Thisisthe2ndmostcommonshrubintheAz.UplandsDivisionoftheSonorandesertreachingaheightof4’&foundgrowingonslopes,flats&inwashes.Stems,whichareeasilybroken,exudearesin/gumwhichischewedbyNaHveAmericans&burnedasincensein

earlymissions.Anicelandscapeplant.

One of several dozen Az. species, this species is at eleva6on of 1,000-9,000’ growing on dry rocky slopes, mesas,& open pine forests. Legend is this plant was inserted into straw beds to take care of flea

problems.

There are 5 species of Eriophyllum in Az. Found growing at eleva6ons of 1,000- 3,000’ in dry gravelly slopes+ mesas.

Goldfields- Lasthenia gracilis To 8” high, blooms in March-May at eleva6ons of 1,500 -4,500 on mesas& plains. ORen grows in dense patches, forming carpets of gold. Grazed by horses. Fragrant flowers.

Desert- Chicory-Rafinesequia neomexicana

• Thisweakstemmedannualusuallygrowsamongshrubstosupporttheupto20”plant.BloomsmidFeb-Mayindesertstomesasat200-3,000’.

Silver Puffs- Uropappus lindleyi

• AmemberoftheSunflowerFamily,silverpuffsgrowsbelow6,000’&bloomsMarch–May.Bothseeds&foliageedible.Stemsto1.5’tall.

White Tidy Tips- Layia glanulosa • Foundupto5,000’growingindesertwashes,dryslopes&mesasupto5,000’.

Paper Flower- Psilostrophe cooperi

• Anupto2’,thismemberoftheSunflowerFamilybloomson&offyeararound,growsonplains,mesas,&alongwashesat2,000-5,000’.

Desert Marigold- Baileya mul=radiata This member of the sunflower family grows to height of 2’ uo to eleva6ons of 5,000’. On overgrazed land, sheep & goats are frequently

poisoned by feeding on this marigold.

7 species of Chaenac=s are found in Az. Growing at eleva6ons of

1,000-3,500’ on plains & mesas. Blooming occurs from march- June.

Desert Dandelion- Malacothrix glabrata

•  8speciesofMalacohrixinAz.Thisspeciesgrowsindry,sandyflatsoflowdesert&mesasbelow7,000’,bloomingMarch-June.Anannual&amemberoftheSunflowerFamily.

Blackfoot Daisy- Melampodium leucanthum

• AmemberoftheSunflowerFamilygrowingondry,rockyslopes,desertgrasslands&oakwoodlandsat2,000-5,000’.3speciesofMelampodiuminAz.

An Az. favorite, this annual aRer favorable winter rains can grow into a “sea of gold” on slopes, plains, foothills,& mesas. The genus is named aRer Dr. Eschscholtzia,a

Russian surgeon, naturalist, & traveler.

Cream Cups- Platystemon californicus • AsamemberofthePoppyfamily,creamcupsarefoundgrowingonrockyslopes,hillsides,&alongstreamsatelevaHonsof1,500-4,500’.BloomingoccursMarch-May.ThisistheonlyspeciesinAz.

Growing to 6’, chuparosa is commonly found growing on rocky slopes & in washes at 1,000 -2,500’. A favorite with hummingbirds. Flowers are edible (tas6ng like cucumbers) & can be added to salads. Makes a great landscape plant.

Six species of this parasite in Az. Usually afacks bursage. Used by na6ves for food & medicine

Desert lupine- Lupinus sparsiflorus

•  Thisis1-25speciesofLupinusinAz.Growingbelow3,000’alongdesertroadsides,onslopes,&mesas.Asanitrogenfixer,alllupinesimprovethenitrogenlevelsinthesoilstheygrowin.AmemberofthePeaFamily,itbloomsJan.-May.

A gray barked desert tree typically found in arroyos. Very dense wood (1 cubic ‘ can weigh 66 lbs.). Seeds an important source of mid summer protein for wildlife & na6ve Americans. Great firewood making excellent coals.

