| Opuntia — Prickly Pears,
Chollas, Tephrocactus Prickly Pears |
|
Opuntia aciculata
Common Name: Red Flower
Prickly Pear Range: Texas Height x Width: 3 x 6
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green Flower
Season/Color: Spring, Red
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: One of the most spectacular flowering prickly pears with masses of
brilliant red flowers during the spring. |
|
Opuntia basilaris
Common Name: Beaver -Tail Prickly Pear
Range: Arizona, California
Height x Width: 2 x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Gray Green Flower
Season/Color: Spring, Pink
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Brilliant hot pink flowers during the spring. Watch out for
irritating glochids on the pads. |
Opuntia engelmannii
Common Name: Engelmann’s Prickly Pear
Range: Arizona
Height x Width: 3 x 6
Foliage Texture/Color: Flower
Season/ Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Good flower displays during the spring with excellent fruits for
making prickly pear jam. |
|
Opuntia ficus-indica
Common Name: Indian Fig
Range: Mexico
Height x Width: 10 x 6
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Green Flower
Season/ Color: Spring, Yellow-Orange
Notes: Indian Fig is a distinctive tree prickly pear with edible fruit
and nopalitos. |
Opuntia lindheimerii var. linguiformis
Common Name: Cow’s Tongue
Range: Texas
Height x Width: 5 x 10
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/ Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun Notes: A distinctive prickly pear with long cow’s
tongue pads. |
|
Opuntia microdasys
Common Name: Bunny Ears
Range: Mexico
Height x Width:2 X10
Foliage Texture/Color:Coarse, Green
Flower Season/ Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: A common prickly pear with irritating glochids, best pruned in
damp weather. |
Opuntia robusta
Common Name: Giant Prickly Pear
Range: Mexico
Height x Width: 20 x 10
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Blue Green
Flower Season/ Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen : Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: One of most spectacular landscape prickly pear with dinner plate
blue green pads and contrasting yellow flowers. |
|
Opuntia santa-rita
Common Name: Purple Prickly Pear
Range: Arizona, Sonora
Height x Width: 3 x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Purple-Gray Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Purple prickly pear turns purple in response to cold and drought.
|
| Chollas |
|
Opuntia acanthocarpa
Common Name: Buckhorn Cholla
Range: Arizona, Mexico
Height x Width: 5 x 6
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring,Yellow, Orange, Red,
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: A common native cholla good for natural screening |
|
Opuntia bigelovii
Common Name: Teddy Bear Cholla
Range: Arizona, Mexico
Height x Width: 4 x 2
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Golden Yellow
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Plant teddy bear cholla well away from foot traffic areas |
| Tephrocactus |
|
Opuntia articulata
Common Name: Paper Spine
Range: Argentina
Height x Width: 1 x 2
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Gray Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring,White
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: A distinctive opuntia from Argentina with papery spines and white
flowers. |
|
Opuntia articulata var. inermis
Common Name: Spruce Cones
Range: Argentina
Height x Width:1 x 2
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse,Gray Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, White
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun |
| Columnar Cacti |
|
Carnegiea gigantea
Common Name: Saguaro
Range: Arizona, Sonora
Height x Width: 30 x 10
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Green Flower
Season/Color:Spring,White
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Saguaros are commonly used in southwestern gardens. The main
limiting factor to their distribution in the Sonoran Desert is
freezing weather. |
|
Cereus hildmannianus
Common Name: Hildmann’s Cereus
Range: Brazil
Height x Width: 10 x 10
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Gray Green
Flower Season/Color: Summer,White
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Hildmann’s Cereus is commonly seen in desert gardens. Has
great displays of night-blooming flowers. |
Echinocereus engelmannii
Common Name: Engelmann’s Hedgehog
Range: Arizona, Sonora, Baja California
Height x Width: 1 x 2
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse,Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Pink-Purple
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Engelmann’s hedgehog is oneof the first cacti to flower in
the spring. |
|
Myrtillocactus geometrizans
Common Name: Blue Myrtle
Range: Mexico
Height x Width : 15 x 15
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Blue Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Cream White
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Myrtillocactus is a distinctive organ-pipe cactus for southwestern
gardens, flowering prolifically and bearing tasty ‘currant-like’
berry fruits. |
Pachycereus marginatus
Common Name: Mexican Organ Pipe
Range:Mexico
Height x Width: 10 x 10
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Cream
