Little Leaf Palo Verde, Parkinsonia macrophylla, Blue Palo Verde, Parkinsonia florida, Palo Brea, Sonoran Palo Verde, Parkinsonia praecox, Mexican Palo Verde, Parkinsonia aculeata, Desert Museum Palo Verde, Parkinsonia x ‘Desert Museum’

*Pam’s Pink Honeysuckle

Panicled Aster (Symphyotrichum Lanceolatum) Day-of-the-dead Daisy, Lanceleaf Aster, White Panicle Aster

Parish’s Goldeneye (Bahiopsis parishii) Nevada Goldeneye, Parish’s Scrub-Aster, Shrubby Goldeneye

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) – MPPH

Passion Vine (Passiflora spp) Passiflora arida, Passiflora arizonica, Passiflora incarnata, Maypop, Passion Flower, Purple Passion Vine, Passiflora foetida

Penstemon spp Beardtongues, Beardtongue, Parry’s Penstemon, Firecracker Penstemon, Penstemon eatonii, Penstemon parryi, Jarritos, Red Penstemon, Penstemon barbatus, Scented Beardtongue, Penstemon palmeri, Arizona Penstemon, Penstemon pseudospectabilis, Hill Country Penstemon, Penstemon triflorus

Perennial Rockcress (Boechera perennans) Arabis angulata, Arabis arcuata var. perennans, Arabis eremophila, Arabis gracilenta, Arabis perennans, Arabis recondite

Pineleaf Milkweed (Asclepias linearis) Hierba del Cuervo

Pink Fairyduster (Calliandria eriophylla) False Mesquite, Hairy-Leaved Calliandra, Mesquitella, Mock Mesquite, Pink Fairyduster, Pink-flowered Acacia, Pink Mimosa, Stickpea, Huajillo, Mezquitillo, Cosahui, Pelo de Angel, Cabeza de Angel

Poppies (Eschscholzia spp) Eschscholzia californica, California poppy, Eschscholzia glyptosperma, Desert Poppy, Eschscholzia mexicana, Mexican gold poppy, Eschscholzia minutiflora, Small-flowered poppy, Eschscholzia cespitosa, Tufted poppy, Goldenpoppy, Amapola, Amapola del Campo, Amarilla

Prairie Acacia (Acaciella angustissima) Whiteball Acacia, Fern Acacia, Ocpatl, Prairie Acacia, Prairie Wattle, White Ball Acacia, Whiteball Acacia, Spanish: Guajillo, Day, Cantemó Palo de Pulque, Barbas de Chivo, Reakirt’s Blue, Marine Blue, Hubbard’s Small Silkmoth, Mexican Yellow, Mimosa Yellow, Tricolor Buckmoth

Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp) Engelmann’s Prickly Pear, Indian Fig, Opuntia ficus-indica, Opuntia engelmannii, Santa Rita, Opuntia santa-rita, Plains, Opuntia polycantha, Purple, Opuntia macrocentra, Old Mexico, Opuntia gomei

Purple Threeawn (Arstida purpurea) Red Threeawn, Purple Three Awn

Queen’s Wreath (Antigonon leptopus) Coral Vine, Confederate Vine, Mexican Coral Vine, Mexican Creeper, Mountain-rose Coralvine, Pink Vine, Queen’s Jewels, Sanmiguelito, Flor de San Miguel, Coronella, Coronillo, Bellissima, Cadeña de Amor

R, S

Red Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) Pride of Barbados, Barbados Fencepost, Dwarf Poinciana, Mexican Bird-of-Paradise, Peacock Flower, Poinciana, Pride-of-Barbados, Red Bird-of-Paradise, Barba del Sol, Tetezo, Flamboyant-de-Jardin, Flor de Camarón, Flos Pavonis, Tabachín, Tabaquín, Talcapache, -de Guacamaya

*Red Elephant Tree (Bursera hindsiana) Torote Prieto

Red Push Pistache (Pistacia X ‘Red Push’) P. atlantica, P. integerrima, Pistacia atlantica x integerrima

Rock Penstemon (Penstemon baccharifolius) Rock Beardtongue, Cut-leaf Penstemon, Cut-leaf Beardtongue, Baccharis-leaf Penstemon, Baccharis-leaf Beardtongue

