Low Water Plants

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Low Water Use Plants
for Northern Arizona

The Arboretum at Flagstaff Extension Bulletin, 1991, No. 2R

Robert Wilson, Horticulturist

The following list of plants are drought tolerant and can be grown with minimal irrigation once established.  This list is intended to be a guide.  Before you purchase a particular plant for your landscape, it would be wise to check on its likely survival on your site.  You might ask your local nursery, Cooperative Extension Agent, or the Horticulturist (774-1442 x111) at The Arboretum at Flagstaff.

* Indicates plants that can survive on very little moisture once established.

Trees

Scientific Name

Common Name

Scientific Name

Common Name

Acer ginnala Amur Maple Pinus nigra Austrian Black Pine
Catalpa speciosa Western Catalpa Pinus ponderosa Ponderosa Pine
Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca' Blue Atlas Cedar Pinus sylvestris Scotch Pine
Celtis occidentalis Common Hackberry Populus acuminata Lanceleaf Cottonwood
Celtis reticulata Western Hackberry Populus alba White Poplar
Cotinus coggygria Smoke Tree Populus nigra 'Italica' & 'Thevestina' Lombardy Poplar
Crataegus x lavallei Carriere Hawthorn Prunus cerasifera Flowering Plum
* Elaeagnus angustifolia Russian Olive Pseudotsuga menziesii glauca Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir
Gleditsia triacanthos inermis Thornless Honey Locust Quercus alba White Oak
Gymnocladus dioicus Kentucky Coffee Tree *Quercus gambelii Gambel Oak
*Juniperus osteosperma Utah Juniper Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oak
*Juniperus scopulorum Rocky Mountain Juniper Quercus rubra Red Oak
*Juniperus virginiana Eastern Red Cedar Robinia ambigua 'Idahoensis' Idaho Locust
*Maclura pomifera Osage Orange *Robinia neomexicana New Mexico Locust
Picea abies Norway Spruce Robinia pseudoacacia Black Locust
Picea pungens Colorado Blue Spruce Sophora japonica Japanese Pagoda Tree
Pinus aristata Bristlecone Pine Ulmus americana American Elm
*Pinus edulis Pinyon Pine *Ulmus pumila Siberian Elm
Pinus flexilis Limber Pine

Shrubs

Amelanchier alnifolia Serviceberry or Saskatoon *Caragana arborescens Siberian Pea Shrub
*Amelanchier utahensis Utah Serviceberry *Cercocarpus ledifolius Curl-leaf Mountain-mahogany
Amorpha fruticosa Desert False Indigo *Cercocarpus montanus Mountain-mahogany
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Kinnikinnick or Bearberry *Chamaebatiaria millefolium Fernbush
*Artemisia pycnocephala Beach Wormwood *Chrysothamnus nauseosus Golden Rabbit Brush
*Artemisia tridentata Big Sage Cotoneaster adpressus Creeping Cotoneaster
*Atriplex canescens Four-wing Saltbush Cotoneaster apiculatus Cranberry Cotoneaster
Berberis thunbergii Japanese Barberry Cotoneaster divaricatus Spreading Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster horizontalis Rock Cotoneaster Prunus tomentosa Nanking Cherry
*Purshia mexicana Mexican Cliffrose Pyracantha M. Roemer Firethorn or Pyracantha
*Fallugia paradoxa Apache Plume Rhamnus cathartica Common Buckthorn
Fendlera rupicola Fendlerbush Rhus aromatica Fragrant Sumac
*Forestiera neomexicana New Mexico Privet *Rhus glabra Smooth Sumac
Juniperus chinensis Chinese Juniper *Rhus trilobata Threeleaf Sumac
*Ribes aureum Golden Currant
Juniperus horizontalis Creeping Juniper *Ribes cereum Wax Currant
Ligustrum amurense Amur Privet *Ribes uva-crispa European Gooseberry
Lonicera Korolkowii Blue-leaf Honeysuckle Rosa harisonii Harison Yellow Rose
Lonicera tatarica Tatarian Honeysuckle Rosa rugosa Sea Tomato
Mahonia repens Creeping Barberry *Rosa woodsii Wild or Woods Rose
Paxistima myrsinites Oregon Boxleaf Sambucus Blue Elder
Philadelphus microphyllus Littleleaf Mock Orange Shepherdia canadensis Russet Buffaloberry
Pinus mugo Mugho Pine Spiraea spp. Spiraea
Dasiphora fruticosa Shrubby Cinquefoil Symphoricarpos albus Snowberry
Prunus besseyi Western Sand Cherry *Yucca elata Soaptree Yucca

Herbaceous Plants & Vines

*Achillea spp. Yarrow Liatris sppp. Gayfeather
Antennaria parvifolia Common Pussytoes Linum perenne Blue Flax
Antennaria rosulata Little-leaf Pussytoes Lithospermum multiflorum Puccon
Artemisia dracunculus French Tarragon Lonicera arizonica Arizona Honeysuckle
*Artemisia frigida Fringed Wormwood Lonicera japonica 'Halliana' Hall Honeysuckle
*Artemisia schmidtiana Satiny Wormwood *Lupinus argenteus Silver Lupine
Berlandiera lyrata Chocolate Flower *Oenothera caespitosa Tufted Evening-primrose
Campanula glomerata Clustered Bellflower *Oryzopsis hymenoides Indian Rice Grass
Centranthus ruber Red Valerian Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia Creeper
Chamaemelum nobile Chamomile Penstemon spp. Beardtongue
Clematis ligusticifolia Western Virgin's Bower Phlox drummondii Drummond Phlox
Coreopsis lanceolata Lance-leaf Coreopsis Potentilla spp. Cinquefoil
*Datura meteloides Sacred Datura Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Fern
*Delosperma nubigenum Ice Plant Ratibida columnifera Mexican Hat
Dugaldia hoopesii Western Sneezeweed Salvia officinalis Sage
 *Eriogonum jamesii Antelope-sage *Santolina chamaecyparissus Grey Santolina
*Eriogonum umbellatum Sulfur Flower Santolina virens Green Santolina
Erysimum asperum Wallflower *Sedum spp. Stonecrop
*Eschscholzia californica California Poppy *Sempervivum tectorum Hen and Chicks
Gaillardia grandiflora Blanket Flower *Senecio longilobus Threadleaf Groundsel
Geum triflorum Old Man's Whiskers *Tanacetum vulgare Common Tansy
Humulus americanus Hops *Teucrium chamaedrys Germander
*Ipomopsis aggregata Skyrocket, Scarlet Gilia *Thymus spp. Thyme
*Iris Bearded Iris Vitis amurensis Amur Grape
*Kniphofia uvaria Red Hot Poker *Zinnia grandiflora Prairie Zinnia
 
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Last modified: Monday May 12, 2008