90 Best Desert Plants | Best Desert Plants for Landscaping

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Here are the Best Desert Plants that can be a fantastic addition to both your home and garden! We have made an extensive list!

Check out our list of the Best Desert Plants that will add a ravishing appeal to your home with little upkeep.

Table of contents

Best Desert Plants

1. Curve Leaf Yucca

Best Desert Plants
finca_sul_lago_berlin

Botanical Name: Yucca gloriosa var. tristis

The Curve Leaf Yucca is a desert ornamental plant with long, narrow, and curved leaves that adds beauty wherever it is grown.

2. Oleander

Best Desert Plants
garden_in_norway

Botanical Name: Nerium oleander

Oleander is an evergreen shrub or small tree that is native to the Mediterranean region. It is known for its showy, fragrant flowers, which can be pink, red, white, or yellow, depending on the variety.

3. Autumn Joy Stonecrop

Best Desert Plants

Botanical Name: Hylotelephium spectabile

An adaptable plant and a tough perennial, the Autumn Joy Stonecrop displays bright red and pink foliage, adding color to desert areas and warmer regions.

4. Western Wallflower

Western Wallflower in the dessert
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Botanical Name: Erysimum capitatum

Also called the Buttercup Wallflower, the plant has blooms arranged in clusters at the top of the plant. The plant is drought-tolerant and prefers full sun to partial shade.

5. Coyote Melon

Botanical Name: Cucurbita palmata

A flowering plant of the Squash family, the Coyote Melon has dark green arrow-headed leaves with thick and short stems.

6. Spiny Aloe

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Botanical Name: Aloe comosa

Also known as Aloe Comosa, the Spiny Aloe is a wonderful desert plant with succulent leaves curving upwards with bright red spikes.

7. Broom Snakeweed

carolannie1949

Botanical Name: Gutierrezia sarothrae

Broom snakeweed is a flowering plant native to the western United States and Mexico and bears small yellow blooms.

Check out these Inexpensive Desert Landscaping Ideas Pictures

8. Bluebunch Wheatgrass

Botanical Name: Pseudoroegneria spicata

With blue-green foliage, the Bluebunch wheatgrass grows in a wide range of habitats, including dry, rocky slopes and plateaus, and can tolerate drought and extreme temperatures.

9. Blue Grama Grass

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Botanical Name: Bouteloua gracilis

Blue Grama Grass is another of the best desert plants and is often used as a landscaping plant in dryland regions. It is relatively low maintenance and requires little water once established.

10. Autumn Charm Stonecrop

Botanical Name: Sedum ‘Autumn Charm’

The Autumn Charm Stonecrop is a stunning desert plant with gray-green leaves with clusters of light yellow flowers.

11. Buddha’s Temple

Buddha’s Temple-Best Desert Plants
myplantin

Botanical Name: Crassula pyramidalis

The Buddha’s Temple is a succulent desert plant that grows in the shape of a temple owing to its leaves that grow upward.

12. Screw Pine

Botanical Name: Pandanus

Screw pine, also known as Pandanus, is a tropical plant native to the Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. It is known for its distinctive, spiraled leaves, which grow in a spiral pattern around a central stem.

13. Topsy Turvy Echeveria

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Botanical Name: Echeveria runyonii

A wonderful desert plant, the Topsy Turvy Echevaria is a succulent with exotic blue-gray leaves that curve upward, making the foliage appear like a flower.

14. Sand Sagebrush

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Botanical Name: Artemisia filifolia Torr

Sand sagebrush is a small, shrubby plant with thin, gray-green leaves and small, inconspicuous flowers that grows in a wide range of habitats, including dry, sandy soils, and can tolerate drought and extreme temperatures.

Learn How to Grow Grapes in Pots & Care here

15. Hawksbeard

wikipedia

Botanical Name: Crepis

Another of the best desert plants is the Hawksbeard, known for its small, inconspicuous flowers and gray-green leaves.

