13 Desert Plants that Add Color to Your Yard
In the Arizona desert, it's not easy to find plants that can survive without water. Luckily, there are a few types of plants that can thrive in these conditions and provide you with brilliant splashes of color. Here are 13 desert plants that add color to your yard:
Winter Options
Aloe Vera is a plant that has been used to heal cuts and burns for centuries. The yellow flowers give it the nickname "the medicine aloe." When everything else starts going dormant in winter, this bright flower attracts hummingbirds from far away.
Aloe Ferox is a plant that can handle the cold, but not on its own. It needs to be planted near other plants in order to survive wintertime's chilly temperatures and insects year-round. The reddish orange tubular flowers attract hummingbirds who feed off of nectar from these petals!
Fire Sticks are a structural plant that won't get much notice until wintertime. When the cold weather starts, its branches will turn orange and red in color. They need lots of space as these plants can grow up to 5 feet wide!
Spring Options:
The Argentine Giant is a columnar cactus with multiple arms and tends to lay their arms down. The flowers are beautiful surprises in the Spring. They can come out either white, peach or red; most of them tend to be red though, but until they bloom you won’t know for sure! This plant needs plenty of space: about 6-8 feet worth!
Bunny Ear Prickly Pear is a plant that prefers to grow outward and grows blue gray pads in the spring. The cactus flowers can be spotted on top of each pad during this time along with pink tips. These plants have fruit which attracts javelina so watch out for them if you live near these critters!
The Santa Rita Prickly Pear is a multi-pad cactus that turns purple in winter and likes to spread outward. In the Spring, its flowers are tipped with Yellow. Be aware, the fruit is known to attract javelinas!
The Gopher Plant looks like something taken straight from a Dr. Suess book! The succulent shrub has bright blue-grey leaves that turn into yellow flowers at the end of each branch, but it must be kept away from extreme temperatures because when they strike either heat or cold, this little guy is nipped for good. Plant in spaces where there's shade to protect them and enjoy watching their vivid colors grow before your eyes!
The Hedgehog Cactus is a multi-headed, low growing succulent that looks great on mounds planted next to boulders. They usually have orange or red flowers in the spring and are mostly green throughout the year with some flowers popping up every now and then.
Ocotillo is a tall desert plant that can grow to be 8-12 feet in diameter, and when the humidity rises leaves pop out with orange flowers at the ends. This makes for an interesting surprise as it transforms from being just a stick most of year into something magnificent during blooming season.
The Slipper Plant (or Lady Slipper) is a succulent that looks like giant green beans, shooting up endless shoots out of the ground. In Spring it will sprout orangish red flowers which attract butterflies and hummingbirds. It's also great for containers!
Color Anytime
Agave Blue Glow is a low growing agave with striking blue hues that looks great around boulders as an architectural piece. The pads have a red and yellow edge at the tip, which give it vibrant contrast against its soft blues.
The Agave Parryi is a very attractive plant with two notable features: the bright blue pads and the dark-tipped leaves. Similar to an artichoke, this leafy succulent can add contrast to your yard!
Blue, Fire Red, and Golden Barrels are a colorful addition to the landscape. These cacti can come in single barrels (used in modern designs) or multi-heads tucked around boulders. They play off each other with their needles' colors that make them pop against green grasses for an eye-catching effect!
Choose Wildflower Desert Design as Your Backyard Design Professional
These are the recommendations that we would give you if you work with us. Want to talk plants?. If you want to bring your landscaping dreams to life, we can help by creating a professional landscape design and install plan.
Here’s how it works:
You Dream – Think Big! Let us show you your dreams.
We Design – Our 3D rendering provides a true realm of reality.
They Build – We are here to fully assist you in choosing the right contractor for the job.
For more questions about your landscaping needs, contact us at Wildflower Desert Design. Call us today for a FREE consultation!