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Mexican organ pipe is a distinctive columnar for southwestern
gardens, used as living fence in Mexico. |
|
Pachycereus (Lophocereus) schottii
Common Name: Senita
Range: Arizona, Sonora, Baja California
Height x Width: 10 x 10
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse,Green
Flower Season/Color: Summer, Pink
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Senita is quite distinctive with its bristly tops from which the
flowers arise. |
Pachycereus schottii fma. monstrosus
Common Name: Totem Pole
Range: Baja California
Height x Width: 10 x 10
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/ Color: Summer, Pink
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Totem poles are very unique for their monstrose growth form,
readily grown from cuttings. |
|
Stenocereus thurberi
Common Name:Organ Pipe
Range: Arizona, Sonora, Baja California
Height x Width:10 x 10
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/ Color: Spring, Pinkish-White
Evergreen:Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Organ pipes are distinctive for the fluted growth. |
Stenocereus eruca
Common Name: Creeping Devil
Range: Baja California
Height x Width: 2" x 2"
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Cream Green
Flower Season/Color: Summer, White
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Semi
Notes: One of the most distinctive cacti , forming massive colonies in
southern Baja California plant under the shade of a palo verde for
additional protection from the sun. |
|
Stenocereus alamosensis
Common Name: Cina
Range: Sonora
Height X Width: 10 x 6
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring-Summer, Red
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: The rambling cina cactus flowers through the summer and attracts
hummingbirds. |
Stetsonia coryne
Common Name: Toothpick Cactus
Range: Argentina
Height X Width: 20 x 15
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Gray Green
Flower Season/Color: Summer, White
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Stetsonia is distinctive for its long grayish-white spines. |
|
Trichocerus candicans
Common Name: Argentine Trichocereus
Range: Argentina
Height X Width: 3 x 6
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, White
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Semi
Notes: Argentine trichocereus has exceptionally large 8-inch white
flowers. |
Trichocereus huascha
Common Name:
Range : Argentina
Height X Width: 2 x 2
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Red, Yellow, Pink
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Semi
Notes: Trichocereus are some of the best flowering landscape cacti for
southwestern gardens. Many exciting hybrids have been developed and
continue to be developed. |
|
Trichocereus terscheckii
Common Name: Cardon Grande
Range: Argentina
Height x Width: 15 x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/ Color: Spring, White
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Cardon grande is an analog of the saguaro, found in the Monte
Desert of Argentina. |
| Globular Cacti |
|
Echinocactus grusonii
Common Name: Golden Barrel
Range: Mexico
Height x Width: 5 x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Golden Barrels are commonly grown in southwestern gardens,
excellent for mass planting. |
|
Ferocactus cylindraceus (acanthodes)
Common Name: Compass Barrel
Range:Arizona, Sonora, Baja California
Height x Width: 5 x 1
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Compass barrel commonly flowers in the spring. |
Ferocactus wislizenii
Common Name: Fishhook Barrel
Range: Arizona, New Mexico,Texas
Height x Width: 5 x 1
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Summer, Orange, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Fishhook barrel commonly flowers in the summer. |
|
| Stem Succulents |
Euphorbia antisyphilitica
Common Name: Candelilla
Height x Width: 2 x 3
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Summer, Pink
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Candelilla is a distinctive reedlike succulent. |
Euphorbia resinifera
Common Name: Morroco Mound
Range: Morroco
Height x Width: 2 x 5
Foliage Texture/Color:Coarse, Light Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring,Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: A distinctive euphorbia for the southwestern gardens, surprisingly
very hardy. |
|
Pachypodium lemaireii
Common Name:
Range: Madagascar
Height x Width: 10 x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/ Color: Summer, White
Evergreen: Semi
Exposure: Sun
Notes: A distinctive accent for the southwestern gardens, either as
container plant or in sheltered garden location. |
Stapelia variegata
Common Name: Starfish Flower
Range: South Africa
Height x Width: 1 x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season,/Color: Summer, Yellow
Evergreen: Semi
Exposure: Semi
Notes: Stapelias are succulents in the milkweed family, beautiful flowers
and flowers that smell like rotting meat that attract for
pollination. |
|
| Caudiciforms-Thick stemed
succulents |
|
Bursera microphylla
Common Name: Elephant Tree
Range: Arizona, Sonora, Baja California
Height x Width: 15 x 15
Foliage Texture/Color: Fine, Green
Flower Season/Color: Summer, Cream
Evergreen: Semi
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Elephant trees are found in warmer regions of the Sonoran Desert.