Foothill Paloverde-Parkinsonia microphylla

• Atreereaching25’inheightgrowsondry,rockyhillsides,mesas,plainsat500-4,000’.FloweringoccursfromMarch-May.HismemberofthePeaFamily,isthemostcommonofthe2Az.species.

Fairy Duster- Calliandra eriophylla

•  ThisperennialshrubbelongstothePeaFamily.Itisimportanttomanydesertanimalsprovidinggrazingfoliage,pollen,nectar&seeds.Thisisanexcellentlandscapeplantfordesertxeriscapegardens.

Desert Rock Pea- Lotus rigidus

• Ofthe15speciesofLotusinAz.,thisoneisthemostdroughtresistant.Growsondry,rockyslopes,incanyons,&desertsbelow5,000’,bloomingFeb–May.

Desert/Buferfly Senna- Senna covesii

•  Thereare9speciesofSennainAz.AllmembersofthePeaFamily.Thisspeciesgrowsalongroadsides,onrockyslopes&mesasat1,000-3,000’bloomingApril-Oct.Sulphurbu]erflylarvaefeedontheflowers.

Dakota Verbena- Glandularia bipinna=fida

• AsamemberoftheVervainFamilythisplantformsamoundingbushupto18”growsalongroadsides&inclearingsfromgrasslandstoconiferousforestsat2,000’to10,000’.The7speciesarefrequentedbybees&bu]erflies.

Starflower grows in sandy areas, deserts, mesas at 1,000 -5,500’ blooming March-June. This annual gets 4-5’ tall & is a member of the Phlox Family.

Six species of Calochortus

in Az. C. nuHallii is

the state flower of Utah. Bulbous root was used for a food source by Na6ve Americans & Mormon seflers.

Desert Hyacinth- Dichelostemma pulchellum

•  Thisperenniallilyhasanedibleonion-likebulbusedasafoodsourcebothforNaHvesAmericans&pioneers.Growsonmesas,openslopes,&plainsbelow5,000’bloominginFeb-May.

Owlclover- Orthocarpa purpurascens

• Yearswhenthereiscopiouswinterrains&cooltemperatures,thedesertfloorbelow3,000’canbeacarpetofbrightpurpleowlclover.Itisamemberofthefigwortfamily&growsto4”-8”inheight.

Rambling Milkweed- Funastrum hitellum

•  Thisplantgrowsbelow5,500’alongwashes,bloomingMarch-October.TohonoO’OdhamIndiansconsumedthefruit,whichsmellslikeonion.3speciesofFunastrumnAz.

Desert Milkweed- Asclepias subulata

•  Agreatbu]erflyplanta]racHngmonarchs&queens,&manyotherspeciesofinsects.Thisis1of29speciesofmilkweedsinAz,.Itgrowsondrymesas,slopes&sandywashesbelow3,000’bloomingApril–Oct.&reachingaheightof4’.

Scorpionweed- Phacelia crenulata

•  Thisannualtypicallyhasastragglyhabitocengrowingamongshrubs.BloomsFeb.-Mayalongwashes&slopesat1,000-4,000’elevaHonThereare46speciesofPhaceliainAz.

Yellow Monkey Flower- Mimulus guHatus

•  ThisisaplantHedtowetplacessuchasbrooks&springsatelevaHonsof500-9,500’.BecauseofthisgreatelevaHonrange,itbloomsfromMarch-September.14speciesofMimulusatfoundinAz.AmemberoftheFigwortFamily.

Scarlet Penstemon Penstemon eatonii

•  ThismemberoftheFigwortFamilybloomsFeb-Junealongroadsides,ondesertslopes&mesasatelevaHonsof2,000-7,000’.Agreathummingbirdplantthatdoeswellhereinthevalley.

