Arizona Bloom & Seasonal Interest Calendar
A well-designed Arizona landscape has something happening every month — winter blooms, spring color, monsoon flowers, fall structure, and year-round foliage. Use this calendar to plan a planting palette that doesn't go quiet in summer or empty in winter.
Bloom timing varies by region, exposure, irrigation, and weather. AE confirms seasonal palette during design.
- Desert Museum Palo VerdeParkinsonia hybridTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring, with seasonal variation
- Blue Palo VerdeParkinsonia floridaTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Foothills Palo VerdeParkinsonia microphyllaTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Velvet MesquiteProsopis velutinaTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Chilean MesquiteProsopis chilensisTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring
- IronwoodOlneya tesotaTreeSpring
Bloom: Late spring
- Desert WillowChilopsis linearisTreeSpringSummer
Bloom: Spring through summer depending on variety and conditions
- Texas EbonyEbenopsis ebanoTreeSpringSummer
Bloom: Late spring to early summer
- CascaloteTara cacalacoTreeWinterSpring
Bloom: Winter–spring
- Palo BlancoMariosousa willardianaTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring
- MulgaAcacia aneuraTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Texas Mountain LaurelDermatophyllum secundiflorumTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Shoestring AcaciaAcacia stenophyllaTreeWinterFall
Bloom: Fall–winter
- Olive Tree (Fruitless varieties recommended)Olea europaeaTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring; cultivar dependent
- Chinese PistachePistacia chinensisTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Little Leaf CordiaCordia parvifoliaShrubSpringFall
Bloom: Spring–fall
- Baja Fairy DusterCalliandra californicaShrubSpringFall
Bloom: Spring–fall
- Red Bird of ParadiseCaesalpinia pulcherrimaShrubSpringFall
Bloom: Late spring through fall
- Mexican Bird of ParadiseErythrostemon mexicanusTreeYear-round
Bloom: Intermittently through the year
- Orange Bells / Orange JubileeTecoma × 'Orange Jubilee'ShrubSpringFall
Bloom: Spring through fall
- JojobaSimmondsia chinensisShrubSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Creosote BushLarrea tridentataShrubSpringFall
Bloom: Spring through fall
- Valentine BushEremophila maculata 'Valentine'ShrubWinterSpring
Bloom: Winter, generally January through March
- ChuparosaJusticia californicaShrubWinterSpring
Bloom: Winter–spring
- BrittlebushEncelia farinosaFlowering PerennialWinterSpring
Bloom: Winter–spring
- Desert Globe MallowSphaeralcea ambiguaFlowering PerennialWinterSpringFall
Bloom: Broadly fall through spring activity, with strongest late-winter and spring flowering
- Dwarf MyrtleMyrtus communis 'Compacta'ShrubSpring
Bloom: Broadly April–May in Phoenix; varies with pruning, weather and plant identity
- Natal PlumCarissa macrocarpaShrubSpring
Bloom: Most prominent in spring; conditions affect repeat flowers and fruit
- Dwarf OleanderNerium oleander (dwarf cultivars)ShrubSpringFall
Bloom: Broadly spring through fall, depending on cultivar and conditions
- SaguaroCarnegiea giganteaCactusSpring
Bloom: Late spring
- Organ Pipe CactusStenocereus thurberiCactusSpringSummer
Bloom: May–June
- Cardon CactusPachycereus pringleiCactusSpringSummer
Bloom: Spring, typically March–June
- Totem Pole CactusPachycereus schottii f. monstrosusCactusSpringSummer
Bloom: Late spring–summer
- Golden Barrel CactusEchinocactus grusoniiCactusSpring
Bloom: Mature plants may bloom seasonally
- Compass BarrelFerocactus cylindraceusCactusSpringSummer
Bloom: Late spring through summer
- Santa Rita Prickly PearOpuntia santa-ritaCactusSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Prickly Pear (Engelmann)Opuntia engelmanniiCactusSpringSummer
Bloom: Spring to early summer
- Argentine GiantEchinopsis candicansCactusSpring
Bloom: Spring, opening at night
- Hedgehog CactusEchinocereus engelmanniiCactusSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Mexican Fence Post CactusPachycereus marginatusCactusSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Weber AgaveAgave weberiAgaveSpringSummer
Bloom: Spring through summer
- Twin-Flower AgaveAgave geminifloraAgaveWinter
Bloom: Winter
- Artichoke AgaveAgave parryi var. truncataAgaveSummer
Bloom: Summer
- Queen Victoria AgaveAgave victoriae-reginaeAgaveYear-round
Bloom: After many years, once
- Octopus AgaveAgave vilmorinianaAgaveSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Red YuccaHesperaloe parvifloraYuccaSpringFall
Bloom: Spring through fall depending on conditions
- Yellow YuccaHesperaloe parviflora (yellow-flowering form)YuccaSpringSummer
Bloom: Broadly spring through summer, sometimes longer with conditions
- Desert SpoonDasylirion wheeleriSotolSpringSummer
Bloom: Late spring through summer
- Green SotolDasylirion acrotrichumSotolSummer
