Poolside Plants for the Arizona Desert

Here are some perfect pool friendly plants that will flourish in the Arizona summer Heat.


Foxtail Agave - (Agave attenuata)
This is a slow-growing ornamental succulent with bluish-green leaves. It will produce a pale-yellow flower after it reaches 10 years of age and will die after it blooms. The Foxtail Agave will generate offshoots from
the mother that can be transplanted in the yard. This plant will make a bold statement in your landscape and it offers tropical appeal. Agave's do well in our soil and the Foxtail Agave does not have any sharp spines.

The Foxtail Agave does better in light shade to part sun with regular watering in the summer. It will need frost protection in the winter below 30°. It is perfect for containers, borders, rock gardens, or planted in groups.



Twisted Leaf Yucca (Yucca rupicola)
The Twisted Leaf Yucca us a small trunkless plant with olive-green leaves that twist as they age. It produces spikes of creamy white flowers in summer that can grow up to 5 feet tall. The main rosette can reach 2 feet high by 3 feet wide and dies after blooming. It produces several offsets that will regrow. The Twisted Leaf Yucca has eye-catching blooms, has low-water use and is very heat tolerant. It is hardy to -10°. This plant does well in full sun to partial shade in well-draining soil. Remove spent flower stalks. It is great for small spaces, xeriscape gardens and as an accent plant or in pots.



Elephant Food (Portulacaria afra)
This is shrublike succulent with twisted red branches that are lined with green fleshy leaves. It can reach 12 feet tall and wide and produces tiny pink flowers in summer. This plant is a fast grower, drought-tolerant, requires low maintenance, and can easily propagated from cuttings. It requires very little water. It prefers full sun to part shade and needs frost protection. Prune frost-damaged foliage in spring. The Elephant Food is great in containers, can be grown in groups for an informal hedge or can be utilized as screening. It is also perfect for use as a bonsai plant.


Yellow Yucca - (Hesperaloe parviflora ‘Yellow’)
The Yellow Yucca is a clumping perennial that grows to 3 feet tall and wide. Creamy yellow flowers appear late spring through fall on spikes that reach 6 feet high. The blooms are long-lived, the plant is drought-tolerant, cold hardy to -20°; handles reflected heat.
The Yellow Yucca can be planted in full sun. It is tolerant of most soils but must have good drainage. Extra summer watering helps plant develop faster. Remove flower stalks after blooming. It is striking when grown in masses or alongside red-flowering flora. Perfect for xeriscape and cactus gardens. Once established, it requires little or no irrigation. All in all, yellow yucca is one of the toughest and most maintenance-free plants.