Low, spreading natives that knit together to cover bare ground, smother weeds, and replace thirsty lawn or mulch. For Arizona, the right natives are shaped by Sonoran & Chihuahuan deserts, Mogollon Rim and a arid, hot low desert to cool high country climate. Every species below, from Common Yarrow and Gregg's Mistflower to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Arizona and the wider flora of the desert Southwest and hardy through zones 5–10. A living native groundcover does everything mulch does and then keeps doing it for free — covering soil, blocking weeds, and feeding wildlife as it goes. Match the spreader to the site (sun or shade, wet or dry), plant on tight centers so they close ranks in a season or two, and weed faithfully that first year while they fill in.
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–10 · see this collection in other states.
Achillea millefolium
In Arizona's Sonoran & Chihuahuan deserts, Mogollon Rim, a mat-forming native, 1.5–3 ft tall and 1.5–2 ft wide, that fills in and crowds out weeds — it blooms May through Aug.
Conoclinium greggii
In Arizona's Sonoran & Chihuahuan deserts, Mogollon Rim, weaves a 1–2 ft-tall mat 1.5–3 ft across to blanket bare ground, happy in sand, rocky, and loam soil; it blooms May through Oct.
Geum triflorum
In Arizona's Sonoran & Chihuahuan deserts, Mogollon Rim, spreads low — 6–16 in tall, 12–18 in wide — to knit bare ground and smother weeds; it flowers in Apr and May.
Bouteloua gracilis
In Arizona's Sonoran & Chihuahuan deserts, Mogollon Rim, weaves a 8–20 in-tall mat 8–16 in across to blanket bare ground, cold-hardy to zone 3, flowering as it blooms Jun through Aug.
Rhus aromatica
In Arizona's Sonoran & Chihuahuan deserts, Mogollon Rim, settles in as a weed-suppressing carpet 5–10 ft wide, no taller than 2–6 ft, and it flowers in Mar and Apr.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
In Arizona's Sonoran & Chihuahuan deserts, Mogollon Rim, a mat-forming native, 4–8 in tall and 3–6 ft wide, that fills in and crowds out weeds; it flowers in Apr and May.
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.