Desert Accent Plants

Blue Glow is a hybrid that produces a glow-like appearance in bright sunlight. It grows two feet tall and wide, forming a single rosette with a clumping growth habit. This agave is a cross between Agave ocahui and Agave attenuata. It gets its broad leaf structure and attractive green color from A. attenuata and its sharp terminal spine and size from A. ocahui. This unusual plant offers wide, soft, spineless, bluish-green foliage with distinctive red margins and a short, red, terminal spine.

The Century Plant is the granddaddy of all agaves. It grows slowly to about 6 feet tall by 8-10 feet wide. The wide, grey-green leaves have stiff terminal spines and curved teeth along the margins. After about ten years, a tall stalk of spectacular flowers signals the end of Century plant’s life cycle. The flower stalk grows vigorously and is present for months. Flowers are yellow, about 3″ to 4″ long. Century plant “pups” freely and forms multiple basal offshoots. It also comes in variegated forms with alternate leaf colors and patterns. This large agave should be planted in open, low-traffic areas. Use Century plant with discretion in small spaces. Leaf tips are dangerously sharp.

The agave cornelius is a low growing, colorful plant. It has thick, wavy blue green and yellow variegated foliage with wide leaves. This spectacular plant has sharp black teeth along its leaves and a sharp tip. It will grow about two feet wide and tall to form an attractive medium-sized rosette. This plant is very slow-growing and will rarely produce offsets.  Plant this desert accent in showy containers, small rock gardens, and areas that do not receive regular irrigation. It can also be used as a winter interest plant or in succulent and cactus gardens. This plant was discovered by the late Dr. Cornelius of California and has been passed around in collectors’ nurseries of California. There is not a lot known about the origin of this agave.

The plant forms a large rosette of twisted silvery-green leaves and strips of bright yellow along its leaf margins, giving it the appearance of a striped ribbon. Its sword-like leaves stand upright to about four to six feet tall and wide, growing in a stiff rosette. The leaves are armed with
small brown hooks and it has a sharp, spiny tip on each leaf. Agave americana has many variegated forms that show differences in the leaves and names. Like most agaves, it produces a flower stalk only once in its lifetime, after ten to twenty years. The flower stalk grows to
twenty feet or more, producing exotic, pale yellow blossoms. After blooming, the mother plant dies. Use it as a dramatic, ornamental, or specimen plant in desert landscapes for its outstanding features. It can also be used in xeriscape or tropical landscape settings, or planted in tubs or large containers. This strikingly beautiful
desert accent makes a dramatic statement and focal point in any landscape. The variegated century plant is native to Mexico, but has naturalized itself in Mediterranean and desert climates.

This striking agave with its creamy, whitish-yellow, central leaf color and bluish-gray margins grows three to four feet tall. It has short, thick leaves that arch downward to a sharp tip. The leaves have indentations along their edges with small, grayish-red colored spines. This species is smaller than the other variegated agaves. The variety ‘Aureo marginata’ has yellow margins on the leaves. The variety ‘Mediopicta aurea’ has a broad, yellow band down the center of each leaf. After many years, this particular agave produces a tall, yellowish-green flower stalk. It also grows slower than the other varieties, and produces fewer offsets.  Use it as an accent, in containers on patios, in raised beds, in cactus gardens, or on hillsides. This agave can be used for its dramatic appearance and color. It is native to dry, desert locations in Mexico.

This is one of the rarest and most beautiful of all the agaves. It foliage is blue-gray with creamy white markings and multiple, white stripes that run throughout the length of the leaves. The plant grows six to eight feet tall and wide. Like other agaves, it produces offsets, but these lose some variegation as they grow. Also each leaf is slightly different in the amount of variegation. Sometimes the offsets may resemble the Agave americana var. medio-picta. Its flowers are yellowish-green and grow upwards, rising to twenty feet or more. Use this striking variegated plant in large open areas either as an accent or specimen. It can also be used in containers on patios and porches as a focal plant or mixed with other agave species and low-water-use plants. The variegated varieties can be very inconsistent in their color patterns from one generation to the next. The striped century plant is native to central to southern Mexico.

This agave forms a dense rosette of sword-shaped, greenish-blue foliage reaching three to five feet tall and six feet wide. It has been cultivated for hundreds of years, and was used for fiber and as a food crop. In the landscape, it grows from a short trunk and forms numerous leaves with sharp, small, curved teeth and a sharp tip. The leaves are variegated with mostly whitish-cream colors on the outside margins of the plant. However, leaf color and variegation differs from plant to plant. Years after maturity, the plant develops a ten- to sixteen-foot high flower stalk in late winter through the summer, with greenish-yellow flowers. Once the agave blooms, the mother plant will die, but produces many offsets continue its lifecycle. Use it in containers or as a specimen in desert or tropical landscape settings. This handsome looking plant is native to Tamaulipas, Mexico and south to Guatemala, Costa Rica, and throughout the Caribbean, where it grows on open, rocky slopes.

This graceful accent plant has light, bluish-green, smooth, pliable foliage that forms a rosette of growth to five feet tall and wide. It has arching leaves and does not produce spines. The variety ‘Nova’ is smaller with wider, bluish-green leaves and an erect flower stalk. ‘Kara’s Stripes’ is a newer, hybridized plant with butter yellow foliage marked by narrow, green stripes; it requires more sunshine to produces its color. All the varieties bloom once after about ten years, with a seven- to fifteen-foot tall flower stalk that has yellowish-green blooms that arch downward. After the plant flowers, offsets will develop to help the plant reproduce.  Use it as a background plant or as an understory in the protected shade of a large canopy tree. It can also be planted in shaded entryways and large planters for tropical effects. Use it around fountains and pools, or where bold foliage is needed. This is a great background plant in annual and perennial color plants or as an accent in cactus and succulent gardens. It is a rare species and is native to mountain habitats in central Mexico.

The plant grows three feet tall and four to six feet wide, and is recognized by its satin-like, darker green to yellowish-green foliage that forms a rosette. Brownish-red teeth run along the edges of the leaves. The younger leaves have a distinctive, smooth looking sheen. At the end of its life, anywhere between five and eighteen years, this agave develops a stalk about fifteen to twenty-two feet tall with greenish-yellow flowers.  Use it as a specimen, bold accent plant in tropical settings, in large containers, or with other agave species for its interesting appearance. The plant is native to the rocky slopes in oak and pine wooded areas of Chihuahua and northern Sinaloa, Mexico, where it can be found growing between 3,000 and 6,000 feet.

This low-growing agave with an irregular appearance reaches heights of about two feet tall and wide. It has an interesting clumping rosette of spineless, bright-green, candelabra-like leaves. The foliage emerges from the center of the plant and arches gracefully, resembling the arms of a squid moving through water. At maturity, this agave sends up a three- to five-foot spike of showy white to pale yellow flowers that form a dense cluster. Unlike other agaves, this species blooms many times during its life, during the warmer months. It also produces many offsets, which grow and mature around the mother plant.  Use it in gardens with cactus and other succulents, in containers, raised planters, and small planting spaces, or among boulders. Mix the squid agave into cactus and succulent gardens. The plant is native to the mountains of the Chihuahuan Desert in northern Mexico, and the states of Coahuila and Nuevo Leon. It grows on steep, vertical cliffs in limestone canyons at elevations of 3,000 to 5,000 feet.

This agave is admired for its striking, broad, powder blue leaves with distinct impressions and spiny brown teeth along the margins. The plant grows in a tight rosette to heights of two to four feet tall and wide. After five to fifteen years, it produces six- to ten-foot tall flower stalks with reddish buds opening to reveal showy, yellow flowers. The flowering stalks signal the end of the life cycle of this plant. It produces many offsets at its base to ensure reproduction. There are two forms of this species in cultivation. One grows smaller to two feet high and wide. Its leaves are broad and spoon-shaped. The other form grows larger to four feet tall and wide, with larger foliage. Historically, the heart of this agave was roasted and eaten by Native Americans. Plant parts were also used to make a wine-like beverage.  Use it as a bold accent plant in rock gardens, on banks and slopes, in containers, or in smaller spaces where other agaves might grow too large. This agave is native to the canyons along the coast of Sonora, Mexico and in the isolated mountain ranges of northern Sinaloa, Mexico.

