10 Beautiful, Native Trees for the Southwest

Native Trees for the Southwest, Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)

Trees are a treasure to us that live in the Southwest where the sun can be relentless with its intensity.

We all know the delight of stepping into the cool shade of a tree during a hot summer’s day where their canopy provides blessed relief.

Honey Mesquite Bosque (Prosopis glandulosa) at the Scottsdale Xeriscape Garden

In addition, to welcoming shade, trees also add beauty to the landscape with their lovely shades of green leaves, flowers (in some cases), and the way the dappled shade dances along the ground.

Palo Blanco (Mariosousa willardiana) formerly Acacia willardiana

There are many trees native to this region that add both shade and beauty to the garden while thriving in our arid climate.

I recently shared a list of my ten favorite, native trees for the Southwest in my latest article for Houzz.

*Do you have a favorite tree?  Please share it with us!

10 Essential Native Trees for Southwestern Gardens

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Noelle Johnson, aka, 'AZ Plant Lady' is a author, horticulturist, and landscape consultant who helps people learn how to create, grow, and maintain beautiful desert gardens that thrive in a hot, dry climate. She does this through her consulting services, her online class Desert Gardening 101, and her monthly membership club, Through the Garden Gate. As she likes to tell desert-dwellers, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard, but it is different."