16. Creeping Oregon Grape

Botanical Name: Mahonia repens

With small, yellow flowers and shiny, evergreen leaves, the Creeping Oregon Grape is often used as a landscaping plant in dryland regions.

17. Spineless Gray Horsebrush

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Botanical Name: Tetradymia canescens

Spineless gray horsebrush is a member of the Asteraceae family and is known for its small, inconspicuous flowers and gray, spiny branches.

18. Fleabane Daisy

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Botanical Name: Erigeron annuus

Fleabane daisy species are one of the best desert plants and are known for their small, daisy-like flowers and lance-shaped leaves.

19. Russian Thistle

shutterstock/Olga_V

Botanical Name: Salsola

Russian thistle is a species of annual herb that is native to Europe and Asia and known for its small, inconspicuous flowers and spiny, green branches.

20. Dragon’s Blood Stonecrop

littleprinceplants
Botanical Name: Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’

The Dragon’s Blood Stonecrop is a lovely ground cover with dark pink and purple blooms.

21. Brittlebush

Botanical Name: Encelia farinosa

A typical desert shrub, the Brittlebrush is one of the best plants, with bright yellow flowers growing quickly.

Here are Beautiful Bushes with Pink Flowers

22. Black Rose Aeonium

Botanical Name: Aeonium arboreum
The Black Rose Aeonium is a desert rose succulent with dark purple and black leaves that disguise it as a dark flower.

23. Creosote Bush

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Botanical Name: Larrea tridentata

The Creosote Bush is an evergreen shrub that does exceptionally well in deserts and dry regions and grows in various shapes.

24. Joshua Tree

edrabbit
Botanical Name: Yucca brevifolia

The Joshua Tree is an excellent desert plant with clustered branches that grow upwards, bearing spiky leaves, giving it a unique appearance.

25. Felt Bush

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Botanical Name: Kalanchoe beharensis

The Felt bush is a perennial succulent with large green-yellow leaves covered in tiny hair.

26. California Poppy

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Botanical Name: Eschscholzia californica
The California Poppy is a beautiful desert plant with eye-catching orange-yellow flowers.

27. Red Pancake

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Botanical Name: Kalanchoe thyrsiflora

Also known as the desert cabbage, the red pancake has thick bright green leaves that turn red towards the edges.

28. Fox Tail Agave

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Botanical Name: Kalanchoe thyrsiflora

An evergreen succulent with silver and pale green leaves, the fox tail agave appeals to everyone with its distinct shape.

Here are Exotic Fruits that Grow on Cactus

29. Winecup

Botanical Name: Clarkia purpurea

Winecups or purple poppy mallows are desert-friendly plants with trailing stems and delicate purple flowers with a white center.

30. Lantana

guzmansgreenhouse

Botanical Name: Lantana camara

One of the best desert plants, Lantana is a tropical plant that is known for its colorful, long-lasting flowers, which can be orange, yellow, pink, purple, or white.

31. Whitestem Paperflower

botanystuff

Botanical Name: Psilostrophe cooperi

The Whitestem Paperflower is a sub-shrub with wooly white stems and alluring yellow flowers.

32. Hen and Chicks

greenplantstmam

Botanical Name: Sempervivum tectorum

An alpine plant with a high tolerance, hen and chicks is a cluster of succulents with thick green leaves tipped in red.

33. Blazing Star

landshaftadvice

Botanical Name: Liatris

The Blazing Star is known for its tall, slender spikes of colorful, fluffy flowers. The flowers are typically purple, pink, or white blossoms.

34. Rattleweed

Botanical Name: Crotalaria retusa

Also known as Devil-bean, shack shack, and wedge-leaf rattlepod, Rattleweed has hairy, heart-shaped leaves and small, yellow flowers that bloom in the summer and early fall.

35. Bristly Langloisia

trinalindsey712

Botanical Name: Langloisia setosissima

Found in dry, rocky soils in desert and chaparral habitats, the Bristly Langloisia has bright yellow flowers and is often used as an ornamental desert plant.