The false sisal is a dramatic plant that grows five feet tall and wide. It will get much larger to about ten feet in frost-free locations. This agave is known for its bright green, long foliage that forms a tight, symmetrical rosette. Its fleshy leaves spread from the center of the plant and have small teeth along the margins. This plant produces many offsets for reproduction and propagation. Once in its lifetime, in late fall or early winter, it develops a ten- to twelve-foot flower stalk with many branches that support greenish-yellow flowers. Use this exotic looking agave in containers, raised planters, or as an accent plant in protected locations or for tropical effects. It combines well when planted along with Agave geminiflora and Agave victoriae-reginae. This agave is native to Florida.

This clumping plant was an important food source for Native Americans, and grows two feet tall and four to six feet wide. It forms numerous rosettes of grayish-blue to green, thick, sword-like leaves. Fibers from the leaves were used to make clothing, rope, and other useful products. The flower stalks were roasted and the hearts of the plants were eaten. Alcoholic drinks were also made from the sweet juices of the plant. Sharp teeth form along the edge of the leaves and the tip. The leaf size ranges from six to fifteen inches long and two to three inches wide and sometimes develops a noticeable band in the center. The agave produces many offsets over its lifetime. After ten to twenty years, it develops a flower stalk that grows ten feet tall with bright yellow, funnel-shaped blossoms with many branches. The flowers bloom for an extended period from May through July. After blooming, the flower stalk dries and noticeable seed capsules remain on the plant for many months. There are two distinct subspecies of this plant that are hard to distinguish from each other. Agave deserti subsp. pringlei is greener with a distinctive spine in the middle of the leaf. Agave deserti subsp. simplex does not produce many offsets.  Use it in hot, dry desert gardens or mixed in with large boulders. It can also be mixed into low-water-use cactus and succulent gardens. This plant is native to rocky areas in the high deserts of southern California where it grows in arroyos and western slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains. It also is endemic to areas of Arizona and northern Baja, Mexico where it grows at 300 to 5,000 feet in elevation.

This upright plant forms a beautiful, symmetrical rosette shape with slightly arching leaves and grows three feet tall and wide. It has light, bluish-green foliage with smooth edges and a sharp spine at its tip. Sometimes, it develops small brown teeth along its edges. The variegated variety offers bright green leaves with yellow variegated edges. After eight to ten years, the agave develops an eight- to ten-foot high branched stalk with pale, yellow blooms. The flower stalk appears at the end of its life cycle; however, the plant also produces an abundance of offsets for reproduction. Use it as an accent, in containers, and in transitional landscapes and tropical settings for a bold statement. This is a great plant choice for low-water-use or xeriscape situations or as an accent plant. It has a beautiful form and combines well with other low growing agaves. The growth habit is somewhat similar to Agave weberi, but it is a much smaller plant. Smooth agave is only found in cultivation from a plant nursery, although it is believed that this agave originated in Sinaloa, Mexico. It is cultivated in Europe and in the western United States.

This agave is admired for its decorative, dark-green to bronzy-green, sword-like, narrow foliage. The plant grows quickly to two feet tall and two to three feet wide. The foliage has white markings and fibers along the edges and a sharp point on the tip of the leaf. It is symmetrical in growth habit and well suited for containers. At maturity, in late summer, it produces a flower stalk that reaches eight feet or more with attractive purple blossoms that occur on the upper part of the stalk. The plant dies after blooming but can be re-propagated by seed or by the removal of a rare offset. Use it in masses or with other similar varieties, in tight spaces, patios, pots, or planted with other desert perennials. The variety ‘Durango Delight’ is a trademark plant from Starr Nursery in Tucson, Arizona. It is an attractive, smaller and more compact cultivar. The plant is native to Chihuahua, Durango, Sinaloa, and Sonora, Mexico growing from 4,500 to 7,500 feet.

This agave has dense, symmetrical foliage that grows in a rosette producing about a hundred or more erect, narrow, dark green leaves. The slender foliage grows to two to three feet tall with sharp edges and smooth margins on a flat, gray terminal spine. Some plants have whitish fibers growing along the leaf edges while others are fiber-less. Its flower stalk grows nine to twelve feet high with two flowering candelabra stems. The flowers are yellow with a reddish-purple coloring at the base. After the plant produces its majestic bloom at about ten years or so, it dies. This plant is more solitary and does not produce offsets like the other agave species.  Use it in containers, in mass groupings, or as a desert accent on the north side of a building. The twin-flowered agave can also be used as a foundation plant around pools and water features. Use this agave in a mini-oasis or tropical environment, where its amazing ornamental features can be viewed up close. It is native to the state of Nayarit, Mexico where it grows in oak woodlands at elevations of 3,000 to 4,000 feet.

This medium-sized plant is an attractive ornamental that forms rosettes of broad, blue-gray leaves that are thick and succulent looking. It grows three to four feet tall and four to six feet wide. Its foliage is wide at the end and tapers off towards the tip of the plant. This agave has small, dark colored teeth along its edges and a small, brownish-maroon spine. There are not many leaves on this plant and its growth habit is somewhat open and flat to the ground. It does not produce many offsets, and if one develops, it remains close to the mother plant. In late winter to early spring, a five- to six-foot tall flower stalk appears with light yellow to yellowish-white blooms. Use it as an accent and specimen planting or in containers in lightly shaded locations or under the foliage or a large shrub or tree. The variegated variety, ‘Crème Brulee’, is a soft-leafed form with dark green leaves surrounded by a border of creamy white. The species is native to limestone cliffs in the Tehuacan Valley in Oaxaca, Mexico at elevations of 300 to 3,000 feet.

The striking plant has silvery blue to bluish-gray, spiny, wide foliage, tapering to a tip. The teeth are larger towards the upper end of the leaf and are smaller towards the lower end. It grows to two to three feet tall and wide in a symmetrical dense rosette. This agave is more solitary and does not usually produce offsets. Once in its lifetime, in summer, at maturity, it will produces a seven- to fifteen-foot tall flower stalk with candelabra-like flowers in large yellowish-green clusters. After flowering, the plant will die. The heart of this agave was roasted and used by the Apache Indians as a food source. Use it with hardy, ornamental grasses, or as an accent plant with other species of agaves and yuccas to show off its interesting structure and form. Plant the Havard’s century plant in masses, in rock gardens, and on slopes. Use this attractive agave in low-water-use, xeriscape gardens. The plant is native to Big Bend and the Trans-Pecos mountains of central Texas, and in Chihuahua and Coahuila, Mexico. It grows at elevations of 4,000 to 6,000 feet.

This miniature, compact plant grows one foot tall and wide. It has powder blue leaves with prominent dark red teeth and a red, terminal spine. The leaves are narrow at the base and wider at the tips. At maturity, it develops a six- to seven-foot tall candelabra flower stalk with two-inch yellow blooms. This interesting agave produces many offsets that can be used to re-propagate the plant. The offsets stay close to the mother plant.  Use it in small beds, cactus and succulent gardens, and rock gardens, or mixed into planters with other low-water-use, drought-resistant plants. Also, plant it as a contrast specimen near the golden barrel cactus. This agave looks nice in containers because of its small size and compact form. It will also grow well along the coast and is tolerant of salty air and soils. The dwarf butterfly agave is native to the southern coast of Oaxaca, Mexico.

This agave produces single or clumping rosettes reaching two feet high and four feet wide. It is admired for its numerous, dark rich-green to pale green, glossy leaves that have a whitish-yellow strip that runs along the midsection of the leaf. Sharp, curving gray teeth occur along the leaf margins, as well as at the tip. Variations in leaf size and color will appear in different plants, and there are many hybrids available. At maturity it produces a twelve-foot spike of greenish-yellow flowers in early summer. The Thorncrest century plant also develops many offsets for reproduction throughout its life. It is an easy plant to propagate by carefully digging up its offsets and transplanting them to new locations.  Use it in large decorative containers and raised beds, or plant it in masses and groupings for desert gardens. It is a good choice for tropical effects, or even in lush landscape environments. This agave is native to the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas, where it grows on sandy hillsides. It also occurs south along the eastern Mexico coast in the state of Veracruz, growing on cliffs and rocky outcrops growing at altitudes of 100 to 5,000 feet.

