Aloe, euphorbia, kalanchoe and jade plant are toxic to cats, but haworthia, echeveria, hens and chicks and Christmas cactus make safer succulent choices for Arizona yards and homes.
Adenium, or desert rose, does well indoors in the low desert with a bright window, a gritty fast-draining mix and careful watering that lets the soil dry between drinks.
Birds, bees and lizards in the low desert need clean drinking water more than seed, so a shaded, shallow, moving water feature beats a feeder for drawing wildlife.
A plain guide to eleven dangerous creatures in Arizona yards, from bark scorpions to javelina, with how to recognize each one and what to do after an encounter.
Eight avoidable olive tree mistakes, from overwatering and caliche to summer planting and frost, with the timing and fixes that work for Queen Creek and East Valley yards.
Tamarisk, ficus, mulberry, eucalyptus and a few other trees cause the most trouble in low desert yards, and this guide shows how to check yours.
Lantana holds color against stucco in heat above 110°F and needs little water once established. Here is how to choose, plant, water and prune it at your entry.
Eight heat-tolerant container plants, plus the pot size, soil mix and watering schedule that keep them looking good at your front entry through an Arizona summer.
Seven invasive plants, from buffelgrass to saltcedar, are restricted or discouraged in Arizona, and this guide explains how to spot each one and what to plant instead.
Petunias bloom from fall into late spring in the Arizona low desert when you plant in October, cut them back in February, and shade them from April heat.
Plumeria grows well in pots here when you give it a gritty, fast-draining mix, full sun, careful watering through the monsoon, and a dry winter rest.
Oleander is tough and fast, but it is poisonous, needs steady pruning and can die from leaf scorch, so here is who should skip it and what to plant instead.
