Pink Fairy Duster
A small, native desert shrub with finely divided leaves and delicate pink powder-puff flowers, well suited to Phoenix landscapes. Special Features Arizona native; heat and drought tolerant; attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies; thornless and low maintenance. Problems & Solutions Poor drainage and overwatering can cause root rot; let soil dry between waterings. Drought-related leaf drop […]
Roadkill Cactus
A tree-form Caribbean cactus with unusually thin, flattened, irregularly shaped pads that give it the common name roadkill cactus. Special Features Distinctive flattened pads, sculptural branching, and good heat and drought tolerance once established; often nearly spineless but still bears irritating glochids. Problems & Solutions Frost-sensitive and not reliably hardy through Zone 9b freezes; protect […]
ROSA CL BANKSIAE LUTEA
Yellow Lady Banks rose is a vigorous, nearly thornless climbing rose with masses of small, double, pale yellow flowers in spring. Well adapted to Phoenix when given adequate space and irrigation. Special Features Nearly thornless canes; profuse spring flowers; good heat tolerance and generally strong disease resistance. Problems & Solutions Aphids and spider mites may […]
Rubus ‘Black Satin’ Blackberry
A vigorous, thornless blackberry producing large, glossy black berries on second-year canes. Can grow in Phoenix, but intense summer heat and insufficient winter chilling can limit fruit production. Special Features Thornless canes; self-fertile flowers; edible berries attractive to wildlife. Fruit is best harvested fully black and soft for sweeter flavor. Problems & Solutions Not a […]
San Pedro Cactus
Tall, fast-growing columnar cactus native to the Andes, grown in desert landscapes for its striking vertical form. Produces large, fragrant white flowers that open at night. Note: stems contain psychoactive alkaloids (mescaline). Special Features Dramatic columnar accent; large nocturnal blooms attract moths; fast-growing for a cactus; drought tolerant once established; largely spineless Problems & Solutions […]
Totem Pole
A sculptural, nearly spineless cactus with knobby, irregular green columns resembling carved totem poles; a naturally occurring monstrose form of the senita cactus. Special Features Distinctive knobby stems; nearly spineless; highly heat and drought tolerant once established. Problems & Solutions Root and stem rot from excess moisture (improve drainage and let soil dry); sunburn after […]
Triple Crown Blackberry
A vigorous, thornless blackberry producing large, sweet black berries on second-year canes. Phoenix’s extreme summer heat and limited winter chill make this cultivar challenging to grow and fruit reliably. Special Features Thornless canes; large, flavorful berries; self-fertile flowers; productive when climate and winter chilling requirements are met. Problems & Solutions Insufficient winter chill: commonly listed […]
Weeping Acacia
An Australian evergreen tree with gracefully weeping branches and narrow, silvery blue-gray foliage; well suited to Phoenix’s hot, dry climate. Special Features Elegant weeping form; silvery foliage; heat and drought tolerance; thornless branches. Problems & Solutions Poor drainage and excessive irrigation can cause root problems; allow soil to dry between deep waterings. Train young trees […]
Willow Acacia
A thornless Australian tree with slender, gray-green foliage and gracefully drooping branches that create a willow-like appearance. Special Features Heat and drought tolerant; thornless; provides filtered shade and a soft, weeping silhouette. Problems & Solutions Fast growth can produce weak branches prone to wind breakage; train young trees for strong branch structure and avoid topping. […]
Sonoran Emerald
A desert-adapted palo verde cultivar valued for its green bark, fine-textured foliage, yellow spring flowers, and airy shade. Special Features Generally thornless; attractive photosynthetic green bark; heat and drought tolerant; provides filtered shade and flowers visited by pollinators. Problems & Solutions Overwatering and poor drainage can cause root problems; irrigate deeply but infrequently. Rapid growth […]