This small agave forms clumps of short, tight rosettes growing one to two feet tall and two to four feet wide. It has a short stem and forms offsets at the base of the plant. Its foliage is bluish-gray to powdery blue. The plant is heavily armed with prominent, brownish-black, spiny teeth at its tips and has a long, black terminal spine. After fifteen years, this plant produces pinkish-red buds that open to reveal striking, purplish-green blossoms on a six-foot branched flower stalk. During the later part of its lifespan, it produces many offsets to allow for its reproduction. Use this ornamental looking agave in containers, planters, small spaces, and confined beds where it can be viewed up close. Also use it as a desert accent in small cactus or succulent gardens, or plant it in the foreground of darker colored plants. The black-spine agave is native to dry, barren, sedimentary slopes and rocky grounds of central Mexico near Oaxaca and Puebla.

The striking agave grows in a single, dense rosette reaching three feet tall with a four to five foot spread. It has a short, terminal spine and numerous, medium-green leaves with many fibers growing along the leaf margins, creating a shaggy appearance. There are white colorations along the sides of the leaves, and the bottom portion is slightly convex, with a sharp, black spine at the end. The plant does not produce many offsets and once in its lifetime, it sends up a flower stalk sixteen feet high with waxy, green buds and dense, lavender blossoms. After the blooms start to decline, the mother plant will die. The shaggy head agave can be found growing natively at elevations of 4,500 to 6,500 feet in mountainous regions, where it grows amongst pines and oaks on rocky cliffs and shaded areas of Durango, Sinaloa, and Chihuahua, Mexico.

This dramatic, versatile, slow grower reaches three feet tall and two to three feet wide with light gray to bluish-green foliage that has yellow stripes along the margins. It also has sharp, serrated, brownish-gray teeth along its leaves. When this plant starts to bloom after many years, it forms a flower stalk that will grow up to thirteen feet tall in the spring. Its beautiful blossoms are pale green to greenish-yellow and have reddish-purple colored flower petals along the margins. The plant resembles the variegated form of Agave americana, except it is much smaller. Agave murpheyi has the same cultural requirements and is grayish blue in color without the variegated stripes. Historically, this agave was a major food source in Hohokam culture. The sugary heart of the plant was harvested during the bloom cycle and was considered a major delicacy.  This agave will produce offsets for re-generation. Do not plant it near sidewalks or heavily used pedestrian areas due to its sharp, terminal spines. Use it in combination with other drought-resistant and low-water-use agaves, in containers, raised beds or as a specimen. It is native to rocky slopes of central Arizona and Sonora, Mexico from 1,500 to 3,000 feet.

This showy, low-growing agave grows two feet tall and two to three feet wide, forming a tight rosette. Its powdery blue leaves are broad with black or burgundy colored, heavily armed spines along the side of its foliage that grow from a central base. The handsome plant will produce many offsets over its lifetime. A cultivated variety ‘Sunspot’ has greenish-yellow variegation on its foliate with distinctive black spines along the leaf margins. In late spring through summer, at the end of its lifetime, it will produce an eleven-foot, pinkish-red flower spike. The flowers open to form a golden yellow bloom that attracts hummingbirds. Use it as a focal plant in large, decorative containers where it can be viewed up close. It can also be used in rock garden, as a mass planting or with other showy cacti and succulents. The New Mexico century plant is native to southeastern New Mexico and western Texas.

This elegant fast-grower is named for its uniformly spaced, leathery leaves that have the texture of shark skin. It is an admired agave growing from two to three feet tall and three to four feet wide. The sharkskin agave develops a rosette of thick, smooth, triangular-shaped, olive green leaves, with a blue cast. It forms an attractive architectural clump and its leaves have a strong terminal spine, smooth edges, and tips that give it an interesting appearance.  The agave produces offsets for reproduction later in its lifetime. However, it does not set seed and its flowers are sterile. Use this fast-growing specimen in cactus and succulent rock gardens for its interesting appearance and symmetrical shape. It can also be used in masses and groupings with other agave plants for interest in the landscape. This plant is a cross between Agave x ferdinand-regis and a subspecies of Agave scabra. It was discovered growing at the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, California. This plant is sometimes referred to as Agave ‘Ruth Bancroft’ and was given the name of sharkskin due to its texture and color.

This agave, which was used for its strong fibers, grows two to three feet tall and three feet wide. It has a dense rosette of dark green, narrow, yucca-like leaves. Its foliage is stiff and flat at the top with straight, smooth margins that are toothless and lined with a narrow reddish-brown border. The name ocahui is the Indian word for cord or fiber. When the leaves are crushed they can be used as a scouring brush. The plant has a sharp, terminal spine and does not produce offsets. This agave develops an impressive flower spike only once in its life at the end of its growing cycle. The stalk grows eight feet or taller with small, bright yellow blossoms.  Use it in containers, in rock gardens, as a mass planting with boulders, or as a contrast when planted with other blue or gray colored plants. It also looks great when planted in tropical settings or with other low-water-use perennials. This agave is native to the rocky slopes of Sonora, Mexico from 1,500 to 4,500 feet.

The striking agave is admired for its light blue to powdery, whitish-blue and slightly cupped foliage. It grows three to five feet tall and three to six feet wide, forming a dense rosette of short, wide distinctive leaves. Its foliage is similar to Agave parryi. Along the edges of the leaves, it develops sharp, grayish-black spines and a long, sharp, brownish-red leaf tip. At the end of its lifetime it produces a ten- to fourteen-foot tall flower stalk with many branches that are densely clustered with large, yellowish-green flowers. In its native habitat in Mexico, the flowers are sometimes harvested for cattle food. This agave does not produce offsets.  Use it in containers, in low planters, as an accent, near boulders, in groupings with other agave species or low-water-use plants, or under the light shade of a tree. This agave was introduced in the United States, where it was recognized as a new species and renamed early in this decade. It is native to the Sierra de Lampazos Mountains of Nuevo Leon in northeastern Mexico where it grows from 3,700 to 7,000 feet.

The plant is recognized by its banana-like fruit and dramatic flower stalks that reach ten to fifteen feet, producing a panicle of blooms in green and pale pink. It grows to four feet tall and four to five feet wide, forming a dense, symmetrical rosette. The Palmer’s agave has long, thin, bluish-green to light green or grayish-green foliage. It has a needle-like spine and sharp, curved, brownish-red teeth on the leaves. The plant produces a pale yellow to green flower stalk with dark red tips in late spring or early summer, just before the end of its life, after five to fifteen years. After the flowers bloom, a green fruit appears that is filled with sweet nectar and resembles a small banana. The fruit from this plant attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, and moths that help pollinate the plant. This agave was used in the production of mescal in northeastern Mexico, as well as a beneficial food source. The leaves were made into fiber. The plant seldom produces offsets.  Use this fast-growing plant in desert landscapes as a specimen, or mix it with other agaves for interest. It is native to southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, and northern Mexico where it grows in the mountains, oak woodlands, and dry rocky, limestone slopes between 3,000 and 6,000 feet.

Native to Arizona, New Mexico and northern Mexico, Parry’s agave produces larger leaves and rosettes than many of its sub-species. It consists of compact, nearly round rosettes of gray-green leaves that grow 7-20 inches in length. Leaves have marginal teeth as well as a stout tooth on the tip. Parry’s agave, purchased as a single specimen, ultimately forms colonies of many offsets. The mother plant will bloom once, usually during the summer, then die. There are a number of varieties of Parry’s agave including Agave parryi v. huachucensis,Agave parryi v. couseii and Agave parryi v. truncata. Because of its compact size, its low water use and low maintenance, Parry’s agave makes an excellent accent plant for landscapes in Arizona.

Artichoke agave resembles an artichoke, as its common name implies. This slow-growing, clumping agave is native to southern Chihuahua and northern Durango in Mexico. It has short blue-gray leaves and grows two to three feet tall and two to four feet wide. It has dark reddish-brown teeth along its margins and a terminal spine. This variety of Agave parryi is more compact than its close relative Agave parryi v. huachucensis. Artichoke agave eventually produces a tall fifteen to twenty-foot flower spike. Flowers initially appear pink or red then turn a golden yellow color. After blooming, the mother plant will die. However, this agave produces many offsets and tends to form large colonies. Artichoke agave can be planted in containers and rock gardens, as an accent plant, or in masses or groupings with other desert natives.

