African sumac (Rhus lancia) Height: 25'. Width: 20'. Evergreen. Good looking tree if cared for. Especially in a multi-trunked form. Relatively short-lived, 40-50 years. Low water use. Good screen. It is a border line invasive plant. Be careful to not to allow this plant to spread beyond your maintained area. May send up root suckers. Thin glossy leaf, weeping effect.
Aleppo pine (Pinus Halepensis) Height: 35'. Width: 25'. Evergreen. Most common older pine grown in Tucson. Has wide top when mature.
Argentine mesquite (Prosopis alba) Height: 25'. Width: 25'. Low to Moderate water use. Cream color flowers. Large thorns. Fast growing. Fine textured foliage. Generally considered to be a better tree than Chilean mesquite, but frowned on because of the large thorns.
Arizona ash (Fraxinus velutina) Height: 30-40'. Width: 25'. Large, stately tree. Varieties of Arizona ash are:
Modesto ash - glossier leaves.
Fan-tex ash - takes heat well.
Arizona native mesquite (Prosopis velutina) Height: 30'. Width: 30'. Low to moderate water use. Cream flowers. Cold tolerant to 10 degrees. Small thorns. Fine textured foliage. A much under utilized tree because of its slow growth habit.
Arizona sycamore (Platanus wrightii) Height: 50'. Width: 35'. Deciduous. Native to southern Arizona. Similar to California sycamore, but more deeply lobed leaves.
Bay leaf tree (Laurus nobilis) Height: 8'. Width: 6'. Evergreen. Native to the Mediterranean. 1" x 2" grey green leaves. Dried leaves used for food flavoring.
Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus) Height: 10-30'. Width: 8-20'. Evergreen. Hardy to approximately 20 degrees. Red bottlebrush shaped flowers for several months in spring and summer.
Bottlebrush (Calllistemon citrinus) Height: 12'. Width: 10'. Evergreen. Needs regular watering. 1/2" wide by 3" long, grey green leaves. Red bottlebrush shaped flowers for many months of the year.
Bottletree (Brachychiton populneus) Height: 20-25'. Width: 15'. Evergreen. Native to Australia. Moderate growth rate.
California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) Height: 25-35'. Slower growing than the Mexican fan palm with a fatter truck. Palmate shaped frond with filament along edge. When young, filifera and robusta look quite similar. Grows less than 1’ per year. Moderate water usage. Hardy to 18 degrees
California pepper (Shinus molle) Height: 25'. Width: 25'. Evergreen. Native to the Peruvian Andes. Graceful weeping tree. Bright green foliage. Quite dirty. Requires maintenance and pruning.
California sycamore (Platanus racemosa) Height: 50'. Width: 35'. Deciduous. Native to California. Very large tree. Leaves scorch in late summer.
Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis) Height: 25+'. Feather shaped fronds. Fat trunk about 2’to2 1/2 ‘, that with age and proper pruning resembles a pineapple. Bears no edible date fruit that its relative phoenix dactilifera (true date palm) does. Slow growing. Low to moderate water usage. Serious thorns on fronds. In its mature form it is a graceful and elegant palm. It has greener fronds than its true date relatives.
Carolina cherry (Prunus caroliniana) Height: 12'. Width: 10'. Native from North Carolina to Texas. Evergreen. Smooth glossy leaves. Usually a shrub that can trained into a tree.
Carolina cherry tree (Prunus Carolina) Height: 12'. Width: 8'. Needs regular watering. 1" x 2" bright green leaves. Requires a little shade, attention and nurturing.
Catclaw acacia (Acacia greggii) Height: 6-8'in nature, 10-12' with pruning and water. Low water use. Deciduous. Yellow flowers. Native to the Sonoran Desert.
Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) Height: 15'. Width: 15'. Deciduous. Native to the Mediterranean area. Lavender flowers and aromatic foliage.
Chilean Mesquite (Prosopis chilensis) Height: 25'. Width: 25'. Low to moderate water use. Will loose most if not all leaves in a cold winter. Cream flowers. Cold tolerant to 18 degrees. Fine textured foliage. Fast growing. The most planted tree in the Tucson area. Needs tender loving care when young. Water deep to force roots down in the ground, prune and thin out secondary branches to allow wind to pass through.
Chinese evergreen elm (Ulmus parvifolia) Height: 25-30'. Width: 25-30'. Native to china. Semi-evergreen depending on winter temperatures.
Chinese pistache (Pistache chinensis) Height: 25'. Width: 25'. Deciduous. Native to China. Fall color.
Coast beefwood (Casuarina stricta) Height: 15-20'. Width: 15-20'. Dark green pine like foliage. Native to Australia.
Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) Height: 25'. Width: 25'. Deciduous. Native to Texas. New growth in spring reddish. In fall foliage turns bright scarlet with 3/4" acorns.
Coolibah (Eucalyptus microtheca) Height: 25-35'. Width: 25-35'. Evergreen. Native to Australia. Blue green ribbon like foliage. Low water use tree. Hardy to 10 degrees.
Cottonwood (Populus fremontii) Height: 50'. Width: 40'. Deciduous. Native to California and Western rockies. Beautiful, large and fast growing tree. Needs lots of space and lots of water.
Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) Height: 10'. Width: 8'. Deciduous. Purple, pink, white and red flowers for 2 months in late summer. Oval shaped leaves. Interesting bark structure.
Desert fern (Lysiloma thornberi) Height: 12'. Width: 12'. Low water use. Deciduous. White flowers. Cold tolerant to 23 degrees. Tropical-ferny look to this cold sensitive small tree.
Desert Ironwood (Olneya tesota) Height: 25'. Width: 25'. Low water use. Deciduous. Lavender flowers. Cold tolerant to 18F. Outstanding native tree, only drawback is its slow growth.
Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) Height: 25-30'. Width: 20-25'. Low water use. Deciduous. Lavender flowers. Medium growing. Cold tolerant to 0 degrees. Very nice semi-weeping tree. Many cultivars exist that have flower colors from almost white to deep purple.
Eucalyptus formanii (No Common Name) (Eucalyptus formanii) Height: 25'. Width: 25'. Evergreen. Native to Australia. Needle like leaves. Under used tree. Interesting bark. Low water use tree. Hardy to 15 degrees.
Eucalyptus torquata (No Common Name) (Eucalyptus torquata) Height: 25'. Width: 18'. Yellow green leaves. Evergreen. Hardy to 17 degrees. Coral red and yellow flowers. Good desert tree.
Evergreen pear (Pyrus Kawakamii) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. Evergreen, deciduous in coldest winters. White flowers in late winter, early spring. Native to Taiwan. Small inedible fruit.
Foothills palo verde (Cercidium microphyllum) Height: 12'. Width: 12'. Low water use. Deciduous. Yellow flowers. Slow growing. Native to the Sonoran Desert. Excellent for revegetation.
Guadalupe palm (Brahea edulis) Height: 20'. Palmate shaped fronds. Hardy to 18 degrees. Very large fronds. Low to Moderate water usage. Less showy flowers than B. armata.
Guajillo (Acacia berlandieri) Height: 20'. Width: 12'. Low water use. Deciduous. Slow growing. Creamy white flowers in spring. A few thorns. This tree should only be planted in the warmer parts of Tucson as it may be frost damaged.
Jacaranda mimosifolia (No Common Name) (Jacaranda mimosifolia) Height: 25'. Width: 25'. Native to Brazil. Deciduous. Younger trees are tender to frost at about 25 degrees. Mature trees are more hardy. Very showy lavender flowers.
Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergiana) Height: 15'. Width: 10'. Evergreen. Small, twisting shape. Has a bonsai look to it.
Japanese privet (Ligustrum lucidum) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. Native to China. Leaves 1" x 2" plain green. Older foliage on older plants looks poor. Evergreen. Needs regular watering.
Japanese privet (Ligustrum lucidum) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. Native to China and Japan. Evergreen. Most common as a hedge plant. It is often trained into a tree.
Knifeleaf acacia (Acacia cultiformis) Height: 15'. Width: 15'. Evergreen. Native to Australia. Low water. Small yellow flowers. Small grey pointed leaves.
Leatherleaf acacia (Acacia craspedocarpa) Height: 12'. Width: 12'. Evergreen. Native to Australia. Low water. Small yellow flowers. Grey small oval shaped leaves. Very clean and disease free.
Little leaf ash (Fraxinus greggii) Height: 15'. Width: 10'. Native to Arizona and Texas. Evergreen.
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) Height: 15'. Width: 10'. Evergreen. Native to China. Needs regular watering. 2" by 8" heavily veined leaves. Tropical effect. Needs regular watering. Bears fruit inconsistently.
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. Evergreen. Native to China. Leathery leaves 6” to !0” long. Unpredictable fruiting of an edible fruit.
Magnolia grandiflora "Little Gem" (Magnolia grandiflora) Height: 15'. Width: 10'. Evergreen. A scaled down version of the southern Magnolia. Partial shade location makes it easier for this plant to make it through the summer.
Magnolia grandiflora "Little Gem" (Magnolia grandiflora) Height: 15'. Width: 12'. Evergreen. 6" long glossy leaves with white flowers in the summer time. Benefits from some shade. Regular water.
