The Chihuahua Desert Garden at Vista Park, home to the native plants listed below, is a great place to admire and learn about the diverse flora of the Chihuahua Desert. Since Project Wildlife Bisbee was formed in 2022, approximately 600 trees, shrubs and perennials have been planted there, as well as 175 small palmer agaves, donated to us by Freeport MacMoran, Borderland Restoration and BCI (Bat Conservation International), to help endangered bats on their annual migration. The following list comprises ones we planted in 2023 and 2024, often more than one of each sort. We will update the list as we add new ones.
Grasses
Bullgrass (Muhlenbergia emersleyi
Purple Three-Awn (Aristida purpurea)
Perennial Wildflowers
Mexican Poppy (Eschscholzia californica mexicana)
Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata)
Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata)
Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
Mealy Blue Sage
Scarlet Hedge
Nettle (Stachys coccinea)
Scarlet Penstemon (Penstemon barbatus)
Parry’s Penstemon (Penstemon parryi)
Gooding’s Verbena (Verbena goodingi)
Firewheel Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella)
Gregg’s Mistflower (Conoclinium greggi)
Shrubs
Littleleaf Sumac (Rhus microphylla)
Evergreen Sumac (Rhus virens)
Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa)
Wislizenus’ Senna (Senna wislizeni)
Fairyduster (Calliandra eriophylla)
Trees
Velvet Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora)
Netleaf Hackberry (Celtis reticulata)
Whitethorn Acacia (Vachelia constricta)
Catclaw Acacia (Senegalia greggii)
Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)
For a comprehensive list of plants that are well suited to the local climate, please refer to the provided link:
https://waterwise.arizona.edu/sites/waterwise.arizona.edu/files/2022-08/SV-plantlist-full-033109.pdf.
While the plants listed in the link above all thrive in Sierra Vista, it’s important to note that we’re located at a slightly higher elevation, which can result in slightly cooler temperatures and so some plants may not be suited.
Be sure to check the ‘Cold Hardy’ column on the Recommended Plants for Sierra Vista list.