This beautiful and rare species forms a dense rosette of narrow, toothless, glossy green leaves with a white margin and prominent red spine. It grows four to six feet tall and wide and does not produce offsets. The mescal pelon must be propagated by seed. Once in its lifetime, it produces a six- to ten-foot spike with a reddish-purple, bell-shaped flower. The blooms appear in early spring through summer.  Historically, the plant parts were used for fiber, and the heart of the plant was roasted and eaten. It was also used to produce mescal. The Agave pelona is similar in size and coloration to Agave ocahui. This species has a bell shaped, wine colored bloom and Agave ocahui has a yellow bloom and a more flexible terminal spine with green leaves and no red cast. Use this attractive species in containers, as a spectacular ornamental, and to compliment other interesting succulents and cacti. It is native to the mountains located southwest of Caborca, Mexico, where it grows on steep limestone slopes.

This bluish-green to deep green agave grows to three feet high and wide with serrated teeth along its edges and looks similar to Agave americana. It sometimes produces offsets for reproduction. This agave develops a ten-foot- high flower stalk once in its life and then dies after producing seeds. The flower stalk creates a panicle of greenish-white, tubular blooms in early summer. Use with smaller-sized agaves as a specimen, accent plant in low-water-use gardens or in masses and groupings. It can also be used as an interest plant with its attractive foliage. Native Americans used this agave for food, fiber, beverages, and medicine. It is native to rocky slopes and terraces, and along waterways in northern Arizona and in Grand Canyon National Park, as its common name implies. This plant can be found growing natively in pre-Columbian habitat sites and is a very ancient cultivar of agave.

The short-growing plant forms an interesting symmetrical rosette and well-defined leaves reaching one to two feet tall and two feet wide. It is usually stem-less and solitary in its growth habit. Butterfly agave has small, attractive, silvery blue leaves with reddish spines along the edges and a terminal spine. The species offers variations in its leaf shape, size, and color. After about ten years, in fall or winter months, it produces a ten- to fifteen-foot tall flower spike with a panicle of light green flowers tinged with red bracts.  Use it in containers, rock gardens, low planters, and raised beds. The smaller agave looks nice when planted in groupings with other agaves species and in succulent gardens. The plant was used by the Nahuatl-speaking tribes in central Mexico to make an alcoholic beverage. It is native to the semiarid Mexican states of Puebla and Oaxaca, growing from 4,500 to 7,500 feet.

This magnificent agave has huge, graceful, greenish-gray, curving leaves with a large leaf base. It grows five to six feet tall and spreads to ten feet. The leaves are ten to fifteen inches long with thick, sharp, brownish-gray teeth along the leaf margins and sharp points at the end of each leaf. This agave usually produces a massive rosette of twenty-five to thirty leaves, and there are many forms and varieties of the plant. After fifteen years or more, the plant develops a flower stalk fifteen to twenty-five feet tall or more, with many candelabra-like branches. Its flowers are yellow and tinged with reddish buds, but when the flowers open, they are somewhat inconspicuous. The mother plant dies after flowering and offsets form to grow into a new plant. The agave produces a sweet sap, which when fermented is used to make an alcoholic drink called pulque. Its foliage has been used for livestock feed, and the leaves produce a strong fiber that can be woven into cloth, cord, or netting.  Use it in large, open locations as a focal plant or under the light shade of a mesquite or palo verde tree as an accent. Avoid planting it near walkways or pedestrian traffic due to its sharp spines and enormous size. The plant is native to areas of Mexico and is commonly grown along the roadways around Mexico City.

The plant has attractive, fleshy, dark-green, leaves with sharp, serrated, brown teeth along its edges and a dark reddish-brown terminal spine. It forms a tight rosette and grows three feet tall and four to five feet wide. After ten years or more, it produces a tall, branching flower stalk that is seven to twelve feet tall or more, and resembles an asparagus. The flowering stem creates a greenish bloom with purple bracts in late summer through fall. This agave produces many offsets in its lifetime. Use this interesting ornamental in containers, in raised planters, in masses, on a slope, or in areas where a showy mass of green succulent color is needed. Its attractive deep green foliage makes a nice contrast when combined with gray-colored plants. It is native to volcanic soils of southern California and Baja California, Mexico, and is recognized as an endangered species.

The Mexican native agave grows two to three feet tall and wide, creating a spherical rosette of elongated, dark greenish-yellow, lightly serrated, and lightly curved leaves. The pencil-like leaves are thicker at the base, tapering toward the tip with a thick leaf margin and a gray terminal spine. Its stems are thickly branched and it will form offsets to create many colonies of new rosettes. This agave forms a crooked flower spike five to eight feet tall with purplish-red blooms that open in late summer. Native Americans used the plant for rope, food and soap. Other products were made from its fiber and pulp.  Use it in dry, rugged, rocky locations to cover hills or slopes, in containers mixed in with softer looking plants, and in low-water-use rock gardens. Its attractive, deep green foliage makes a nice contrast when combined with other plantings. The agave is native to the Tehuacan Valley in southern Puebla and northern Oaxaca, Mexico, where it grows on dry hills and in limestone foundations in the open desert.

This rare, striking agave, named for Queen Victoria in England, forms a small, symmetrical, rosette of dark green foliage with white markings on the side of its toothless leaves. A sharp spine is apparent on the end of each leaf. It grows slowly to one to two feet tall and spreads eighteen inches wide. After many years of growth, it produces a dense, ten- to fifteen-foot flower spike. The blooms are green to creamy white and tinged with a red or purple. Flowers appear on the upper half of its flower stalk and the plant will die after flowering. Some varieties of this agave do not produce offsets while other varieties develop profuse ones.  Use this versatile plant in containers and raised planters or as a small accent plant in rock gardens along with other exotic cacti and succulents. Also use it as a small specimen or accent plant among large boulders. Do not plant it close to larger shrubs or they may take over and hide the beautiful simplicity of this plant. It is native to Coahuila, Durango, and Nuevo Leon, Mexico where it is recognized as an endangered species.

Octopus agave is a medium to large accent plant, growing to 4 feet high by 6 feet wide. The leaves are medium green, long and narrow, and deeply channeled. The leaves undulate and twist, showing why this plant is called octopus agave. The leaf margins have fine, soft serrations and a relatively soft terminal spine. It blooms only once, sending up a 15 to 20 foot tall spike of golden yellow flowers. The flowers are followed by seed capsules and bulbils (baby plants). As with all other agave species, octopus agave will die after flowering.

This bold agave grows moderately to five to six feet tall with an equal spread, offering grayish-green to shiny, bluish-green, long, fleshy leaves and a sharp spine. The foliage is five to seven inches wide, with fine teeth along the top of the leaf. The foliage produces a large rosette with upright growth. At maturity, this plant creates a twenty- to twenty-six-foot high, branched, flower stalk with clusters of yellow blossoms. It also produces many offsets that help to further propagate the plant. Use it as a focal or accent plant in large, open spaces or tropical settings around water features and ponds. This specimen agave also looks nice when mixed with ornamental grasses and perennials. A cultivated form of this plant can be found growing in the arid regions of eastern and central Mexico at elevations of 2,000 to 5,500 feet.

The relatively fast-growing, medium-sized plant reaches three to four feet in height and width and offers interesting bands of pale, grayish-blue, whorled leaves. The bands are more significant in full sun than in the shade. Its foliage is heavily edged in brown or black with sharp, prominent teeth, which describes its common name. The strong, stiff leaves will bend or fold inward, creating an interesting look. Its flower stalk grows about twenty to twenty-six feet high above the plant with many branches, producing yellow blooms in the top part of the stalk, in late summer. This agave is mainly solitary and usually does not produce offsets.  Use it in containers with other desert accent plants, in rock gardens mixed with different species of agaves and other succulents. Also use it in raised planters and entryways where a medium size, drought-resistant plant is needed. Do not plant it close to walkways with heavy traffic since this plant has lethal spines. It is native to dry, rocky slopes and limestone soil in a limited area of northwestern Sonora, Mexico, growing from 1,500 to 4,500 feet.