Bloom: Summer; flowering varies with maturity and conditions
- OcotilloFouquieria splendensYuccaSpring
Bloom: Seasonal red blooms, often spring
- Aloe (Aloe vera and ornamental forms)Aloe spp. (including Aloe vera)SucculentWinterSpring
Bloom: Winter to spring common among locally used forms; selection dependent
- Gopher PlantEuphorbia rigidaSucculentWinterSpring
Bloom: Broad chartreuse-to-yellow bracts late winter through spring
- Pink Muhly GrassMuhlenbergia capillarisGrassFall
Bloom: Late warm season into fall
- Regal Mist® Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris 'Lenca')Muhlenbergia capillaris 'Lenca'GrassSummerFall
Bloom: Deep pink panicles typically late summer into fall; tan seed heads follow
- Bear Grass (Sacahuista)Nolina microcarpaGrassSummer
Bloom: Tall green-to-cream-white panicles in summer, followed by seed pods
- Trailing RosemaryRosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus'GroundcoverWinterSpring
Bloom: Winter–spring
- DamianitaChrysactinia mexicanaGroundcoverSpringFall
Bloom: Spring and fall
- Goodding's Verbena (Southwestern Mock Vervain)Glandularia gooddingiiGroundcoverSpringFall
Bloom: Strongest in spring, with possible intermittent warm-season and fall flowering
- Trailing Indigo Bush (Dalea greggii)Dalea greggiiGroundcoverSpringSummerFall
Bloom: Strongest in spring and early summer, with possible later bloom into summer and fall
- MyoporumMyoporum parvifoliumGroundcoverSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Gazania (Treasure Flower)Gazania rigensGroundcoverSpringFall
Bloom: Strongest broadly fall through spring, with possible later flowering where conditions suit
- Lady Banks' RoseRosa banksiaeVineSpring
Bloom: One spectacular spring flush, usually several weeks; not continuous repeat bloom
- Cat's Claw VineDolichandra unguis-catiVineSpring
Bloom: Briefly around late March to early April in Phoenix
- Queen's WreathAntigonon leptopusVineSummerFall
Bloom: Large late-summer and fall display; timing varies
- Star JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoidesVineSpringSummer
Bloom: Mainly late spring, with possible sporadic summer flowers
- Japanese HoneysuckleLonicera japonicaVineSpringSummer
Bloom: Fragrant flowers generally strongest spring into summer; black berries can follow
- Tipu Tree / Pride of BoliviaTipuana tipuTreeSpringSummer
Bloom: Late spring to early summer
- Willow AcaciaAcacia salicinaTreeSpring
Bloom: Mainly spring
- Sweet AcaciaVachellia farnesianaTreeWinterSpring
Bloom: Late winter through spring
- Sissoo / Indian RosewoodDalbergia sissooTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring; varies with climate
- JacarandaJacaranda mimosifoliaTreeSpring
Bloom: Strongest in spring; timing varies by climate
- Pink Trumpet Tree / Pink IpêHandroanthus impetiginosusTreeSpring
Bloom: Usually spring, before or with leaf flush; timing and duration vary
- Texas OliveCordia boissieriTreeSpringFall
Bloom: Recurring from spring into fall when conditions support it
- Mediterranean Fan PalmChamaerops humilisTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring; varies by climate and plant
- Mexican Fan PalmWashingtonia robustaTreeSpringSummer
Bloom: Spring to summer; varies by climate
- Date PalmPhoenix dactyliferaTreeSpring
Bloom: Spring; fruit matures seasonally when pollination and management align
- Pindo Palm / Jelly PalmButia odorataTreeSpringSummer
Bloom: Late spring to summer; fruit follows when conditions allow
- Yellow Bells / Arizona Yellow BellsTecoma stansShrubSpringFall
Bloom: Repeated flushes from spring into fall in warm Phoenix conditions
- Feathery Cassia / Silver SennaSenna artemisioidesShrubWinterSpring
Bloom: Strongest from late winter through spring in the low desert
- Pink Fairy DusterCalliandra eriophyllaShrubSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Autumn SageSalvia greggiiFlowering PerennialSpringFall
Bloom: Spring and fall
- Angelita DaisyTetraneuris acaulisFlowering PerennialYear-round
Bloom: Can flower year-round
- Blackfoot DaisyMelampodium leucanthumFlowering PerennialYear-round
Bloom: Can flower year-round
- Parry's PenstemonPenstemon parryiFlowering PerennialSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Teddy Bear ChollaCylindropuntia bigeloviiCactusSpring
Bloom: Spring
- Purple Fountain GrassCenchrus setaceus 'Rubrum'GrassFall
Bloom: Warm season into fall
- Netleaf HackberryCeltis reticulataTreeSpring
Bloom: Inconspicuous spring flowers; orange-red drupes mature seasonally
- Crape MyrtleLagerstroemia indicaTreeSummer
Bloom: Summer
- DamianitaChrysactinia mexicanaShrubSpring
Bloom: Mainly spring, with timing and repeat varying by moisture and weather
- Turpentine BushEricameria laricifoliaShrubFall
Bloom: Profuse small yellow flower heads in early fall
- Fishhook Barrel CactusFerocactus wislizeniCactusSummer
Bloom: Usually beginning July or August and continuing for several weeks; timing varies