53 Most Colorful Desert Plants in the World

It’s easy to think of the desert as an expanse of empty, sandy soil. But the desert is full of unique and bright plants. And since desert plants are uniquely adapted to the arid desert environment, they’re unlike any plants you see anywhere else!

List of Colorful Desert Plants

Here’s our list of the most colorful desert plants in the world:

1. Ghost Plant

• Latin name: Graptopetalum paraguayense
• When it blooms: Flowers bloom in spring
• Soil needs: Needs relatively dry soil
• Sun exposure: Can handle either full sun or part shade
• Color varieties: This plant has stunning, star-shaped white flowers. And as you can see in the picture, its succulent leaves often have reddish shading around them.

The beautiful ghost plant has a bit of a whitish cast that can make its leaves appear almost silver. And while it looks like a lot of potted succulents, its flowers certainly stand out. Its bright white petals are marked with deep red spots.

2. Desert Marigold

• Latin name: Baileya multiradiata
• When it blooms: Usually in spring, although blooms appear off and on until November
• Soil needs: Does best in dry, sandy desert soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: Its flowers are brilliant, sunny yellow.

Despite the name, the desert marigold is only distantly related to marigold flowers. And like many other desert plants, the foliage of the desert marigold is a silvery green in color. You can find it in desert regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Its cheerful flowers look a lot like daisies, although both their petals and centers are yellow. It has tall stems, each of which has a single bright flower at the top.

3. Palo Verde

• Latin name: Parkinsonia aculeata
• When it blooms: Flowers bloom in mid-spring
• Soil needs: Can tolerate dry soils, but it grows much larger in rich, moist soils
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: Its flowers are bright red-orange. Usually, one petal is deeper in color than the rest.

Though this plant certainly produces beautiful flowers, it has become a major problem in some parts of the world. It was first introduced to Australia around 1900. It grew out of control, and today it is classified as a Weed of National Significance! Because it forms extremely dense thickets, it can sometimes prevent people from reaching bodies of water.

4. Claretcup

• Latin name: Echinocereus triglochidiatus
• When it blooms: Usually between April and June
• Soil needs: Does well in dry desert soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers somewhat shady areas
• Color varieties: True to its name, this plant produces bright red, cup-shaped flowers. On some plants, the flowers are closer to being reddish orange. The flowers create a beautiful contrast with the green, spiny body of the cactus.

This beautiful plant is a species of hedgehog cactus. It’s often found in both Mexico and the Southwestern United States. It’s beautiful enough on its own, but it has the potential to attract even greater beauty to your garden; its flowers are often pollinated by hummingbirds!

5. Crown of Thorns

• Latin name: Euphorbia milii
• When it blooms: Flowers appear throughout the year
• Soil needs: Prefers dry soil in warm environments
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: Flowers are often deep red, although some are closer to a medium pink in color.

This plant’s name was inspired by the combination of its sharp thorns and (usually) red blooms. It’s also one of the larger plants on the list, as it typically grows as a shrub. Its sap is somewhat poisonous to people, too. If you ingest it, it can cause vomiting and stomach pain.

6. Chihuahua Flower

• Latin name: Graptopetalum bellum
• When it blooms: Typically flowers in spring through mid-summer
• Soil needs: Prefers porous, well-draining soils
• Sun exposure: Prefers somewhat shady areas
• Color varieties: This plant’s flowers are a bright, almost tropical-looking pink. They form a pleasing and unusual contrast with the bronze-green leaves.

This desert plant is uniquely beautiful. But despite that, it doesn’t have an often-used common name like many other flowering plants, although it’s sometimes referred to as the Chihuahua flower. It’s native to Mexico, but it was not formally discovered and documented until the 1970s.

7. Fishhook Barrel Cactus

• Latin name: Ferocactus wislizeni
• When it blooms: Its flowers usually appear in the summer
• Soil needs: Prefers dry or rocky soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: The most colorful part of this cactus is probably its bright yellow fruit crowned with flowers. The flowers are usually bright orangish-pink.

This cactus species usually grows to about 3-6 feet tall. But in rare cases, it can stand as tall as 10 feet! Its name comes from its strong, fishhook-shaped spines that protect it from both predation and human handling. In the wild, these cacti usually lean southward toward the sun.

8. California Poppy

• Latin name: Eschscholzia californica
• When it blooms: From February to September
• Soil needs: Prefers sandy, well-draining soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: In the wild, these poppies are a beautiful, slightly burnt orange. Some cultivated varieties come in yellow, purple, white, pink, and red.

This beautiful flower is the state flower of California. They appear on scenic route signs and on California welcome signs. And every year, the blooming poppies appear all over social media. They were perhaps described best by John Steinbeck: “California poppies … are of a burning color—not orange, not gold, but if pure gold were liquid and could raise a cream, that golden cream might be like the color of poppies.”

9. Pencil Plant

• Latin name: Euphorbia tirucalli
• When it blooms: Late spring to early summer
• Soil needs: Does best with sandy, well-draining soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: This interesting plant has stems that change color from green to a fiery red. It also has small yellow flowers appearing at the ends of the stems.

You might sometimes hear the pencil plant called the “firestick plant” thanks to its bright color. It also is sometimes called a “pencil cactus.” This particular name is misleading; the plant is a succulent, but it is not a cactus. The pencil plant is certainly interesting to look at, but be careful: it produces a kind of latex that is so poisonous it can cause temporary blindness!