This tight-clumping, dwarf aloe offers a dense rosette and grows to eighteen inches tall and two feet wide. It is mainly stem-less with narrow, silvery-bluish-gray leaves that grow upright. There are small, sharp teeth along the margins that are reddish-brown in color. The plant explodes with showy spikes of orangey-red blooms in late winter through early spring. This is a long-blooming aloe with lots of vibrant color, and the flowers attract hummingbirds. It also produces many offsets that can be used for propagation. Since this aloe is low-growing and clumping in form, use it in containers and rock gardens or with cacti and succulents. Also use it in bird and hummingbird gardens, in masses with other low-water plants, or along ponds, fountains, or swimming pools. The plant is a hybrid, but the natural form is believed to be native to north Africa in the Canary and Cape Verde Islands.

This decorative aloe is armed with many sharp, dense teeth along its margins. It is an upright plant with dark green foliage growing four to six feet tall with an equal spread. This aloe can be kept as a low rambler or trained to grow taller. The plant produces a bright, orangey-red bloom on an un-branched stem in late winter or early spring and then again from late spring through early summer. Historically, in parts of northern Africa, natives used the dry leaves to create a powder. The substance was used as protection against storms, during childbirth, or for stomach ailments. In parts of South Africa, this plant is still used as a living fence to secure domestic animals. Use it as an ornamental in low-water-use gardens, or mix with other drought-resistant aloe species as a desert accent. Also plant it in containers and raised planters with other succulents, or use it as a bank cover in warmer, protected areas. This plant grows natively along cliffs and ridges along the Cape Peninsula in parts of northern Africa from sea level to mountain peaks, as well as in dense bush.

The low-growing, clumping aloe is stem-less and grows eighteen inches tall and nine to twelve inches wide. It forms small, tight rosettes of deep, blue-green, triangular, fleshy leaves with white spots and white teeth along its serrated edges. The leaves are flat on the top and concave on the underside of the plant. Young leaves have a reddish tint. The plant produces many offsets that can be used for propagation. In spring, it sends up a dense, one- to two-inch, orange-scarlet flower spike. Use it as a groundcover in low-water-use gardens, or in containers, small spaces and planters for its interesting and charming appearance. It can also be used as a foundation planting or as an edging plant around rocks or small boulders. It is native to South Africa where it grows along the Western Cape Province close to the coast and in high rainfall areas.

This evergreen jewel has clumping, upright clusters of elongated succulent stems and green, fleshy leaves with dark serrated teeth along the edges. It grows two to three feet tall and eighteen inches to three feet wide forming many offsets. In mid to late winter, it sends up a tall, brilliant orangey-red flower stalk from the center of the plant. Use it for its colorful flower display during the winter in containers and planters. This growing accent works well as an understory plant, in the shade of larger shrubs and trees. Also, mix it in masses with other aloes, succulents, and low-water-use plants. The Dawe’s aloe is native to the mountains of eastern and central Africa, as well as Uganda, the Congo, and Rwanda, where it grows at elevations up to 3,200 feet.

This low-growing aloe with stiff, shiny leaves grows two to three feet tall and twenty inches wide, producing many offsets. It forms a clump of rosettes or spirals on very short stems that stay low to the ground. Its leaves are yellowish-green to bright orange-red with sharp whitish-gray teeth that grow along the margins. In late winter to early spring, it produces a flower stalk that grows two feet high with dark red flowers and greenish-yellow petals.  Use it in rock gardens with other showy aloes and succulents, in containers and raised planters in protected locations, or where a splash of color is needed in a desert gardens. It is native to eastern Africa and Tanzania.

This common tree-type aloe is an impressive desert accent plant noted for its medicinal qualities and reaches heights of ten feet or more, with a three- to four-foot spread. It forms a dense clump of bluish-green, fleshy, succulent leaves. The foliage is pointed at the tip and edged with sharp teeth along the margins. The fast-growing plant develops whorls of new foliage from its center. Older leaves dry and may leave a petticoat of growth on the stem. In late winter to early spring, it produces a large, candelabra-like, exquisite flower head. Each spike holds colorful orange to red or yellow blossoms. The blooms attract birds, bees, and butterflies. The bitter, yellow juice found below the skin of the aloe has been harvested in parts of South Africa for hundreds of years. Historically, the aloe juice from this species has been used as a laxative and for treating arthritis. The gel-like flesh from the leaves is used in cosmetics and also has healing properties. This is an excellent specimen and accent plant that is adaptable to many conditions.  Use it as a specimen or accent plant around boulders or in rock gardens with other succulents and low-water accent plants. This plant is a great choice where something bold is needed or to make a statement in a prominent place in the landscape. It is native of South Africa where it grows in a broad range of habitats form the south and western Capes through southern KwaZulu-Natal. This plant grows in the bush and along rocky slopes in large numbers, where it creates an amazing winter display of color when in bloom.

This compact, tropical, medium-sized aloe grows two to six feet tall and two to three feet wide, forming many clusters as it matures. It produces small rosettes of yellowish, dark green to lime green, smooth foliage with reddish-brown teeth along its margins. Flowers bloom in early winter through late spring. Tight, fleshy bracts appear and hide the flowers until they emerge. The tubular-shaped blossoms are orangey-salmon and emerge on multiple stalks above the plant. The blooms attract bees, butterflies, and birds. Plant this showy aloe in full sun or partial shade. It is drought-resistant but does best with additional irrigation during the hot, dry summer. The South African aloe is hardy to twenty-two to twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Use this tropical plant in combination with low light, foliage plants around ponds and fountains for a green, lush appearance. It can be used in attractive containers and planters mixed with cacti and succulents. This plant is native to South Africa, growing along the eastern and western Capes.

This fast, low-growing aloe produces short, stem-less rosettes and many offshoots that grow in low clumps. This plant will grow rapidly to twelve inches or more, producing many offsets over its lifetime. It has thick, succulent, pale green foliage with distinctive white speckles. Sharp, brown teeth are visible along its leaf margins. The sap from the leaves can be used to produce sudsy foam when mixed with water and the plant has been used as a soap product. The species is sometimes called the “soap aloe.” However, the sap can also be a skin irritant. In late spring or summer, it produces a purple flower stalk that is two feet tall with yellow, orange, or red tubular blossoms. The flowers attract hummingbirds.  Use it in rock and cactus gardens, in colorful containers, or as an understory plant beneath a tree or large shrub. This desert accent is a good choice for seaside gardens because of its salt tolerance. It is native to arid regions of South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe.

The large, impressive, single-stem aloe grows to ten feet or more. The plant has a broad base and tapers as it grows upward. Older foliage forms a dry skirt around the plant. Its new foliage is broad, heavy, and grayish-green with reddish-brown teeth that form along the margins and randomly occur along its orange leaf tips. This plant has thorns along the stems that help protect it from browsing animals that might eat the foliage. It produces striking flowers in colors of orange, yellow, or red form on branched candelabra-like stalks in early spring. They are somewhat slanted or flat, giving this plant its common name. The flowers are very rich in nectar and attract hummingbirds. After the flowers bloom, dry, papery-thin seeds appear and are dispersed by winds.  Use it as a specimen in low-water-use gardens or plant it next to large boulders and tall walls as a silhouette or accent plant. It is native to mountainous areas, rocky terrains, and warm slopes of the Northwest Province, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Mozambique and in KwaZulu-Natal, north of Durban in South Africa.

The plant has attractive, broad, bluish-green, smooth leaves and coral red blossoms. It grows two to three feet tall and two feet wide. Unlike other aloes with serrated leaves or a spine, it has a smooth, pink margin. This aloe will grow in large, solitary clumps and has a nice appearance even when it is not in bloom. When grown in full sun, the leaves turn red. When grown in the shade, the leaves are a bluish-green. It flowers during the winter months, producing a coral red blossom in upright inflorescences. The nectar from its blooms attracts many insects and hummingbirds during the cooler season, when most flower food is not available.  Use it as an accent plant for its bold, textured foliage or in containers for its winter color. Mix it with other aloe species in masses. It is native to the eastern and western Capes in South Africa, where it grows on rocky hills and along the coast and dry inland areas.

This aloe gets its name from its unique greenish-white flowers that are covered in thick wool. Its species name, tomentosa, means dense wool. The plant forms a large, solitary rosette to two feet tall and about four feet wide. It is a stem-less plant with thick, fleshy, pale green foliage, tapering from a wide base with pointed tips. Sap from the leaves has been used for skin problems and to treat wounds, fevers, headaches, and inflammation of the eyes. In late spring through early summer, it develops its tall, branching, unique flower stalk with the wooly flowers.  Use this plant in low-water-use gardens with other aloe species, or plant it in large containers and raised planters. Also use it in rock gardens and among large boulders as an interest plant. It is very easy to grow and maintain. This aloe is native to the mountains around Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and tropics along the African peninsula.