Plant in a protected garden location or use as a container plant.
|
|
Cyphostemma juttae
Common Name: Succulent Grape
Range: South Africa
Height x Width: 3 x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Light Green
Flower Season/Color: Summer, Cream
Evergreen: No
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Cyphostemma is a succulent member of the grape family. Plant in a
protected garden location or use as a container plant. |
Pachycormus discolor
Common Name: Baja Elephant Tree
Range: Baja California
Height x Width:
Foliage Texture/Color: Fine, Green
Flower Season/ Color: Summer, Pink, Purple,Red
Evergreen: No
Exposure: Sun
Notes: A distinctive elephant tree from Baja California. Deciduous in the
summer. Interesting container plant. |
|
Fouqieria columnaris
Common Name: Boojum Tree
Range: Sonora, Baja California
Height x Width: 10 x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Medium, Green
Flower Season/Color: Summer, Cream
Evergreen: No
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Boojum trees are the distinctive succulents of Baja California.
Seedlings are slow-growing and occasionally garden specimens are
offered for sale. |
Fouquieria splendens
Common Name: Ocotillo
Range: Southwest, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Sonora, Baja California
Height x Width: 15 x 15
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse,Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring,Red
Evergreen: No
Exposure: Full Sun
Notes: Ocotillo are commonly offered for sale. Keep well-watered until
plants are established. Flowers attract hummingbirds. |
|
| Leaf Succulents -Agavacaceae,
Aloes, Ice Plants |
| Agavaceae- Agave, Dasylirion,
Hesperaloe, Nolina, Yucca |
|
Agave colorata
Common Name: Mescal Ceniza
Range: Sonora
Height x Width: 3 x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Gray Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Mescal Ceniza is a beautiful Sonoran agave with marbled and
distinctive budprinted leaves. |
|
Agave parryii
Common Name: Parry’s Agave
Range: Arizona, Mexico
Height x Width: 2 x 2
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Gray Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Deep Yellow
Evergreen:Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Parry’s agave is one of most compact agaves, plant in mass
for best effect. |
Agave salmiana var. ferox
Common Name:
Range: Mexico
Height x Width: 6 x 6
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Deep Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen : Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: A distinctive large deep green agave, contrasts well with gray
leaved shrubs. |
|
Agave vilmoriniana
Common Name: Octopus Agave
Range: Sonora
Height x Width: 3 x 3
Foliage Texture /Color: Flower Season/ Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Semi, Sun
Notes: Octopus agave is suitable for light shade with a distinctive
octopus form. |
Dasylirion wheeleri
Common Name : Sotol
Range: Arizona, Texas, New Mexico
Height x Width: 4 x 4
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Blue Green Flower Season/Color: Cream,
Spring
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Sotol is distinctive for its graceful fountainlike form. Use it as
kinetic garden sculpture. |
|
Dasylirion acrotriche
Common Name: Green Desert Spoon
Range: Mexico
Height x Width: 4 x 4
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Green Flower Season/Color: Cream, Spring
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Green desert spoon contrasts with other gray leaved desert shrubs.
