Accent Plants
Accent plants for Tucson, AZ include a variety of cacti, succulents, grasses and desert perennials. These plants are some of the most dramatic and unusual elements in a landscape. Accents come in almost any size or texture. They are used to fill empty spaces, add contrast to uniform areas and are particularly attractive around rocks. The following accent plants are ideal for low desert regions, require little water, and are easy to maintain.
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Short Description |
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Agave americana |
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Century Plant agave is relatively fast growing, to about 6 feet tall by 8-10 feet wide. The wide leaves have stiff terminal spines and recurved teeth along the margins. |
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Agave parryi |
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This highly prized succulent accent produces larger leaves and rosettes than other agaves. Compact, nearly round rosettes consist of gray-green leaves 7-20 inches in length. |
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Fouquieria splendens |
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The Ocotillo plant makes a wonderful accent. It has a graceful, natural form with upright stems. Periods of low water will push it to bloom. The ocotillo plant grows to 20 feet tall. |
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Agave vilmoriniana |
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Unlike most agaves, the Octopus Agave is relatively unarmed, and can safely be used in high traffic areas. The arched, twisting leaves provide interesting contrast. |
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Dasylirion acrotriche |
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An excellent accent plant that blends well with many other desert shrubs and ground covers. Develops short, thick trunk while reaching mature size of 6' tall by 5' wide. |
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Dasylirion wheeleri |
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This long-lived accent grows slowly to form a dense rosette of silver-blue foliage, to 4-5 feet tall and wide. It develops a stout, short trunk and a tall flower spike. |
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Muhlenbergia rigens |
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Dependable and adaptable, Deer Grass is the backbone of many desert gardens. The lush foliage softens boulders, cacti, and is ideal for use around water features. |
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Nolina microcarpa |
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For sheer ease of maintenance, it is hard to find a better plant than Bear grass. This clean accent plant is very heat and drought-tolerant. Excellent along walkways or around pools. |
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Ferocactus wislizenii |
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The Fish-hook Barrel Cactus has a hooked central spine and a ribbed, barrel-shaped body. Yellow to dark orange flowers appear in a ring around the apex of this cactus. |
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Opuntia violacea |
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Mix the Purple Prickly Pear in with shrubs and perennials for a softer effect. It is quite spiny, so set it well back from high traffic areas. Yellow flowers appear in late spring. |
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Opuntia englemannii |
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The sage green pads of Opuntia engelmannii blend well in desert landscapes and provide a great backdrop for the rosy-red fruit that adorn the pads in the summer. |
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Yucca aloifolia |
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Spanish Boyonet is a large sprawling accent. Growth is slow. Stiff, dense leaves have sharp points. It tends to bloom when under stress. Grows to 10 feet tall by 10 feet wide. |
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