This low-growing aloe forms many tight, dense rosettes reaching two feet tall and three to four feet wide. It develops many offsets with long, twisting, coppery-brown foliage in sunny exposed areas, and greener when grown in the shade. This plant has fine teeth along its leaf margins. In late winter through early spring, it produces multiple, orangey-yellow flowers on ten feet tall spikes.  Use it in raised planters, small entryway beds or containers for its attractive foliage and form. Combine it with other aloe species in rock and desert gardens. This plant can also be used for tropical effects and looks nice when mixed with plants the have yellow flowers. It is native to KwaZulu-Natal and southeastern Mpumalanga in South Africa, where it grows on dry, rocky hills and mountains in exposed areas and among bushes and brush. The species was named after J. C. Van Balen, who first collected and named the plant.

This dwarf aloe with spotted white and green leaves resembles the breast of a partridge, as its common name implies. It grows in a clump and stays low to the ground, usually below one foot tall. It is one of the most distinctive and well known of the South African aloes. Plants may be solitary, but generally form dense rosettes with many offsets, and spread through underground rhizomes. Its smooth, thick leaves are triangular in shape with ridges along their surface. The spotted foliage does not produce any spines, but has a soft surface with white edges. The blooms appear in late spring on hanging spikes in pink, red, or yellow. After flowering, a capsule-like fruit appears, that splits into three parts, with wing-like seeds. While there are no known medicinal uses for this species, indigenous people would hang the plant upside down inside the huts of young women. If the plant flowered, then the woman was considered to be fertile and would have many children. This aloe was also planted on graves in the belief that the dead would enjoy a long, eternal afterlife. Use it in small spaces, as filler in containers or raised planters, or in tight beds. Also use it along walkways and in foundation plantings. The species is native to hard, rocky, or sandy soils throughout arid and semi-arid regions of South Africa, in Namibia, and in southern and central parts of the western Cape and Namaqualand.

This is probably the most common aloe grown in the southwest desert, and reaches eighteen inches to two feet tall and six feet wide. It has clumping, thick, fleshy leaves and produces many offsets over a period of time. The plant is noted for its light to medium green, speckled, succulent, fleshy leaves, armed with whitish-red teeth along its margins. Its one-inch blooms appear in spring and grow high above the plant with yellow spikes in tubular clusters. Hybrids of this species may bloom in an orangey-red color. The blossoms attract hummingbirds.  Use it as an understory plant, an accent or specimen planting in low-water-use, desert landscapes. It can also be planted in combination with cactus and other succulents in rock gardens, containers and planters. This is a great choice to use in medians and along roadways. It is native to islands in the Mediterranean, as well as the West Indies and Africa.

The low-growing, clumping aloe reaches about one foot tall and wide with many clustering offsets. It has thick, succulent, short, green leaves that grow in rosettes with large, yellow, toothed edges along the margins of the plant. The gold tooth aloe produces tall, striking orangey-red blooms in late spring through mid summer on two feet tall stalks that grow above the plant. It has a long blooming cycle. The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and birds.  Use it in containers and raised planters. Mix this stunning aloe with other drought-resistant cacti and succulents in rock gardens or with boulders. Use it as an accent, in edging gardens, along small, entry beds, and in masses. This aloe is believed to be a hybrid and does not occur naturally.

Ponytail palm is a grass-like evergreen with a large, bulbous base, long, swollen trunk, and palm-like features. It grows to heights of thirty feet or more and twelve feet wide. With age, the trunk may develop a few branches. In the Southwest deserts, it grows much smaller. The ponytail palm produces narrow, bright green, slender leaves that grow in dense, mop-like, long, showy clusters, forming a tight rosette. After many years of growth, it can develop large, upright clusters of creamy white flowers, but only female plants produce seed. It stores moisture in its large base and is drought-resistant.  Use this interesting specimen in large containers, as a showy accent, in tropical or in transitional landscapes, in pool areas, or around fountains, ponds, or courtyards. The ponytail palm is a unique specimen planting that can be integrated into many landscape or xeriscape situations. It is native to the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and San Luis Potosi.

Green spoon is an excellent accent plant that blends well with many other desert shrubs and ground covers. It can be used in all zones of a landscape, looking right at home in the mini-oasis as well as the dry zone. This plant closely resembles Dasylirion wheeleri, but is lighter green and grows faster. Green spoon develops a short, thick trunk while reaching a mature size of 6′ tall by 5′ wide. The leaves terminate in a wisp of fibers. Creamy white flowers appear in a showy plume that grows to 10 feet tall.

This mounding grass-like shrub grows six to nine feet tall with an equal spread. It produces long, flat, narrow, leathery, green leaves that emerge from the center basal portion of this symmetrical growing plant. It does not have any sharp spines along its margins like the other Dasylirion species. After many years of growth, it develops an insignificant, whitish-green flower stalk that reaches heights of ten to twelve feet tall. This plant is dioecious, bearing female and male flowers on different plants. The flowers attract birds, bees, and butterflies.  Use it as an attractive desert accent plant in arid or tropical gardens. It can be combined with palms, or plant it in large, decorative containers for a tropical, whimsical effect. Use the toothless desert spoon around fountains and ponds. Give this plant plenty of room to grow and mature. It is native to northeast Mexico in the states of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, where it grows along hillsides and dry riverbeds.

This long-lived accent plant grows slowly to form a dense rosette of silver-blue foliage, to 4 feet tall and wide. Desert Spoon develops a stout, short trunk with leathery leaves that have teeth along the margins. The spoon-shaped base gives this plant its name. Desert spoon will eventually produce a narrow, tall spike of small tan flowers. The flower spike can reach a height of 10 to 15 feet. Desert spoon is native at elevations from 3000 to 6000 feet in southern Arizona.

The distinguished, rare, and slow-growing tree has an unusual growth habit and appearance with its tall and upright stature. It grows to fifty feet tall and ten to fifteen feet wide. This desert accent plant produces no branches, is wide at the base, and tapers upwards as it grows, resembling an upside-down carrot. The trunk is very woody with many short, twiggy stubs. At the very top of the plant is a cluster of leafy growth. Boojum tree is usually deciduous or leafless during the summer. Foliage appears during the winter rainy season. The bark is greenish-yellow and it produces yellowish-green, sharp thorns at the base of each leaf cluster. Twiggy spikes occur along the entire trunk of this specimen, all the way to the top. After the plant is six years old, in late summer to early fall, it develops fragrant, tubular, creamy yellow blossoms towards the top of the plant, followed by a light brown fruit capsule. The flowers attract bees, beetles, ants, and butterflies. Larger insects feed on the open flower petals to extract nectar.  Use it as a focal point in desert landscapes. Plant it in protected areas where it can be viewed and has plenty of room to grow and mature. The boojum is native to the forests of central Baja California and along a small portion of the Sonora, Mexico coastline. It is a heavily protected specimen in its native habitat.

The interesting and rare, semi-evergreen is admired for its intertwined, spiny green branches. It grows upright and slowly to twenty feet tall and about four feet wide, but most specimens reach only six to eight feet tall in the Southwest desert. This plant has brownish-green bark when young, which turns yellowish-green with age. Small, green leaves appear when water is present and fall off the plant in drought situations. In late spring through summer, it produces showy, red, tubular flowers that appear in clusters near the tops of the branches. The flowers are a major source of food for hummingbirds. After the blossoms fade, it produces light-brown seed capsules.  Use it as a desert accent, in masses, as a screen, barrier planting or focal point in an attractive container. Also use this plant as an interesting, showy silhouette against a wall. It is native to the rocky hillsides of Sonora, Mexico and just North of Sinaloa, growing from 500 to 2,500 feet.

