Keep These Common Desert Plants Out of Your Yard

As you look for plants to include in your Tucson landscape, you may be surprised at the wide variety of plants that fare well in the harsh desert climate. However, not every heat-resistant plant choice is a good addition to your yard. The following plants are considered noxious weeds in Arizona, and they may take over your landscape or pose a risk to pets and wildlife in your yard. Therefore, you should work to keep these plants out of your yard after you settle on the right landscape design.

Silverleaf Nightshade

Nightshade is a notorious weed, as various types of nightshade have been used as poison. Silverleaf nightshade is one variety that grows in the Southwest, and it produces small green berries, which are poisonous if ingested.

Little Hogweed

Little hogweed features distinctly shiny and angled leaves of dark green with small yellow flowers. It is native to Europe, and it grows throughout the desert and mountain regions. This plant will grow along the surface of the ground, sprawling outward in vine-like formations.

Puncturevine

If you have ever felt a sharp poke in your foot walking around barefoot, you have probably encountered the seeds of the puncturevine. These sharp, goat-head shaped seeds are the defining feature of this plant, which also produces small flowers and thin, oval shaped leaves.

Desert Broomrape

Though the desert broomrape has a captivating deep purple color, they are actually parasitic, leaching off nearby shrubs due to their lack of chlorophyll. These plants are small, cone-shaped growths that have large root systems that are pale in color. You may see developments in clumps, which may reemerge if the roots are not fully removed.

For help choosing the right plants for your Tucson yard, work with Santa Rita Landscaping. You can schedule a landscape design consultation with our team by calling (520) 623-0421, or visit our website to see a portfolio of our work.