Parry’s Penstemom- Penstemon parryi

• Morethan3dozenspeciesofPenstemongrowinAz…allaremembersoftheFigwortFamily.FoundgrowingatelevaHonsof1,000’-5,000’,thisspeciescanbefoundonwell-drainedslopes,inmountaincanyons&alongroadsides.AnothergoodhummingbirdplantwhenitbloomsinMarch

Spectacle Pod- Dimorphocarpa wislizeni

• ThismemberoftheMustardfamilybloomsfromFeb.-Oct.atelevaHonsof1,000-6,000’.Itgrowsinopenareasofshadysoilindeserts&grasslands.

Gordon’s Bladderpod- Physaria gordonii

•  Thereare11speciesodPhysariainAz.,allmembersoftheMustardFamily.FoundgrowingatelevaHonsof100-5,000’flatdryplains,&amongdesertshrubsonmesas,thisplantbloomsFeb.-May.Canbeaspectacularsiteacerwet,coolwinters.

Sand Verbena- Abronia villosa

•  Thisisacommonsanddune&sandyflatplantespeciallyabundantaceryearsofgoodwinterrains.BloomingfromFeb-Maybelow1,000’elevaHons.This4O’clockfamilymemberis1or5Az.species.

Desert Wishbone Bush- Mirabilis laevis var. villosa

•  Thisis1of13speciesofMirabilisinaz.,occurringbelow3,000’inlowerdesertflats,slopes,&canyonsbelow3,000’.AweakstemmedperennialwithsHckystems&branchesthatform“wishbones”.

Dune Primrose- Oenothera deltoides

•  Thisis1of21speciesofOenotherainAz.Thissweetscentedprimrosegrowsinsandydesert&otheropenareasespeciallyacerawet,coolwinter.

Desert Tobacco- Nico=ana trigonophylla

•  ThisperennialherbhasleavesthatcontainnicoHne.Itgrowsbelow6,000’inwashes&othersandyareas&canreachaheightupto3’’.ItisamemberoftheNightshadeFamily.

Banana Yucca/Da6l- Yucca baccata var. brevifolia

•  Thisis1of9speciesofAz.yuccaswiththetrunkgrowingto8’&amemberoftheAgaveFamily.BloomingoccursApril–July.Growingondryplains&slopesat3,000’-8,000’,likeotheryuccas,thisspeciesreliesonaspecificspeciesofmothforpollinaHon.

Creosote bush- Larrea tridentata

•  ThisisamemberoftheCaltropFamilybeingoneofthemostcommonshrubsintheSonoran,Mojave,&Chihuahuandeserts.Growsbelow4,500’ondryplains&mesasbloomingperiodically&reaching10’.ResinsfrombranchesusedbyNaHveAmericansasagluewhileotherpartsareusedmedicinally.

Flat-Top Buckwheat- Eriogonum fasciculatum var. polifolium

• Oneofover50Az.speciesofEriogonumthis2’shrubgrowsat1,000-4,500’onrockyslopes,flats&alongwashesbloomingFeb.-June.ThismemberoftheBuckwheatFamilya]ractsbees&isagoodsourceforhoney.

Found from 1,000-6,000’ eleva6on. People thought it was an important snakebite

remedy. More than 3 dozen species of Euphorbia in Az.

Desert Globemallow- Sphaeralcea ambigua

•  Thereare16speciesofSphaeralceainAz.&thisoneisthemostdroughttolerantgrowingbelow3,000’alongroadsidesbanksofsandywashes,&flats.Browsedbybighorns,domesHcatedsheep&goats&deserttortoise…aRractsbees.Flowercolorcanvaryfromapricot,pink,white,reddish,&moreforthismemberoftheMallowFamily.

Oco6llo- Fouquieria splendens

•  Thisisnotacactus(asmanypeoplebelieve)butamemberoftheOcoHlloFamily,whichincludestheboojumtree.NamedaceraFrenchprofessorofmedicine,PierreFouquier,theocoHllogrowsonrocky,welldrainedsoilsbelow5,000’Itisespeciallyabundantinsoilsrichnlimestone.