Landscape Designs in Las Vegas: Top Plants to Consider

Landscape designs in Las Vegas can vary from rock gardens to a mix of plants and stones. The hot and dry Nevada weather can be challenging for plants and flowers. However, some plants are excellent choices for your garden.

Cacti and Succulents

The most popular plants when you’re landscaping in Las Vegas are cacti and succulents. Because these plants store water in their leaves and stems, they can retain moisture and do well during long periods of drought.

• Minimal water requirements. Their adaptation to a desert climate has made these water-storing plants perfect for Las Vegas’s climate. You won’t need to water them as much as other plants once they’ve taken root in your soil.

• Heat-resistant. Cacti and succulents can tolerate Las Vegas’s intensely hot summer temperatures without wilting or dying. Their fleshy stems help protect them against heat and high temperatures.

• Little maintenance. Because of their resilience, cacti and succulents need less care than other plants. Once you’ve planted them in your garden, they can survive in rocky or sandy soils with little organic matter.

• A wide variety. A garden of cacti and succulents can be beautiful as there are many options to choose from. You can introduce new varieties or pick native cactus plants, like the pancake prickly pear cactus (Opuntia chlorotica), which is native to Nevada.

• Pest- and disease-resistant. Due to their hardy nature, cacti and succulents are more pest and disease resistant than other plants. Their waxy stems protect against pests and other insects.

Texas Sage

Another plant to consider when you’re looking at a variety of landscape designs in Las Vegas is the Texas sage plant (Leucophyllum frutescens). Also known as cenizo or the barometerbush, this pretty purple and gray desert plant is native to the dry regions of Texas. Here are some reasons why Texas sage is an excellent plant for your Las Vegas garden.

• Drought- and heat-tolerant. Once you’ve planted Texas sage in your garden, it can withstand dry weather. It can also grow in intense heat and scorching high temperatures.

• Minimal water requirements. Like other desert plants, Texas sage has acclimated to desert weather. This means it can survive on less water than other plants. During dry periods, give it a deep watering occasionally.

• Salt-tolerant. Las Vegas’s soil tends to have saline and alkaline soils, which can make it difficult for some plants. However, Texas sage does well in high-salt soils, making it a perfect choice for your Las Vegas garden.

• Foliage. The gray leaves on the Texas sage retain their color throughout the year, and after a rainstorm, you’ll get beautiful tubular flowers. Although Texas sage is a somewhat slow-growing plant, once it takes full root, it will bloom regularly.

• Little maintenance. Texas sage can thrive in a variety of poor soil types and is resistant to many pests and diseases. You don’t have to prune it often, either.

Desert Marigold

The desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata) is a plant native to southern Nevada, southern Arizona, and southwestern Utah, and it is another excellent plant to grow in your Las Vegas garden.

• Drought- and heat-tolerant. The desert marigold plant has acclimated to hot, dry weather and can thrive during drought periods. It can also withstand high desert temperatures and intense sunlight without wilting or dying.

• Minimal water requirements. Like many desert plants, the desert marigold can survive on little water. It also blooms throughout the year, which can add a burst of vibrant color to your garden year-round. Mix it in with a rock garden or with cacti to add a burst of color. The peak bloom period is in fall and spring.

• Little maintenance. The desert marigold grows in gravelly or sandy soils and needs little care. Because it is native to arid regions, it is quite resistant to pests and diseases.

Salvia

Salvia, also known as sage, is not only a medicinal plant, but it’s a beautiful, aromatic plant as well. Pollinators, such as bees and hummingbirds, love these plants. So plant them if you want to attract wildlife.

• Drought- and heat-tolerant. Salvia is native to the hot climates of Mexico, but it can easily thrive in the hot temperatures of Las Vegas. Although the plant has acclimated to hot, dry weather, there are different species of Salvia, so it’s important to find out which one is the most drought-resistant.

• Minimal water requirements. Once you grow Salvia in your garden, it won’t require too much water. However, if there is less than one inch of rain per week during the summer, give it a deep watering weekly.

• Little maintenance. Salvia doesn’t require a lot of maintenance once it has taken root. It’s also relatively resistant to diseases and pests as the leaves give off an odor that is a repellent to many garden pests.

• Fragrant foliage. Salvias come with aromatic foliage which can leave your garden looking pretty and smelling wonderful!

Western Redbud

If you’d like to grow a shrub in your front or backyard, the western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) is a great addition to any Las Vegas garden. Although it is a native shrub to California, it can do well in the arid regions of Nevada too.

• Drought-tolerant. The western redbud has acclimated to drier regions and can thrive in a low-water landscape if you plant it in well-drained soil.

• Foliage. The western redbud has rose-purple clusters of flowers that bees and butterflies love. The shrub’s seed pods also provide food for birds.

• Little maintenance. Once the shrub has taken root, it needs little maintenance. You may need to prune it regularly to keep its shape, though.

• Soil. The western redbud shrub can grow in a variety of soils, even poor soils. The plant is known as a nitrogen-fixing plant, which means it adds nitrogen to the soil using the bacteria in its roots. This nitrogen enriches the soil and aids plant growth.

Sticky Purple Geranium

If you’d like to add a protocarnivorous plant to your garden, try the sticky purple geranium (Geranium viscosissimum). It can dissolve protein from any insects trapped in its leaves. This plant also comes with a bit of history as the Native American tribes used the roots and leaves to treat sore eyes. There are other reasons this plant is great for landscape designs in Las Vegas.

• Drought- and heat-tolerant. The sticky purple geranium is well suited to Las Vegas’s desert climate as it can withstand high temperatures and intense heat.

• Little maintenance. It’s easy to grow and needs little maintenance. It is also disease- and pest-free.

• Foliage. The plant blooms pretty lavender flowers that attract both birds and bees. Blooming periods are late spring and late summer.

• Soil. You can plant this species in your rock garden, along borders, or even amongst your cacti to give a burst of lavender color. Its fibrous root system helps prevent soil erosion. And as the plant sheds its leaves, the leaves turn into organic matter, fertilizing the soil.

Quality Landscape Designs in Las Vegas From the Experts

Designing your garden is a challenging but exciting project. When you need Las Vegas landscapers, make sure to work with one of the Las Vegas landscape companies that are available. The experts provide professional landscaping services and can help transform your garden into a place that’s unique and breathtaking. They also offer sprinkler repair in Las Vegas.