|
Hesperaloe funifera
Common Name: Giant Hesperaloe
Range: Mexico
Height x Width: 5 x 6
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green Flower Season/ Color: Cream, Spring
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Giant hesperaloe has distinctive large green rosette. Plant away
from foot traffic areas. |
|
Hesperaloe parviflora
Common Name: Red Hesperaloe
Range: Texas Height x Width: 3 x 6
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Green Flower Season/ Color: Summer,
Reddish Pink
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Red hesperaloe flowers all summer. Flowers attract hummingbirds.
|
Nolina microcarpa
Common Name: Beargrass
Range: Arizona, Texas
Height x Width: 3 x 6
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green Flower Season/ Color: Spring, Cream
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Beargrass as a similiar landscape use as deer grass, good screening
plant, green foilage contrast well with gray leaved shrubs. |
|
Nolina bigelovii
Common Name:
Range: Arizona
Height x Width: 6 x 10
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Light Green Flower Season/ Color: Spring
Cream
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: A distinctive tree nolina from western Arizona, great flower show. |
Yucca baccata
Common Name: Banana Yucca
Range: Arizona, New Mexico
Height x Width: 4 x 6
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Light Green Flower Season/Color: Spring,
Cream
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Banana yucca is a common yucca of the region. Flowers are edible.
|
|
Yucca rigida
Common Name: Blue Yucca
Range: Mexico
Height x Width: 10 x 3 Foliage
Texture/Color: Coarse,Blue Green Flower Season/Color: Spring, Cream
Evergree: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: One of the most distinctive yucca with blue green leaves and a
great flower show. |
Yucca elata
Common Name: Soaptree Yucca
Range: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas
Height x Width: 10 x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse/Green Flower Season/Color: Spring, White
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Full Sun
Notes: Soaptree yucca is the state flower of New Mexico. It has tremendous
flower displays in the spring. Yucca is edible and can be
incorporated into salads. |
|
| Aloe |
|
Aloe barbadensis (vera)
Common Name: Medicinal Aloe
Range: South Africa
Height x Width: 3 x 6
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Gray Green
Flower Season/Color: Spring, Yellow
Evergreen : Yes
Exposure: Yes
Notes: Medicinal aloe is commonly seen in southwestern gardens. It has
excellent flower shows and is good for treating kitchen burns and
sunburn. |
|
Aloe ferox
Common Name: Tree Aloe
Range: South Africa
Height x Width: 3 x 2
Foliage Texture/ Color: Coarse, Gray Green
Flower Season/Color: Winter, Orange-Red
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Yes
Notes: Tree aloe offers excellent winter for the southwestern gardens.
Plant with Euphorbia rigida for excellent effect. |
Aloe saponaria
Common Name: Tiger Aloe
Range: South Africa
Height x Width: 1 x 1
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Winter, Coral
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Yes
Notes: Tiger aloe puts on a good spring display, good hummingbird plant.
|
|
| Ice Plants |
Cephalophyllum ‘Red Spike’
Common Name: Red Spike Ice Plant
Range: Cultivar, probably South Africa
Height x Width: 6" x 6"
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/ Color: Winter, Purpulish Red
Evergreen : Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: One of best ice plants for the region, flowering throughout the
winter, hardy to frost and endures hot summers. |
Dorsanthemum hispidum
Common Name: Pink Ice Plant
Range: South Africa
Height x Width: 2" x 6
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Winter, Pink
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Pink ice plant puts on a good flower show winter through spring. |
|
Maleophora lutea
Common Name: Yellow Ice Plant
Range: South Africa
Height x Width: 6" x 3
Foliage Texture/Color: Coarse, Green
Flower Season/Color: Winter-Spring, Yellow
Evergreen: Yes
Exposure: Sun
Notes: Yellow ice plant's deep green foliage contrasts well with
gray-leaved shrubs. |