Magnolia grandiflora "Saint Mary" (Magnolia grandiflora) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. Evergreen. A larger version of the Little Gem.
Mastic (Pistache lentiscus) Height: 15'. Width: 15'. Evergreen. Native to the Mediterranean. Hardy to about 16F. Nice small scale tree.
Mediterranean fan palm (Chamerops humilus) Height: 12-15'. Multi-trunked. Moderate water usage. Slow growing. Very clean. The scale of this palm suites backyards and pool areas. Hardy to 12 degrees.
Mexican blue palm (Brahea armata) Height: 20'. Palmate shaped fronds. Low water use. Spectacular flower. Slow growing.
Mexican Ebony (Pithecellobian Mexicanum) Height: 30'. Width: 30'. Low water use. Semi-evergreen. Cream color flowers. Cold tolerant to 16 degrees.
Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta) Height: 25-35'. Eventually a tall palm with thin trunk. Its eventual height lends itself to large scale landscapes. It is relatively fast growing for a palm, 18" to 2' per year. Moderate water usage. Palmate shaped fronds. Hardy to 18 degrees.
Mimosa (Albizia julibressin) Height: 25'. Width: 25'. Deciduous. Native to Asia.
Mondell pine (Pinus eldarica) Height: 30'. Width: 20'. Evergreen. Native to Afganistan. Perhaps the best pine for our region. Deep green needles. Christmas tree shape.
Morocan silver palm (Chamerop humilis) Height: 6-8'. Multi-trunk palm. A new variety of chamerops humilis that we are growing that has a more compact growing habit than humilis. It has a very compact growing habit that would lend itself to tight spaces. Palmate frond. Low to moderate water usage.
Mulga (Acacia aneura) Height: 18-20'. Width: 8-12'. Low water use. Evergreen. Cold tolerant to about 10 degrees. Yellow flower with grey thin leaves. This is a good, under used medium sized tree.
Olea Europea "Swan Hill" & "Wilson" (Olea Europea) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. The regular European olive is banned in Pima County because of concerns over its high production of pollen. Two varieties called Swan Hill and Wilson are allowed because they are virtually flower, pollen and fruit free. Evergreen. Very attractive medium size tree with grey green foliage.
Oleander (Nerium) Height: 15'. Width: 10'. Evergreen. Leaves shiny green 1/2" by 4". Available in red, white, pink and salmon flower colors. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Needs regular watering.
Palo Brea (Cercidium praecox) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. Low water use. Semi-evergreen. Yellow flowers. Cold tolerant to about 20 degrees. Best planted in only warmer areas of Tucson.
Photinia fraseri (No Common Name) (Photinia fraseri) Height: 10'. Width: 8'. Evergreen. A shrub that is pruned to tree form. Small scale tree that fits the scale of a patio setting.
Photinia fraseri (No Common Name) (Photinia fraseri) Height: 12'. Width: 6'. Evergreen. 1" x 3" leaves. New growth in spring a bronze-red color. Needs regular water.
Pigmy date palm (Phoenix roebelini) Height: 25'. A plant for special situations. It is hardy to approximately 25 degrees. Should be grown in a shady location, protected from frosts. It has a multi-trunked growth habit. It is slow growing, in a large pot to 6'or 8'. In the ground to about the same size. Feather shaped fronds, deep green, lush tropical look.
Pindo palm (Butia capitata) Height: 15'. Hardy to 15 degrees. Low to moderate water use. Feather shaped fronds that are more grey than green. Great accent plant. Slow growing, about 6-10" a year. Fronds have a deeply curved aspect to them. A good plant that should be planted more. Very clean, good around pools.
Pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana) Height: 12'. Width: 10'. Evergreen. Native to South America. Oval 2-3" long leafy bottom. Interesting 1" wide flowers with red stamens and white petals.
Purple plum (Prunus carasifera "Krauter Vesuvius") Height: 15'. Width: 12'. Deciduous. Purple leaves all growing season long.
Purple plum (Prunus cerasifera "Krauter Vesuvius") Height: 15'. Width: 10'. Deciduous.
Raywood ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa) Height: 30'. Width: 20'. Deciduous. Attractive tree. Purple ting to foliage prior to leaf drop in the fall.
Sago palm (Cycas revolta) Height: 7-8'. Very slow growing, 3-5" per year. Feather shaped fronds. Deep green. Prefers some shade, but can be acclimated to the full sun after one or two growing seasons.
Screwbean mesquite (Prosopis pubescens) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. Low to moderate water use. Deciduous. Cold tolerant to 10F. Thorns. Yellow flowers. Fine textured foliage.
Shamel ash (Fraxinus uhdei) Height: 25'. Width: 25'. Evergreen to semi-evergreen. Native to Mexico.
