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 Use Sun Exposure Native Plant?sort ascending Evergreen? Remarks
Gossypium thurberi Wild Cotton 2 - 6' H 3' W Little to moderate Full sun, Partial shade Yes No

Deciduous Shrub - Flammable - Head back fast growing terminal branches to side buds for a more compact plant
Sporobulos wrightii Big Sacaton 4-5'H & W Little to moderate Full sun Yes No

Warm season grass - Arching blue-green leaves form a clump 3-4' high and wide. Feathery golden yellow seedheads nearly double the plants height in late summer to early fall
Echinocereus triglochidiatus Claret Cup 6"H None Full sun Yes Yes

Cactus - One of nearly 50 hedgehogs - Showy red flowers - Forms clumps
Acacia constricta White Thorn Acacia 6 - 20' H & W Little Full sun Yes No

Deciduous Shrub - Bark looks red in winter when wet
Melampodium leucanthum Blackfoot Daisy 1' H & W Little to moderate Full sun Yes No

Perennial - If straggly, cut back in fall - Grows best in decomposed granite
Sambucus mexicana Blue Elderberry 10-30'H 8-20'W Moderate Full sun, Partial shade Yes Yes

Tree or Shrub - Drops its foliage during drought - Fruit is often used in jams, jellies, pies, and wine
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
Senecio longilobus Threadleaf Grounsel 3'H 2'W None to little Full sun Yes Yes

Shrub - Toxic, poisonous to livestock - Common on overgrazed grasslands - Do not overwater
Dalea greggii Trailing Indigo Bush 1.5'H 5'W Little to moderate Full sun Yes Yes

Groundcover - Flame resistant - Mounding habit - Overwatering or drought can cause partial leaf drop - Excellent soil erosion control plant
Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana California Poppy 8" H 1' W Little to moderate Full sun Yes No

Perennial often grown as an Annual - Flame resistant - Deep golden flowers in spring
Conoclinium (Eupatorium) greggii Mistflower 'Boothill' 1.5 -2'H 1-3'W Little Full sun, Partial shade Yes No

Perennial - First found near Tombstone - Fluffy lavender flowers late spring to fall
Opuntia spinosior Cane Cholla 8' H 4' W Little Full sun Yes Yes

Cactus - Favored nesting plant by Cactus wrens and thrashers - Magenta flowers, yellow fruit
Acacia greggii Catclaw Acacia 15-25'H 15'W None to little Full sun Yes No

Deciduous Tree - Thorns - Shrubby in drought, Treelike with water
Anisacanthus thurberi Thurber's Desert Honeysuckle 4' H & W Moderate Full sun Yes No

Deciduous Shrub - Cut to ground before spring growth to rejuvenate - Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies
Berlandiera lyrata Chocolate Flower 1.5 - 3' H & W Little Full sun Yes Yes

Perennial - Shear seedheads lightly to encourage more bloom - Dry for winter bouquets

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