Check out Front Yard Desert Landscaping Ideas here

36. Tumbleweed

shutterstock/Rosamar

Botanical Name: Salsola

Tumbleweed is another desert plant that detaches from the stem on maturity and spreads its seeds wherever the wind rolls it.

37. Desert Marigold

shutterstock/Dominic Gentilcore PhD
Botanical Name: Baileya

The Desert Marigold is an aster with deeply lobed leaves and stunning yellow blooms.

38. Rainbow Bitterroot

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Botanical Name: Lewisia cotyledon ‘Rainbow’

An evergreen perennial, the rainbow bitterroot gets its name from its blooms’ wide range of colors.

39. Desert Lily

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Botanical Name: Hesperocallis undulata

Desert Lilies are beautiful white flowers on long stems that bloom in the desert.

40. Cape Aloe

Botanical Name: Aloe ferox

The Cape Aloe is a succulent shrub with blue-green foliage covered in red spines at the edges.

41. Moss Rose

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Botanical Name: Portulaca grandiflora

Moss Rose has bright green leaves and blooms yellow, red, pink, and white flowers. The plant retains water in its stems, making it an excellent desert plant.

42. Ocotillo

dahuang223
Botanical Name: Fouquieria splendens
The Ocotillo is a desert plant with slender spiny twigs and bears clusters of yellow blossoms.

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43. Yellow Palo Verde

kenneturner

Botanical Name: Parkinsonia microphylla

Also called the “Desert Museum,” the yellow palo verde is a bright green tree with lively yellow blooms.

44. Mojave Aster

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Botanical Name: Xylorhiza tortifolia

With grey-green stems and silver-green leaves, the Mojave aster bears lavender-white blossoms with yellow anthers.

45. Pink Fairy Duster

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Botanical Name: Calliandra eriophylla

The Pink Fairy Duster is a wonderful low-spreading desert shrub with delicate pink-purple flowers.

46. Texas Sage

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Botanical Name: Leucophyllum frutescens

The Texas Sage is an evergreen shrub that is low maintenance, compact, and attracts everyone with pale green leaves and bright purple flowers.

47. Perennial Verbena

plantmaster

Botanical Name: Glandularia canadensis

The Perennial Verbena has clustered flowers that bloom throughout the summer months. The leaves of the perennial verbena plant are oval or lance-shaped and are typically green.

48. Desert Peach

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Botanical Name: Prunus andersonii

One of the best desert plants, the Desert Peach, produces small, white or pink flowers in the spring and has small, edible fruits that resemble peaches in appearance and flavor.

49. Poodle Dog Bush

Botanical Name: Turricula parryi

The Poodle Dog Bush is a woody, shrubby plant that grows up to 3-6 feet (1-2 meters) tall and produces small, purple, or blue flowers in the spring and summer.

50. Desert Star

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Botanical Name: Monoptilon bellidiforme

Also known as Mojave star, it is a member of the sunflower family (Asteraceae) and has small, white or pale pink flowers.

Check out the Best Bell Shaped Flowers here

51. Pencil Plant

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Botanical Name: Euphorbia tirucalli

The Pencil Plant, or the pencil cactus, is a unique plant that grows well in arid and desert climates. It is known for its pencil-like thick cylindrical succulent branches.

52. Bougainvillea

Botanical Name: Bougainvillea

The bougainvillea is an ornamental bush that can thrive in desert and arid areas, bringing vibrance with its purple, blue, pink, and orange varieties.

53. Living Stone

haeboonglee
Botanical Name: Lithops

Pebble succulent plants are known for their stone-like appearance, Living stones are one of the best desert plants.

54. Cape Blanco

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Botanical Name: Sedum spathulifolium ‘Cape Blanco’

The Cape Blanco has long and thick stems of grey-blue that grow bright yellow blossoms.

55. Crown Of Thorns

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Botanical Name: Euphorbia milii

The Crown of thorns is a succulent with thick green leaves that bears amazing red, orange, pink, or yellow blooms.

