Sierra Vista Area Plant List

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The Sierra Vista Area Plant List, with common name, botanical name, and other plant information
Botanical Name Common Name Size Water Usesort descending Sun Exposure Native Plant? Evergreen? Remarks
Robinia neomexicana New Mexican Locust, Desert Locust 6 - 30' H & W Little Full sun Yes No

Deciduous Tree or Shrub - Flame resistant - Thorns - Wood brittle - Fast growing - Aggressive roots - Suckers

Muhlenbergia capellensis Regal Mist 3' H & W Little Full sun No No

Warm season grass - Spectacular dusky pink in the fall

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' Purple Fountain Grass 5' H & W Little Full sun, Partial shade No No

Warm season grass - This attractive pennisetum variety usually does not self-sow - The green variety is invasive

Stanleya pinnata Prince's Plume 36"H 18"W Little Full sun No No

Perennial - Clear yellow flowers - Cut off entire flower spike after blooming to fill out the plant

Bouteloua gracilis Blue Grama Grass 1.5' H 1' W Little Full sun Yes No

Warm season turf and pasture grass - If used as turf it is not low water use

Sempervivum tectorum Hens and Chickens 2-5"W rosettes Little Partial shade No Yes

Perennial or Succulent - Water only to prevent shriveling

Muhlenbergia capillaris Pink Muhly 3'H - 6'W Little Full sun, Partial shade No No

Warm season grass - Very drought tolerant, looks better and gets bigger if given some water

Asclepias linaria Pineleaf Milkweed 2' H 3' W Little Full sun Yes Yes

Shrub - Toxic, all parts of many Asclepias species are poisonous if ingested - Marginal - Needle-like leaves, 2" white-flower clusters bloom Mar - Dec.

Psorothamnus scoparia Broom Dalea 3' H 4' W Little Full sun Yes No

Deciduous Shrub - Requires sandy soil - Once established, it needs very little water, in fact, it does not tolerate overwatering - Attractive erosion control

Prosopis glandulosa Honey Mesquite 30' H & W Little Full sun No No

Deciduous Tree - Little pruning needed - Often multi-trunked - Thorniness variable - Cutting grown 'Maverick' is a superior thornless form

Salazaria mexicana Paperbag Bush 3' H & W Little Full sun No No

Deciduous Shrub - Common name refers to fruit that develops into an inflated pouch

Muhlenbergia emersleyi Bull Grass 1.5'H 3-4'W Little Full sun, Partial shade Yes No

Warm season grass - Feathery spikes are purplish to reddish, fading to cream with age

Erythrina flabelliformis Coral Bean 3-4' H - 2' W Little Full sun Yes No

Deciduous Shrub - Toxic, the flat beanlike pods after bloom contain poisonous seeds - Flame resistant - Short spines - Will freeze to ground in winter, but will recover

Pinus eldarica Afghan Pine 30-80'H 15-25'W Little Full sun No Yes

Tree - Marginal - Not for our zone, although they seem to do well in our area - Avoid planting where oaks are present as they may be subject to Comadra blister rust - Flammable - One of best pines for much of the desert

Brahea armata Mexican Blue Palm 40'H 25'W Little Full sun No Yes

Tree - Takes heat & wind

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