Shoestring acacia (Acacia stenophylla) Height: 25'. WidthL 10-12' wide. Low/moderate water use. Evergreen.
silverdollar eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cinerea) Height: 25'. Width: 15'. Evergreen. Native to Australia. Roundish grey green leaves when young, long green when mature. Hardy to 17 degrees.
Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) Height: 40'. Width: 40'. Evergreen. Native to southeast U.S. and a very popular tree in the southwest. Concerns exist as to its eventual size. Mature specimens of this tree can reach 80’ tall and over 120’ wide. Although medium growth rate at best, give this tree some room to grow. The variety that is generally sold in Tucson is called “Heritage Live Oak”
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) Height: 25'. Width: 20'. Evergreen. An iffy plant for Tucson, but specimens exist. Large glossy leaves. Large white, fragrant flowers.
Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) Height: 10-15'. Width: 6-10'. Native to the Southern Europe and Ireland. Evergreen. Dark green, textured foliage. Small red fruit, resembling strawberries. Can burn if grown in full sun.
Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) Height: 12'. Width: 8'. Evergreen. Native to southeast U.S. 1” wide, 2”long glossy green leaves. Needs regular watering.
Sweet acacia (Acacia minuta-smallii-farnesiana) Height: 18-25'. Width: 18-25'. Moderate water use. May lose some leaves in a cold winter. Yellow puff ball flowers in late winter/early spring.
Texas Ebony (Pithecellobian flexicale) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. Low water use. Evergreen. Cream color flowers. Thorns. Slow growing. Rich green foliage. Cold tolerant to 18F. An outstanding tree with a nice branch structure.
Texas honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. Low to moderate water use. Deciduous. Cold tolerant to 0 degrees. Cream Flowers. Small thorns. Fine textured foliage. Outstanding medium growing tree with weeping foliage.
True date palm (Phoenix dactilifera) Height: 25'. Feather shaped fronds. Thinner trunk trunk than Phoenix Canariensis (approximately 16"). Hardy to 18 degrees. Low to moderate water use. The fronds of dactilifera are grey The production of date fruit requires a male and female plant for pollinization, do not attempt this at home.
Wax leaf privet (Ligustrum texanum) Height: 15'. Width: 15'. Evergreen. Native to Australia. Low water. Small yellow flowers. Small grey pointed leaves.
Wax leaf privet (Ligustrum japonicum) Height: 10'. Width: 10'. Native to northern China. Evergreen. Small tree that can be used in a patio. Needs shade.
Weeping acacia (Acacia pendula) Height: 15'. Width: 15'. Evergreen. Native to Australia. Low water. Long slender grey green leaves. Weeping growth habit.
Weeping acacia (Acacia pendula) Height: 10'. Width: 8'. Native to China. Benefits from afternoon shade. Regular watering. Glossy deep green leaves 1" x 2". This plant can be shaped with regular pruning, but requires careful attention and nurturing.
Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis) Height: 25'. Width: 12-15'. Evergreen. Weeping growth habit. Red bottlebrush shaped flowers.
Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis) Height: 25'. Width: 12-15'. Evergreen. Weeping growth habit. Red bottlebrush shaped flowers.
Weeping wattle (Acacia salicina) Height: 20-25'. Width: 15'. Moderate water use. Evergreen. Cold tolerant to about 18F. Moderate to fast growth rate depending on watering. Full sun. Weeping branches, with narrow green leaves and creamy puff ball flowers.
Weeping willow (Salix babylonica) Height: 30'. Width: 30'. Deciduous. Native to China. Beautiful weeping tree. Mature size more suited to large scale landscapes. Requires a lot of water.
White thorn acacia (Acacia constricta) Height: 10-18'. Width: 10-18'. Low water use. Deciduous. Slow growing. Yellow puff ball flower in spring. Full sun. One of two native acacias to the Sonoran Desert. In nature it is a small tree, but it reaches the above mentioned size with pruning and supplemental water.
Windmill palm (Tracheocarpus fortunii) Height: 15'. Single trunked. Slow growing. Moderate water usage. Very clean. Good around pools. Palmate shaped fronds.
Xylosma congestum (No Common Name) (Xylosma congestum) Height: 15'. Width: 15'. Usually grown as a shrub, sometimes trained into tree form. Light green foliage with leaves that have a serrated edge. Moderate water use. Very attractive medium size tree. Medium to slow growing.
Xylosma congestum (No Common Name) (Xylosma congestum) Height: 20'. Width: 20'. Evergreen. Usually grown as a shrub, sometimes trained into tree form. Light green foliage with leaves that have a serrated edge. Moderate water use. Very attractive medium size tree. Mediun to slow growing.