56. Indian Paintbrush

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Botanical Name: Castilleja

With two-lipped tubular flowers on long narrow stems, the Indian paintbrush is one of the most lovely and best desert plants you can have.

57. Pink Muhly Grass

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Botanical Name: Muhlenbergia capillaris

The Pink Muhly is an ornamental grass that displays beautiful shades with its green stems and purple flowers.

58. Bastard Toadflax

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Botanical Name: Comandra umbellata

Small in size, the Bastard Toadflax has clusters of yellow flowers on leafy upright stems.

Here are the Best Tea Herbs to Make a Tea Herb Garden

59. Mormon Tea

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Botanical Name: Mormon Tea

Also known as Indian Tea, the Mormon tea plant is a shrub with joint green branches that can be dried and used to make medicinal tea.

60. Jumping Cholla

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Botanical Name: Cylindropuntia fulgida

Cylindropuntia fulgida, also known as the jumping cholla or hanging chain cholla, produces small, yellow flowers in the spring and summer, which are followed by small, spiny fruits.

61. Vervain

shutterstock/Rachel Blaser

Botanical Name: Verbena officinalis

Vervain is a flowering plant in the verbena family (Verbenaceae). It is native to Europe and Asia but has naturalized in many other parts of the world, including North America.

Check out some Beautiful Succulent Porch Garden Ideas here

62. Galleta Grass

USGS Arizona

Botanical Name: Pleuraphis rigida

One of the best desert plants, the Galleta Grass, is a low-growing grass with thin, blue-green leaves and small, inconspicuous flowers.

63. Big Sagebrush

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Botanical Name: Artemisia tridentata

The Big Sagebrush is a member of the Asteraceae family and is known for its distinctive, pungent aroma and silvery-gray leaves.

Here are the Best Plants For Hanging Baskets

64. Yellow Bells

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Botanical Name: Tecoma stans

Yellow bells is an evergreen shrub with bright green leaves and bell-shaped yellow blooms.

65. Desert Palm Tree

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Botanical Name: Washingtonia filifera

Palm trees are excellent for desert environments as they can withstand the sun and are beautiful trees.

66. Cooper’s Hardy Ice Plant

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Botanical Name: Delosperma cooperi

With low succulent foliage of lovely purple or pink blossoms, Cooper’s Hardy Ice Plant brings beauty to any arid or desert area.

67. Indian Rice Grass

shutterstock/Dominic Gentilcore PhD

Botanical Name: Oryzopsis hymenoides

Indian rice grass is a perennial grass native to the western United States and Canada, known for its small, fine-textured leaves and delicate, flowering panicles.

68. Rubber Rabbitbrush

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Botanical Name: Ericameria nauseosa

With yellow flowers and sticky, resin-covered stems, the Rubber rabbitbrush is an important plant in the ecosystem of the western United States and is a key food source for many species of wildlife, including birds, rodents, and ungulates.

Here are Beautiful Trees with Yellow Foliage

69. Great Basin Wildrye

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Botanical Name: Leymus cinereus

Another one among the best desert plants, the Great Basin Wildrye, is a member of the Poaceae family and is known for its tall, slender stems and small, spike-like flowers.

70. Cheatgrass

Botanical Name: Bromus tectorum

Cheatgrass is an invasive grass species that is native to Europe and Asia but has naturalized in many parts of the world, including the United States and Canada. It is known for its rapid growth and ability to spread quickly and aggressively in new areas.

71. Blackbrush

vagabondnaturalists

Botanical Name: Coleogyne ramosissima

Blackbrush is a woody shrub that is native to the southwestern United States; that has small, white flowers and dark, spiny branches.

72. Cushion Buckwheat

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Botanical Name: Eriogonum ovalifolium

Cushion buckwheat is a low-growing plant with thin, gray-green leaves and small, white flowers that bloom in the summer.

73. Gilia

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Botanical Name: Gilia

Gilia is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the Polemoniaceae family; known for its small, colorful flowers, which come in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white.