This tall, graceful deciduous shrub with long canes grows slowly to twenty feet tall with a fifteen-foot spread. It has spiny, sharp, pole-like stems and light to dark green, oval, two-inch leaflets. The ocotillo grows upright and has few branches. The plant produces showy, dense spikes of orangey-red tubular blossoms on the ends of its branches that hang like tassels. In lower elevations, the blossoms appear in February or as late as May in higher elevations. The blooms last about a month, with flower clusters up to one foot long. When in bloom, this plant attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. The long tubes on the flowers form an excellent food source for the hummingbirds to obtain nectar, using their beaks to reach the bottom part of the flower. Antelope and ground squirrels climb onto the branches to feed on flowers and seeds from this plant. The blossoms can also be soaked in cold water to make a refreshing drink. The cut stems can be used for fencing or as a barrier planting and for ramadas, since the canes are long-lived.  Use it as an accent or specimen for its magnificent silhouette, or as a specimen plant against large walls for its exquisite shape and form. This is a great choice for desert landscapes. It is native to the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts, the southern Mohave Desert, central Mexico, and central Texas, growing at elevations below 6,000 feet. At higher elevations, the plant grows in limestone and rock, while at lower elevations it grows in granite and sandy soil.

This excellent, slow-growing evergreen has an erect, bold, striking growth habit. It produces stiff, narrow green leaves that form a massive clump of upright growth and reaches six feet tall and wide. Its leaf margins have white, stringy fibers that peel away as the plant matures. In summer, it develops a creamy, greenish-white flower stalk that shoots out of its center. The flowers are nocturnal and pollinated by bats and hummingbirds. Its blossoms are not extremely showy and produce woody capsules with flat, black seeds after blooming.  Use it for its bold foliage as a desert or accent plant around pools and ponds, or in an attractive pot along a large wall or open space. Also use it in medians or as a streetscape shrub in a mass planting for a bold effect. It is native to the Chihuahuan Desert in northeastern Mexico and parts of southern Texas, growing at elevations up to 7,500 feet.

The medium-sized, evergreen produces stiff, dense clumps of leathery, gray-green leaves that when blooming, grow three feet high and wide in a tight rosette. Its upright growth habit has arching foliage that forms a dense whorl of growth. In the spring, it produces tall, upright, tubular, pinkish-coral, or red flowers that attract hummingbirds, birds, and insects. The showy, flower stalks grow three to six feet tall and last for a long time. An attractive yellow flowering variety is also available. After flowering, woody tan-brown seedpods appear. Mixing different varieties of the red and yellow yucca plants together produce a showy color combination in spring.  Use it as an accent or specimen, in mass plantings, in rock gardens, raised beds, or containers, and in streetscapes, medians, or low-water-use landscapes. It also works well around pool areas, ponds, or water features, or mixed into perennial and succulent gardens and hot areas of the landscape. The red yucca is native to the Rio Grande area of Texas, growing into northern Mexico.

The dramatic succulent grows to eighteen inches tall and one to two feet wide to form a tight, clumping rosette of fleshy, sword-shaped, smooth-textured leaves. The foliage is green and mottled with purplish-red, irregular spots. It produces a six-foot tall spike of slightly fragrant creamy white blooms in spring that turns a rosy-pink it ages. Hummingbirds are attracted to the tubular blossoms. Historically, the roots of this plant were crushed and pounded, and then water was added to create a soapy substance.  Use it in masses or groupings for its interesting variegated foliage and visual effects. It can be used in containers, rock gardens, tight spaces, raised planters, or areas of the landscape with limited water available. Its striking foliage blends well with other agaves and yuccas in succulent gardens. The rattlesnake agave is native to southern Texas and northern Mexico.

This lush-looking, tree-like specimen grows from nine to fifteen feet tall and about six feet wide. It produces a trunk with a large head of unarmed, three- to four-foot long, flat, strap-like, glossy green leaves that hang downward. The old foliage will turn brown and dry out with age, hiding the bark and trunk. It can be removed or left on the plant to form a thick thatch. Once established, the plant may develop multiple trunks that branch at the top and become wider at the base of the plant. The desert accent grows about three inches a year and needs plenty of room to spread. In late spring through summer, it produces a tall, erect six- to fourteen-foot bloom with small, creamy-tan blossoms that attract bees. After flowering, it develops a seed with a papery fruit inside.  Use it in groupings or masses, as an accent plant, or border or informal barrier. The foliage has been used for making baskets in Mexico. It looks interesting if planted with variegated or other interesting agave varieties. Tree bear grass is native to the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts of Mexico, growing below 4,800 feet.

The evergreen accent plant is a great choice for desert and transitional gardens, forming a bold, grassy clump to about five feet tall and seven feet wide. The ends of its leathery, coarse, green leaves will fray to form a white, curling, ornamental look. Its leaves grow from underground stems. In late spring through early summer, the plant produces a three-foot-high stalk of greenish- creamy flowers that extend out from the center of the plant. After flowering, in early summer, it produces papery seeds. Native Americans used the foliage to weave baskets, brooms, and mats. They ate the flowers and boiled or roasted the roots.  Use it as a grassy accent around ponds and pools, in planters, on banks and medians, and in rock gardens. This plant also works as a soil stabilizer on hillsides with its fibrous root system. It is native to Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas, and southern Nevada, as well as northern Sonora, Mexico, where it grows on rocky or grassy hillsides from 3,000 to 6,000 feet.

The stunning, architectural beauty resembles the yucca species, developing a ten- to twelve-foot trunk and large rosette of foliage. It is one of the larger plants found in the Nolina genus. As the plant matures, it may develop multiple heads and older leaves can form a shaggy look along the trunk if not removed. It produces two- to three-inch-long, bluish-green leaves with tiny serrations along the margins. The older, mature foliage is less flexible than the juvenile leaves. In summer, mature plants send up a four-foot flower spike that is densely packed with many tiny, whitish-tan flowers.  Use it as a focal point around ponds, fountains, and water features for a tropical or bold appearance. It is native to the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

Spanish Bayonet is a large, sprawling yucca. In Southern Arizona, it reaches an average height of about 10 feet tall and clumps to about 10 feet wide. Growth is slow. Stiff, dense leaves are medium green with sharp points. It tends to bloom when under stress situations. Extended 2-foot pinacles of cream white flowers appear in summer. Leaf margins are smooth. Variegated forms are also available.

This yucca was named for its edible, banana-shaped fruit that was a historic food source for Native Americans. The plant grows slowly to three to five feet tall and wide with large, strap-like, dark-green foliage that is stiff, erect, sharply pointed, and arranged spirally at the base of its stem. This plant also produces white fibers along its leaf margins that tend to curl on the plant. The fibers from its leaves can be soaked and used to make string or rope. In spring, the plant sends up tall flower stalks that come from a center whorl of leaves. The flowers are creamy white, bell-shaped and appear in thick clusters. Its young flowers are also edible and taste like asparagus. After flowering, the plant produces banana-like fruit that contains flat, black seeds. When the fruit is baked, is has a flavor similar to potatoes.  Use it as a low-growing accent plant in desert landscapes or as a specimen planting. It can also be used as a focal plant in front of tall walls and foundations because of its picturesque form and growth habit. The banana yucca also looks good in large containers in front of walls, entryways, or pillars. It is native to Arizona, California, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Utah, and parts of Mexico, where it grows at elevations of 2,500 to 8,500 feet. The banana yucca grows amongst piñon pines, junipers, and ponderosa pines in its native habitat.

This magnificent, slow-growing plant is the largest of all the yucca species, reaching thirty feet or more in height with a fifteen-foot spread. The species is an important wildlife plant in its natural environment. Native Americans used the leaves to weave baskets and sandals, and harvested the seeds and flower buds for many food products. The canopy of the Joshua tree will tilt to the south, which makes it a good indicator of the sun’s location at all times. Joshua trees are unique in their growth habit, and usually no two plants look the same. Many species of birds use the Joshua tree as their nesting site. It has short, sharp, spiny-tipped, grayish-green leaf blades, and bark that is rough and grayish-brown in color. The leaves are six to fourteen inches long and form dense clusters at the end of the branches. A thick thatch of dried leaves forms a dry skirt around the trunk of the plant. Waxy, bell-shaped, greenish-white blooms appear in early spring and are densely arranged. The blossoms have tough, leathery petals and produce a slightly unpleasant fragrance. The species flowering cycle is controlled by rain and climate changes. After flowers die, an egg-shaped, fleshy fruit appears. When the fruit dries, it falls to the ground revealing many flat seeds. Use it as a large accent plant with its strong, vertical silhouette and form, or where a large specimen is needed. It is native to mostly desert flats and slopes of southern and southwestern Nevada, northwestern Arizona, and southeastern California, where it grows in dense numbers in the Mojave Desert. This plant is found growing on desert flats and slopes at 1,500 to 6,000 feet in elevation. Joshua Tree National Park in southeastern California is named for the forest of Joshua trees native to the park.

