Desert Marigold
Baileya multiradiata
12–18 in tall and it blooms Mar through Oct — an easy fit for Arizona, hardy in zones 7–11 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Mar–Oct
Arizona · Zones 5–10
Native Plants for Arizona
Arizona gardens sit in the desert Southwest — a landscape of Sonoran and Chihuahuan desert, high mesas, and dry washes. The plants below evolved with that climate (arid, hot low desert to cool high country) and are hardy through zones 5–10, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the desert Southwestthe Mountain West
Ecoregion: Sonoran & Chihuahuan deserts, Mogollon Rim
Collections for Arizona
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Arizona. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
23 native species
For bees
21 native species
Butterflies
16 native species
Hummingbirds
11 native species
For birds
8 native species
Deer-resistant
23 native species
Full sun
25 native species
Drought-tolerant
23 native species
Clay soil
9 native species
Groundcovers
6 native species
Flowering shrubs
6 native species
Low-maintenance
8 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Arizona.
A cross-section of the 26 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
Native to Arizona and hardy in zones 3–7; it flowers in Mar and Apr and reaches 6–12 in.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
An Arizona native at 3–6 ft tall that blooms Apr through Sep, comfortable in zones 5–9.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
An Arizona native at 1.5–3 ft tall that blooms Mar through May, comfortable in zones 4–9.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Native to Arizona and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms Jun through Aug and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
1.5–3 ft tall and it blooms May through Aug — an easy fit for Arizona, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Gregg's Mistflower
Conoclinium greggii
1–2 ft tall and it blooms May through Oct — an easy fit for Arizona, hardy in zones 7–10 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Western Columbine
Aquilegia formosa
Native to Arizona and hardy in zones 4–8; it blooms Apr through Jul and reaches 1.5–3 ft.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jul
Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
An Arizona native at 2–3 ft tall that blooms Apr through Oct, comfortable in zones 7–10.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Oct
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
An Arizona native at 2–4 ft tall that blooms Jul through Sep, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Flame Acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
An Arizona native at 2–4 ft tall that blooms Jun through Oct, comfortable in zones 7–10.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Oct
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
1–2 ft tall and it blooms May through Sep — an easy fit for Arizona, hardy in zones 4–10 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
15–25 ft tall and it blooms May through Sep — an easy fit for Arizona, hardy in zones 7–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
Native to Arizona and hardy in zones 3–10; it blooms Jun through Sep and reaches 1–2.5 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Native to Arizona and hardy in zones 4–9; it blooms Jun through Sep and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Native to Arizona and hardy in zones 4–9; it blooms May through Jul and reaches 1.5–2.5 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Sourcing
Where to buy Arizona natives
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.