Low-Water-Use Plants & Trees
Create a beautiful desert landscape with plants and trees that offer color, texture and interest—without requiring excessive water once established.
Low-water-use plants are a natural fit for Arizona landscapes, with many varieties well-suited to our heat, sunshine and dry climate. From colorful flowering shrubs and distinctive desert plants to shade trees, groundcovers and Arizona natives, there are plenty of ways to create a landscape you’ll enjoy while using water wisely.
Choosing plants with lower water needs can also help conserve one of our most important natural resources. Many desert-adapted and native plants provide valuable food and habitat for hummingbirds, butterflies, bees and other local wildlife, too.
Give Low-Water Plants a Strong Start
Even low-water-use plants need regular, appropriate watering while they become established. Planting in high-quality soil and watering appropriately during the establishment period helps encourage strong, healthy roots.
Once established, these plants generally require less supplemental water and are well-suited to our desert climate.
Explore Our Top 4 Soils New Plant Watering Guides
Explore Low-Water-Use Plants & Resources
Find plants and helpful information for creating a beautiful, water-wise Arizona landscape.
These cactus varieties and sun-tolerant succulents require little water, and all are well suited to life in the desert.
Explore a variety of low-water use shrubs that grow well in the Valley.
Discover low-water-use trees that grow well in the Valley.
We've got a variety of flowers, trees and shrubs that are native to Arizona—many of which attract and support beneficial pollinators.
Groundcovers are a great alternative to lawns and artificial turf, providing greenery with far less water and maintenance. Many desert-adapted varieties offer long-term beauty and resilience with minimal irrigation.
Learn how low-water-use plants benefit your garden and landscape...
Check out a list of low-water-use plants recommended by the AZ Dept. of Water Resources for our greater Phoenix area.
Explore watering guides for a variety of uses.