Rubber Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa) Chamisa, Goldenbush, Chrysothamnus collinus, Chrysothamnus frigidus var. concolor, Chrysothamnus nauseosus, Chrysothamnus nauseosus subsp. nauseosus, Chrysothamnus nauseosus subsp. uintahensis, Chrysothamnus nauseosus subsp. viridulus, Chrysothamnus nauseosus subsp. viscosus Chrysothamnus nauseosus var. macrophyllus, Chrysothamnus nauseosus var. uintahensis, Chrysothamnus pallidus

Rue of the Mountains (Thamnosma texana) Texas desert-rue, Dutchman’s breeches, ruda del monte, Thamnosma texanum

Sacred Datura (Datura wrightii) Western Jimson Weed, Angel’s Trumpet, Devil’s Weed, Indian-apple, Jimson Weed, Pricklyburr, Sacred Thorn-apple, Sacred Thornapple, Thornapple, Toloachè, Toloachè Grande, Tecuyaui, Belladona

Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea)

San Felipe Dogweed (Adenophyllum porophylloides) San Felipe Dyssodia

Sandpaper Verbena (Glandularia rigida)

Scorpionweed (Phacelia spp) P. arizonica, Arizona Scorpionweed, P. campanularia, Desert Bluebells, P. crenulata, Notch-leaved Scorpionweed, P. distans, Distant Phacelia, Cleftleaf Wildheliotrope, Caterpillar Weed, Caterpillarweed, Cleft-leaf Wild Heliotrope, Heliotrope Phacelia, Notchleaf Phacelia, Notch-leafed Phacelia, Notch-leaf Scorpion-weed, Scorpion-weed 

Seep Willow (Baccharis salicifolia) Mule-fat, Mule’s Fat, Seep Willow, Seep-willow, Seepwillow Baccharis and Water Wally, Batamote, Jara, Jarilla, Hierba del Pasmo, Jarillla

Shrubby Deervetch (Acmispon rigidus) Ottleya rigida, Lotus rigidus, Desert Rock Pea

Shrubby Indian Mallow (Abutilon abutiloides) Abutilon americanum, Abutilon jacquinii, Abutilon lignosum, Malva Pintapán

Snapdragon Vine (Maurandya antirrhiniflora) Creeping Snapdragon, Climbing Snapdragon, Purple Twining Snapdragon, Blue Snapdragon Vine, Little Snapdragon Vine, Roving Sailor

Sonoran Honeysuckle (Justicia sonorae) Sonoran Water-willow, Purple Justicia

Sonoran Kidneywood (Esenhardtia orthocarpa) Palo Cuate, Palo Dulce, Palo Azul, Desert Kidneywood

Spreading Fleabane (Erigeron divergens) Branching Fleabane, Desert Fleabane, Fleabane Daisy, Spreading Daisy 

Staghorn Cholla (Cylindropuntia Versicolor)

Sunflowers (Helianthus spp) Helianthus annuus, Common Sunflower, Helianthus anomalous, H. nuttallii

Superstition Mallow (Abutilon palmeri) Palmer’s Indian Mallow, Indian Mallow, Palmer Indian Mallow

Sweetbush (Bebbia juncea) Chuckwalla’s Delight

T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z

Tahoka Daisy (Machaeranthera tanacetifolia) Tansy-leafed aster, Tanseyleaf Goldenweed, Aster tanacetifolius, Machaeranthera coronopifolia, Machaeranthera parthenium

Teddy Bear Cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii) Jumping Cholla

*Texas Olive (Cordia boissieri)

Texas Sage (leucophyllum spp) Texas Rangers or Barometer Bushes, Compact Texas Sage, Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Compacta’, Silver Cloud Sage, Leucophyllum candidum‘Silver Cloud’, Thunder Cloud Sage, Leucophyllum candidum ‘Thunder Cloud’, Sierra Bouquet, Leucophyllum pruinosum Sierra BouquetTM, Houdini, Leucophyllum revolutum HoudiniTM, Cimarron, Leucophyllum zygophyllum Cimarron®, Convent, Leucophyllum X ‘Convent’, Green Cloud Sage, Leucophyllum frutescens ‘Green Cloud’, Chihuahuan Sage, Leucophyllum laevigatum, Summer Snow, Leucophyllum laevigatum ‘Summer Snow’, Lynn’s Legacy, Leucophyllum langmaniae ‘Lynn’s Legacy’, Rio Bravo, Leucophyllum langmaniae Rio Bravo®, Heavenly Cloud, Leucophyllum X ‘Heavenly Cloud’