This dramatic evergreen has a smaller, stouter trunk than Yucca brevifolia, growing six to twelve feet tall with a denser, more compact branching pattern. It produces multiple stems that start branching two to three feet above the ground. This yucca also has shorter, narrow leaves that appear in tight, terminal rosettes. In spring, the plant develops beautiful, ivory white, bell-shaped blossoms, but does not always flower annually. When the plant does produce blossoms, they are followed by elliptical, greenish-brown, fleshy fruit with black seeds.  Use it along tall walls and foundations for its amazing silhouette and graceful appearance. It can also be used in hot, dry, low-water-use situations because it is extremely drought resistant and very heat-tolerant. This plant is native to northeastern California, northeastern Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, where it grows on rocky slopes, hillsides, and plains in very dry locations at elevations of 3,500 to 6,500 feet.

This historic yucca grows six to twenty feet tall or more with an erect, upright trunk and spreads eight feet wide. Its showy, white, bell-shaped flowers are the state flower of New Mexico. The plant was named for the substances in its roots and trunks used by Native Americans as a substitute for soap. The coarse fibers of the leaves were used to weave beautiful baskets, sandals, mats, cords, and other useful items. In times of drought, ranchers used this plant as an emergency food for cattle. The buds, flowers, and stalks can be eaten raw or cooked. The yucca has long, slender, pale green, flexible leaves with sharp points and threads along their margins. As older foliage dies, it bends downward to form an attractive thatch coat around the trunk. Flowers emerge on tall stalks from the central portion of each branch and grow four to six feet above the plant. The flowers are loose spikes of white, bell-shaped blooms that appear in the spring and are lovely in dried flower arrangements. Tan fruits in brown pods appear after blooming, revealing many small, black seeds.  Use it for its graceful form and silhouette as an accent plant, focal point, or specimen along tall walls or at the entrance to a property. It is native to grasslands and dry, sandy plains, mesas, and desert washes in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, and the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts, where it grows up to 6,000 feet in elevation.

This slow-growing yucca reaches fifteen feet tall with a ten-foot spread to form an upright, attractive trunk and distinctive rosette with sword-shaped leaves. It can sometimes branch out, forming two heads. Branched heads are uncommon but impressive. The old, dried foliage bends downward along the trunk to form a thick, attractive thatch. The thatch buildup helps protect the plant from sun and cold. Its dark-green leaves are sharp and pointed with reddish or black margins. They have curly threads along their edges and grow three feet long. In the spring, the plant produces a three- to four-foot flower talk with a showy display of creamy white, bell-shaped blossoms that emerge from the center of the plant. A red fruit pod develops after the flowers die.  Use this low-maintenance yucca in large commercial or residential landscapes where it has plenty of room to grow as a showy accent or specimen planting. Keep it away from sidewalks or pedestrian areas because of its immense size. It is native to rocky slopes of western Texas and into the Chihuahuan Desert in northern Mexico, growing at 2,700 to 6,500 feet.

The dramatic, fast-growing landscape specimen with a massive base towers to heights of fifteen to twenty feet. It has sharp, pointed, short, rigid leaves that are dark to olive green with filaments growing along the margins. The plant can form multiple, spherical heads with many green leaves. Its leaves end in a sharp terminal spine. In late spring, it develops an interesting four- to six-foot flower stalk with creamy white, bell-shaped blossoms. The large blooms hang downward instead of standing upright and tall.  Use this spectacular specimen where it has plenty of room to grow and spread as a striking accent, or plant it against a tall wall for its amazing silhouette and form. It is native to northeast Mexico from Chihuahua to Nuevo Leon and south to Hidalgo.

The fast-growing, tropical-looking yucca grows ten feet tall and eight feet wide and can form single or multiple trunks. It has sword-like foliage that originates from the center of the plant. The leaves are bluish-green with smooth margins and pointed tips, but there are also variegated forms available. The foliage bends from the middle and arches in a downward direction. The plant is noted for is showy spikes of fragrant, white flowers with purplish edges that appear in the late spring and early summer. Use it for its exotic, bold green foliage in tropical settings, or around a pool or water feature. The Spanish dagger can also be used as an accent, foundation, background, or sculptural plant. It works well in mixed borders or in rock, cactus or succulent gardens. Use it in attractive containers on patios and porches. The Spanish dagger can also be used in coastal settings. It is native to the Southeastern United States from North Carolina to northeastern Florida, where it grows in sand dunes and along coastal barrier islands.

This single-stem or sometimes multiple-stem plant grows to six feet and is recognized by bluish-green, pendulous leaves that have a sharp point at the tip. There are also beautiful, variegated forms available. In late spring through early summer, the plant produces a showy, two-foot flower stalk. Creamy white, bell-shaped clusters appear, followed by a seedpod. After the bloom dies, a dried seedpod forms and will eventually need to be pruned from the plant. Use this plant for tropical effects around pools, fountains, and ponds. It works well in raised planters, and as a foundation or entry plant. This species also look good when used in small groupings or as an accent. It is native to the southeastern United States, growing in sandy soils in Louisiana, Georgia, and Mississippi.

This yucca is a valued plant for desert gardens because of its stiff, flat, powdery blue leaves. It is a tall plant that grows moderately to twelve feet with an eight-foot spread. As the plant matures, the trunk may develop a thatch skirt. It has attractive, long, bluish-gray, sword-like foliage with a sharp tip and yellow margins. A creamy white cluster of bell-like flowers appears from the center of the plant in the late spring or summer. The blooms grow on five- to six-foot stalks above the plant, adding a nice color show in contrast to its blue foliage. After flowering, it produces small, black seeds that are contained in two-inch long seed capsules.  Use it as a silhouette or focal point in the landscape and combine this showy plant with other shrubs and groundcovers to create a striking effect. The blue yucca also looks very attractive when planted with other dark green vegetation. This plant is native to the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, and Zacatecas.

The spectacular bloomer grows ten to fifteen feet tall, forming an attractive, thatched trunk and branching towards the top of the plant as it matures. It has narrow, slightly waxy, greenish-blue leaves with a thin, yellowish edge and a sharp, terminal spine. In late spring or early summer, the plant produces dramatic clusters of white flowers that rise from its center. Following the bloom cycle, it produces seeds that resemble a bird’s beak. The species name, rostrata, means beak. Use this moderate-to slow-growing plant for dramatic focal points, in mass groupings, or as an accent in low-water-use landscapes or colder locations. It is native to the deserts of southwest Texas and areas of the Chihuahuan Desert in northern Mexico.

This amazing, slow-growing plant resembles Yucca rostrata but is somewhat smaller, reaching six to twelve feet tall and six feet wide. It has symmetrical, columnar rosettes of stiff, thin leaves and its foliage is greenish-blue in color with fine teeth along the edges. The older foliage hangs down neatly like a coat around the trunk. The Thompson yucca produces small, yellow lines and teeth along its leaf margins with a sharp terminal spine at its tip. In April through May, it produces three- to five-foot flower stalks with dramatic, creamy white blossoms.  Use it against tall walls and buildings for its amazing silhouette and form. Combine with low-growing agaves and golden barrel cactus. This yucca is native to limestone hills, rocky slopes and plains in southwestern Texas, southeastern New Mexico, and parts of northern Mexico.

This picturesque plant, which is one of the most common yuccas found in western Texas, reaches eighteen to twenty feet tall at maturity, eventually producing multiple trunks. It forms a symmetrical rosette with stiff; bluish-green leaves that grow three to five feet long and are sharply pointed. The bark is grayish-brown and forms a dense thatch as the plant matures. In its native habitat, it sometimes grows into an asymmetrical, untidy-looking plant and has been given the nickname “old shag.” In spring, it produces beautiful, fragrant, bell-shaped, white blooms that reach heights of four feet. However, this plant may not produce blossoms each year. After it does bloom, in late summer, greenish-brown, fleshy fruits appear, becoming leathery as they mature.  Use it as a specimen, or plant it in front of a tall wall for its interesting silhouette and growth habit. Mix it with low-water-use agaves and other succulents. It grows natively in Edwards Plateau through Trans-Pecos, Texas, as well as into New Mexico and south into northern Mexico.