Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
A tough little evergreen sage that feeds hummingbirds from spring to frost in Texas and the Southwest.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Oct
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- Plant guide
- Desert Willow
Orchid-pink trumpets
Small tree
Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
A graceful desert tree hung with orchid-like trumpets all summer, fueled by nothing but heat.
the desert Southwest
Growing Desert Willow
Not a true willow — a fast, airy small tree for hot, dry yards needing summer shade. Drops its seed pods, so site it away from patios. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, showy, and long-blooming.
Where it grows
Desert Willow is native to the desert Southwest. In the wild you’ll find it across Arizona · California · Nevada · New Mexico · Texas · Utah. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Desert Willow on 6 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Desert Willow
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.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Desert Willow’s range and conditions.
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Scarlet tubular flowers timed to the spring hummingbird migration through the desert Southwest.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Spires of glossy blue tubes built for bumblebees, and one of the easiest western penstemons to grow.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
White rose-like flowers and feathery pink seed plumes together on one airy desert shrub.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep