
Desert Museum palo verde
Parkinsonia x 'Desert Museum'
Parkinsonia x 'Desert Museum'

Firecracker penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Penstemon eatonii

Desert mallow
Sphaeralcea ambigua
Sphaeralcea ambigua

Aloe vera
Aloe vera
Aloe vera

Aloe vera
Aloe vera
Aloe vera

Baja fairy duster
Calliandra californica
Calliandra californica

Blue finger
Senecio talinoides ssp. mandraliscae
Senecio talinoides ssp. mandraliscae

Aloe vera
Aloe vera
Aloe vera

Mountain marigold
Tagetes lemmonii
Tagetes lemmonii

Red yucca + cvs
Hesperaloe parviflora
Hesperaloe parviflora

Incienso, Brittlebush
Encelia farinosa
Encelia farinosa

Bladderpod
Isomeris arborea
Isomeris arborea
Description
The combination of succulents and colorful desert shrubs and trees truly enhances the look of a desert garden. The contrast between these plant types enhances the visual impact of each other, resulting in a far more balanced look than a garden solely focused on succulent plants.
The succulent plants we have included here were included primarily because they are beautiful, easy to grow, and widely available. However, there are many other options available, especially at nurseries that focus on waterwise plants. Most succulents and cacti have very similar care and irrigation requirements in the garden, so feel free to do some research about other options available at the nurseries you visit and mix in additional succulents as desired.
This plant palette is available as an option for the Waterwise Community Center's Landscape Design Assistance Program. Visit cbwcd.org/desgin for more details.
Plant List

Desert Museum palo verde
Botanical Name: Parkinsonia x 'Desert Museum'Plant Type: Tree, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 20 ft. - 30 ft. Width: 20 ft. - 25 ft.
Shrubs

Apache plume
Botanical Name: Fallugia paradoxaPlant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.

Baja fairy duster
Botanical Name: Calliandra californicaPlant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 6 ft.

Bladderpod
Botanical Name: Isomeris arboreaPlant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 6 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 6 ft.

Desert mallow
Botanical Name: Sphaeralcea ambiguaPlant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.

Incienso, Brittlebush
Botanical Name: Encelia farinosaPlant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 3 ft. - 5 ft.

Mountain marigold
Botanical Name: Tagetes lemmoniiPlant Type: Shrub
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 6 ft.

Palmer’s mallow
Botanical Name: Abutilon palmeriPlant Type: Shrub, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.
Succulents

Aloe vera
Botanical Name: Aloe veraPlant Type: Aloe
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 18 in. - 24 in. Width: 3' then offsets to form a larger clump - 24 in.

Blue finger
Botanical Name: Senecio talinoides ssp. mandraliscaePlant Type: Ground cover, Succulent
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun, Partial sun
Height: 12 in. - 18 in. Width: 3 ft. - 4 ft., can slowly spread further

Prickly pear
Botanical Name: Opuntia ficus-indicaPlant Type: Cacti
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 10 ft. - 18 ft. Width: 10 ft. - 18 ft.

Red yucca + cvs
Botanical Name: Hesperaloe parvifloraPlant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.
Perennials

Firecracker penstemon
Botanical Name: Penstemon eatoniiPlant Type: Perennial
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 3 ft. Width: 12 in. - 24 in.
Horticultural Preferences
All of these plants prefer sandy or rocky soils with good drainage. This also makes them well suited for raised planters and on banks and slopes. Some of these plants can tolerate heavy or clay soils as long as they are not overwatered (and in clay soils prefer to be planted a bit high so that water will never pool at the base of the plants). If you have clay soil, check the information in each individual plant profile to see if they are adapted to clay soils.
Aesthetic Character
Moisture Needs
The chart shown below provides a baseline guide to the monthly irrigation schedule and volume of supplemental water needed to maintain healthy growth. Several winter months noted by an asterisk (*) indicate when rains can provide sufficient moisture and irrigation is not needed. It is important to note that these plants can successfully grow within a range of supplemental moisture each month; the actual irrigation schedule should be adjusted to reflect specific soil, slope and exposure conditions to achieve best plant performance.
Irrigation Schedule and Graph
Low Water Use Plants
Irrigation Schedule 1
Jan* | Feb* | Mar* | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov* | Dec* | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runs per Month | 0x to 2x | 0x to 2x | 0x to 2x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 1x | 0x to 2x | 0x to 2x |
Inches per Run | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" |
Inches per Month | 0" to 2" | 0" to 2" | 0" to 2" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 0" to 2" | 0" to 2" |
Range of supplemental summer water: 7"
Range of supplemental winter water: 0"-10"
0"-2" |
0"-2" |
0"-2" |
1" |
1" |
1" |
1" |
1" |
1" |
1" |
0"-2" |
0"-2" |
|
Jan* | Feb* | Mar* | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov* | Dec* |
For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, follow this link.
For information how to calculate your irrigation system’s schedule and precipitation rate, please follow this link.
For information how to calculate your irrigation system’s schedule and precipitation rate, please follow this link.