Thornbush Wolfberry (Lyceum exsertum) Arizona Desert-thorn, Boxthorn, Littleleaf Wolfberry, Wolfberry, Frutilla, Lycium fremontii var. bigelovii

Trailing Indigo Bush (Dalea greggii)

Tree Morning Glory (Ipomoea arborescens) Palo Santo, Tree Morningglory, Morning Glory Tree

Triangle Leaf Bursage (Ambrosia deltoidea) Canyon Bursage, Rabbit Bush, Triangle Bursage, Triangleleaf Bursage, Triangle Bur Ragweed

Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea)

Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arbors var. drummondii) Manzanilla, Little Apple, Texas Mallow, Mexican Apple, Red Mallow, May Apple, Scotchman’s Purse, Bleeding Heart, Drummond’s Wax Mallow

Turpentine Bush (Ericameria laricifolia) Ericameria, Turpentine Brush, Turpentinebush, Hierba De Conejo, Aplopappus laricifolius, Aster laricifolius, Aster laricifolia, Bigelowia nelsonii, Chrysocoma laricifolia, Chrysoma laricifolia, Ericameria nelsonii, Haplopappus laricifolius

Verbena (Verbena spp) Glandularia, Goodding’s Verbena, G. gooddingii, Moss Verbena, G. pulchella, Sandpaper Verbena, G. rigida

Western Goldenrod (Euthamia occidentalis) Western Goldentop, Aster baccharoides, Euthamia californica, E. linearifolia, Haplopppus baccaroides, Solidago lanceolata, S. occidentalis, western flat-topped goldenrod, grass-leaf goldenrod

Whirling Butterflies (Oenothera lindheimeri) Gaura lindheimeri, Pink Gaura, Wand Flower, Butterfly Flower, Bee Blossom, Clockweed

White Sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana) Louisiana sage, Wormwood, Chamizo Cenizo, Estafiata de Castilla

White stemmed milkweed (Asclepias albicans) Wax milkweed, Whitestem Milkweed

Wild Petunia (Ruellia nudiflora) Violet Ruellia, Common Wild Petunia, Violet Wild Petunia, Wild Petunia, Hierba De La Calentura Ruellia ciliatiflora

Wildflower Area (see Specialty tags below)

Willow Ragwort (Barkleyanthus salicifolius) Willow Groundsel, Ruina, Cineraria salicifolia, Senecio salignus

Willows (Salix spp) Salix arizonica, Arizona Willow, Salix gooddingii,  Goodding’s Willow, Salix exigua, Sandbar or Coyote Willow, Salix amygdaloides, Peachleaf Willow, Salix lasiolepis, Arroyo Willow, Salix laevigata, Red Willow, Salix scouleriana, Scouler’s Willow

Wolfberries (Lycium spp) Lycium brevipes, Baja Desert Thorn, Fruitilla, Lycium andersonii, Anderson Wolfberry, Desert Wolfberry, Thornberry, Lycium berlandieri, Berlandier’s Wolfberry, Lycium californicum, California Box Thorn, Lycium exsertum, Arizona Desert Thorn, Thornbush, Lycium fremontii, Fremont’s Thornbush

Wooly Butterfly Bush (Buddleia marrubifolia) Buddleia marrubifolia, Buddleja

Wright’s Buckwheat (Eriogonum wrightii) Bastardsage, Shrubby Buckwheat, Wright’s Buckwheat, Eriogonum helianthemifolium, Eriogonum trachygonum, Eriogonum wrightii subsp. wrightii

Yellow Orchid Vine (Callaeum macropterum) Butterfly Vine, Yellow Butterfly Vine, Butterfly Pea Vine, gallinita

Yellow Rabbitbrush (Chrysothammus viscidiflorus) Sticky Rabbitbrush, Yellow Chamisa, Arizona Rabbitbrush, Chrysothamnus molestus, Ericameria molesta

YourName Pollinator Garden (see Specialty tags below)

Yerba Mansa (Anemopsis californica)

Yucca (Yucca spp) Banana Yucca, Yucca baccata, Mojave Yucca, Yucca schidigera, Spanish Bayonet, Yucca aloifolia, Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia, Soaptree Yucca, Yucca elata

Zinnia (Zinnia spp) Zinnia elegans, Common Zinnia, Zinnia acerosa, Desert Zinnia