There are hundreds of shrubs and trees which are suitable for desert gardens.
Some great desert garden trees include species of acacia, redbuds, cypress, persimmon, ash, pine, juniper, mesquite, oak and elder.
Among shrub varieties, acacia, acanthus, honeysuckle, manzanita, barberry, butterfly bush, bird of paradise, mahogany, buckwheat, sage, lantana, oleander, sumac, laurel, and a wide variety of other species thrive in desert environments.
Many of these trees and shrubs are native varieties. Others are introductions from other continents and regions.
Russian sage, Petrovskia atriplicifolia, for instance, is an import from Russia, of course. But it's a low-water-use plant, flowers throughout the spring, summer and early fall with long spikes of violet flowers. It has grayish-green foliage, and can grow to six feet or higher.
Apache Plume, Fallugia paradoxa, is a plant native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, but it now extends throughout western North America.
For a list of shrubs and trees that do well in desert gardens, see
