Spring Plant Sale 2026
Bring your yard back to life and create the desert oasis of your dreams at Tohono Chul’s annual Spring Plant Sale!
Discover a carefully curated selection of native and arid-adapted plants grown to thrive in our unique climate while preserving the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Whether you’re looking to add vibrant blooms to attract pollinators or incorporate water-wise greenery, our selection of plants will help you cultivate a resilient and breathtaking landscape.
Explore this Spring’s Spotlight Species—a featured selection of plants grown right here at Tohono Chul.
Dates & Times
Member Sale
Friday, March 20 | 8 AM – 2 PM
Public Sale
Saturday, March 21 | 8 AM – 2 PM
Sunday, March 22 | 10 AM – 1 PM
No admission fee is required to shop the Spring Plant Sale.
What’s in Stock
Discover an array of Arizona-grown, predominantly Sonoran natives and dryland-adapted plants!
• Trees
• Shrubs
• Perennials
• Vines
• Agaves
• Cacti
• Succulents
We’ll also have soil, native seeds, ceramic pots and containers, and other yard accessories available in the Desert Corner Nursery (located at the park entrance).
Location
The Spring Plant Sale is located at Tohono Chul Park on the north end of the main parking lot; 7366 N Paseo Del Norte, Tucson, AZ 85704. The main cross streets are Ina Road and Paseo Del Norte.
Spring Plant Sale | Spotlight Species
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!
Parry’s penstemon
Penstemon parryi
No Tucson garden should be without this reliable little perennial that puts on an exuberant display every spring. Parry’s penstemon is quiescent most of the year, waiting out the long, hot summer months until winter rains waken it from dormancy. As spring approaches, rosettes of glossy leaves give rise to straight spikes that begin to clutter with numerous buds.
As temperatures warm, these buds rapidly transform into trumpet-shaped pink blossoms that prove irresistible to hummingbirds. Though short-lived, these plants are prolific seed producers, and volunteers are sure to appear in your yard. A gift that keeps on giving.
Parish’s goldeneye
Bahiopsis parishii
This rugged sunflower relative thrives in some of the harshest and most arid reaches of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. The leaves and stems are covered in sandpapery hairs, and during times of drought, this plant will shed leaves and even whole branches to reduce water loss. But when searing summer heat gives way to monsoon rains, the foliage reappears, and the plant produces ebullient yellow blossoms that can be found on the plant through all but the hottest months of the year. This is an ideal plant for desert gardens and deserves a place in your yard!
Nacapule Jasmine
Vallesia laciniata
One of the most sought-after and hard-to-find species for Sonoran Desert gardens, these plants are sure to fly off the shelf. Nacapule jasmine is known from just a handful of canyons in Sonora and Baja, Mexico but it has proven itself able to handle the droughts and occasional frosts experienced in Tucson.
Forming a dense hedge up to 8’ tall and 10’ wide, the lime-green foliage of this species is evergreen, though some defoliation can take place in cold snaps. The small white flowers emit an alluring jasmine fragrance that permeates the air in the springtime. Blooms are followed by small milky-colored berries.
Pro Tip: Use Nacapule jasmine as a replacement for oleander or plant it along a pathside where the lovely flowers and intoxicating aroma can be enjoyed.
Turpentine bush
Ericameria laricifolia
Turpentine bush is found in the Tucson basin from the dry, dusty foothills into the verdant oak woodlands, where it can be found on slopes and rock outcroppings. This hardy shrub with its thread-like leaves is a robust evergreen that works well as a background planting until fall rolls around, when just as other plants begin to go dormant, it explodes with a proliferation of small yellow flowers that turn the plant into a joyful golden mound. Butterflies find this plant utterly enticing and can be seen swarming the blossoms.
Pro Tip: Plant this species in the spring so that it is ready to bloom when torrid summer nights turn to cool fall evenings.
Don’t miss this opportunity to beautify your yard – join us at the Spring Plant Sale!
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