Tohono Chul Fall Plant Sale 2025

Members Sale
Friday, October 17,
8 AM – 2 PM

Click here to become a member and receive early access to all of our seasonal plant sales as well as 10% your plant haul!

Public Sale
Saturday, October 18
8 AM – 2 PM
Sunday, October 19
10 AM – 1 PM

No admission fee is required to shop the Fall Plant Sale.

Grown right here at Tohono Chul, our Spotlight Species are perfectly suited for our arid climate while providing vital support to pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. These desert-adapted favorites bring vibrant color, biodiversity, and sustainability to any outdoor space!

Ocotillo
(Fouquieria splendens)

Do Ocotillos mark the hidden entrances to the desert’s underground world? One of the Sonoran Desert’s most iconic plants, Ocotillo survives unpredictable rainfall through flexible dormancy—dropping leaves during drought and leafing out within days of rain. From spring through monsoon season, it floods hillsides with vibrant green. These shrubs often grow atop limestone deposits, remnants of ancient seas, because they tolerate alkaline soils and prefer fast-draining ground. Over time, rainwater dissolves the limestone beneath, carving underground caverns and natural wonders. The next time you see a wild Ocotillo, imagine the secret world that may exist below. Plant in full sun and water during drought.

Transpecos Morning Glory
(Ipomoea cristulata)

Why do hummingbirds love red flowers? Over millions of years, plants and pollinators evolved together, with flower colors, shapes, and scents attracting specific visitors. Red and orange flowers stand out to birds, guiding them to nectar while ensuring pollen reaches the right plants. The Trans-Pecos Morning Glory is a striking red vine that draws hummingbirds to your garden. As an annual, it lives a single season but produces abundant seeds if pollinated—so planting it in a well-watered area can reward you with new blooms the following year.

Boyce-Thompson Hedgehog
(Echinocereus boyce-thompsonii)

How did a cactus help launch Arizona’s conservation story? This small, spiny native was first documented in the rocky uplands near Superior during early botanical surveys funded by mining magnate William Boyce Thompson. Captivated by the desert’s diversity and resilience, Thompson founded the Boyce Thompson Arboretum in 1924 as a living laboratory for arid-land plants. Among the first species tied to that mission, the Boyce-Thompson Hedgehog thrives in tight clusters on boulders and rocky slopes, its dense spines shielding it from sun and grazers. Each spring it rewards the desert with a brief but brilliant display of magenta-to-lavender flowers that draw native bees and other pollinators.

Curly Mesquite
(Hilaria belangeri)

Native grasses are vital to healthy desert ecosystems, stabilizing soil, improving its health, and providing food and nesting material for birds, insects, and pollinators. Hardy and drought-tolerant, Curly Mesquite thrives in mid-elevation grasslands across the Southwest, spreading as its stems root along the ground. Its fine, curly leaves and quick growth make it excellent forage for rabbits, deer, and even desert tortoises, while its love of sun and adaptability make it a low-maintenance choice for wildlife gardens and restoration projects.