Desert Corner Nursery
Native & Arid Adapted Plant Shop at Tohono Chul
Open daily from 9am – 5pm
No admission fee or membership is needed to shop
The Desert Corner Nursery (formerly known as the Retail Greenhouse) is open year-round and is staffed with plant experts who will be able to help you find the right plants for your Tucson landscaping.
Most plants are grown from seeds. We collect seeds from plants growing throughout the gardens. We buy seeds from professional native seed collectors. This year we have added a space for growing cuttings to enable us to propagate hard-to-come-by and specialty plants.
Don’t miss the Fall & Spring Plant Sale! These seasonal plant sales are an extravaganza of interesting and unique plants not found at the national chains.
Click here to sign up for our Desert Corner Express newsletter to receive announcements about plant sales.
BEST OF THE NORTHWEST 2024
Voted “Best Garden Center/Plant Nursery” in the Northwest Explorer’s Best of Northwest 2024!
You do not need a Tohono Chul membership to shop at the Desert Corner Nursery, but Tohono Chul members receive a 10% discount on plants. Click here to become a member and save!
The mission of Tohono Chul’s Propagation Department and plant nursery is to grow, sell, and promote appropriate southwest and arid-adapted plants that encourage water conservation and support local wildlife, especially native pollinators, and to provide accurate information on the care and use of these plants in the landscape.
What’s the difference between a garden and a Botanical Garden?
A garden is for pure enjoyment, while a Botanical Garden has a scientific and/or educational purpose. To that end, our propagation area and Retail Greenhouse promote Tohono Chul’s mission of being wise land stewards by providing Tucson residents with plants propagated especially for Tucson.
Tucson’s unique climate differs vastly from the rest of the country. Residents expect flowers and greenery year-round and wrestle with high water bills. Tohono Chul propagates plants that are arid-adapted (low water use) and cold-hardy (will withstand a certain amount of freeze), but also provide beauty and color to your landscape.
Please join us in helping make Tucson beautiful year-round, while conserving our water resources. Future generations will thank you.
Butterfly Garden Tip: Include butterfly larval food plants in your garden, along with nectar flowers. Both are essential for the survival of butterflies.
Larval host plants include:
- Senna/Cassia (Sulfurs)
- Asclepias sp. (Monarchs & Queens)
- Passiflora sp. (Gulf Fitillary)
- Aristolochia sp. (Pipevine Swallowtail)
- Phyla nodiflora (buckeye, Phaon Crescent)