Here are Side Yard Desert Landscaping Ideas

74. Evening Primrose

shutterstock/Hiroshi Ichikawa

Botanical Name: Oenothera

Evening primrose species are known for their small, colorful flowers, which come in shades of yellow, pink, and white. They have thin, hairy stems and leaves and are often used in landscaping and natural gardens.

75. Winterfat

wildflowersofnewmexico

Botanical Name: Krascheninnikovia lanata

Krascheninnikovia lanata, also known as Whitestem paperflower, is a flowering plant native to the western United States and Canada, known for its small, yellow flowers and hairy, gray-green leaves.

76. Sego Lily

Botanical Name: Calochortus nuttallii

One of the best desert plants, the Sego lily is also popular in natural landscaping and traditional herbal medicine. Sego lily treats various ailments, including coughs, colds, and respiratory issues.

77. Antelope Bitterbrush

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Botanical Name: Purshia tridentata

Antelope bitterbrush is another woody shrub native to the western United States and is known for its small, white flowers and dark, spiny branches.

78. Desert Willow

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Botanical Name: Chilopsis linearis

Desert Willow is a member of the Bignoniaceae family and is known for its small, trumpet-shaped flowers and long, narrow leaves.

79. Globemallow

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Botanical Name: Sphaeralcea

Globemallow is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the Malvaceae family, known for their small, colorful flowers, which come in shades of orange, pink, and red.

80. Utah Juniper

teesedon

Botanical Name: Juniperus osteosperma

The Utah Juniper has small, blue-green leaves and rough, reddish-brown bark and can tolerate drought and extreme temperatures.

Have a look at some Beautiful Desert Landscaping Ideas with Rocks here

81. Desert Candle

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Botanical Name: Caulanthus inflatus

Caulanthus inflatus, also known as Desert Candle, is a biennial plant that grows up to 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) tall and has long, slender stems that are covered in small, spiky thorns.

82. Alkali Mariposa Lily

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Botanical Name: Calochortus striatus

The Alkali Mariposa Lily is a flowering plant native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The flowers are typically white or pale pink and have three petals that are adorned with distinctive purple or maroon markings.

83. Queen Of The Night

Botanical Name: Epiphyllum oxypetalum

The Dutchman’s Pipe Cactus, also called the Queen of the Night, is a desert plant that bears white flowers that only bloom at night and wilt with the dawn.

84. Hildmann’s Cereus

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Botanical Name: Cereus hildmannianus

The Hildmann’s Cereus is another captivating desert plant. The shrubby cactus has red thorns and bears white blooms.

85. Giant Claret Cup

shutterstock/Linda Rawson
Botanical Name: Echinocereus triglochidiatus

The Giant Claret Cup is one of the best desert plants that puts other cacti to shame with its vibrant red flowers.

Want some color? Here are Beautiful Shrubs and Bushes with Red Berries

86. Paperbag Bush

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Botanical Name: Scutellaria Mexicana

The Paperbag Bush is a woody, shrubby plant that grows up to 4-5 feet tall and has long, slender stems that are covered in small, green leaves. It produces small, yellow flowers that bloom in the summer and has distinctive, papery seedpods.

87. Mojave Monkeyflower

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Botanical Name: Mimulus mohavensis

Native to the Mojave Desert of the southwestern United States, the Mojave Monkeyflower is a perennial herb with bright red or yellow flowers, making it one of the best desert plants.

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88. Fairy Duster

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Botanical Name: Calliandra eriophylla

One of the best desert plants, the Fairy Duster, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

89. Chuparosa

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Botanical Name: Justicia californica

Native to the southwestern United States, the Chuparosa has narrow, lance-shaped leaves. The plant also attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

90. Orchid tree

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Botanical Name: Bauhinia variegata

The Orchid tree, also known as Bauhinia, is a flowering plant native to tropical and subtropical regions. It is known for its distinctive, showy flowers, which have a shape that resembles orchids.

Look at some budget-friendly desert landscaping ideas here

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