10. Whitestem Paperflower

• Latin name: Psilostrophe cooperi
• When it blooms: Usually in April, May, and June
• Soil needs: Prefers dry, sandy soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: This plant has beautiful, bright yellow flowers that look a lot like daisies. Both the centers and the petals are the same bright shade of yellow.

These flowers have a brilliant, cheery color. The “paper” part of the name may come from the fact that the flowers start to look like paper when they dry out. But unlike other flowers, these plants maintain their yellow color once they become dry. They can be found mostly in the Sonoran Desert and the Mojave Desert.

11. Mojave Aster

• Latin name: Xylorhiza tortifolia
• When it blooms: Usually in March through June
• Soil needs: Does well in dry, sandy soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: These flowers have a lovely and uncommon color. The flower centers are yellow, while the petals are pale and whitish but tinged in purple.

The whitestem paperflower looks a lot like a daisy, but the Mojave aster looks even more like one. Its petals are white with a purplish cast, and it stands out as one of the more colorful desert plants. It is fairly widespread, as it can be found in the Great Basin Desert, the Sonoran Desert, and the Mojave Desert. It grows well in several types of bush scrub and in the Joshua Tree woodlands.

12. Peacock Flower

• Latin name: Caesalpinia pulcherrima
• When it blooms: Usually in late summer
• Soil needs: Prefers sandy soil
• Sun exposure: Needs full sun
• Color varieties: This plant typically has flowers whose petals are lined in bright yellow. Their centers are brilliant red. However, the flowers can sometimes be orange.

The peacock flower is easily one of the most beautiful plants on our list. It is the national flower of Barbados, although it can be found in many parts of the tropical and subtropical Americas. In fact, the peacock flower is so widespread that nobody knows exactly where it originated. Thanks to its beauty and ability to attract hummingbirds, it is a popular garden plant in suitable climates.

13. Showy Milkweed

• Latin name: Asclepias speciosa
• When it blooms: From May to July
• Soil needs: Needs very well-drained soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: Showy milkweed flowers range from pale pink through purple.

You might not think of color when you think of milkweed. But this plant’s flowers form beautiful, dense clusters of small, star-shaped blooms. The showy milkweed also attracts even more color: it is a favorite plant of the monarch butterfly. It is a popular plant to include in butterfly gardens intended to help feed monarchs on their long migration journeys. It has a very wide range and can be found in much of the western part of North America.

14. Blue Phacelia

• Latin name: Phacelia distans
• When it blooms: Usually blooms in spring
• Soil needs: Needs well-drained soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: The flowers of this plant are often a bluish purple. However, there is some variation. They can be white or various shades of blue and purple.

This beautiful, delicate-looking plant can be found in both northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It is hardy and versatile; it can be found in desert and chaparral, but it also grows in grasslands, forests, and meadows. Thanks to its beautiful flowers, this is also a plant that does well in cultivation. Though it appears in clay and rocky soils in nature, this plant can grow well in almost any soil as long as it drains well.

15. Indian Blanket

• Latin name: Gaillardia pulchella
• When it blooms: Usually from summer to late fall
• Soil needs: Does best in sandy soils
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: These flowers look a bit like pinwheels. Their centers are dark red, and the petals are ringed in red, red-orange, and yellow.

This beautiful wildflower is a member of the sunflower family. Since it is hardy and prefers sandy soil, it can often be found near beaches and along roadsides. Indian blanket has a very wide distribution. It can be found in northern Mexico as well as the southern and central United States.

16. Desert Dandelion

• Latin name: Malacothrix glabrata
• When it blooms: Usually from mid-spring through early summer
• Soil needs: Prefers well-draining soil
• Sun exposure: Does well in full sun
• Color varieties: These flowers are usually bright yellow, although they are a little paler than actual dandelions. Sometimes, their centers are bright red.

This beautiful flower looks a bit like a cross between a dandelion and a Gerbera daisy. It grows in many of the desert regions in the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico. Its flowers are very large compared to the slender stems and small leaves, making them look especially showy. Thanks to its relatively smooth petals, it is sometimes called the “smooth desert dandelion.”

17. Spiny Pincushion Cactus

• Latin name: Mammillaria spinosissima
• When it blooms: Usually in spring
• Soil needs: Prefers dry and well-draining soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: These cacti have green bodies covered with golden spines. They have bright pink flowers that grow in a crown-like ring. The cactus also grows bright red berries.

This beautiful and easy to care for cactus is common in cultivation. It only needs to be watered about every two weeks! It’s also a relatively small cactus, as it only grows to be about 12 inches tall. It produces edible fruits; they are shaped like small clubs and have a sweet, juicy taste.

18. Crimson Bottlebrush

• Latin name: Callistemon citrinus
• When it blooms: Blooms most of the year in suitable climates
• Soil needs: Prefers moister soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: This plant’s bristly flowers are a very bright, showy crimson red

True to the name, the crimson bottlebrush has blooms that look almost like brushes. It can be found in eastern Australia. It was also one of the very first Australian plants to be exported and cultivated elsewhere: it was brought to England in the 1700s. It’s an ideal ornamental plant because it has an extremely long blooming season and can often bloom year-round or close to it. It also has a pleasant scent that is similar to that of citrus trees.

19. Parry’s Agave

• Latin name: Agave parryi
• When it blooms: Each plant usually blooms only one time in its life, usually in the summer
• Soil needs: Prefers dry, sandy soil
• Sun exposure: Needs full sun to thrive
• Color varieties: Older, more established Parry’s agave plants produce very bright yellow blooms. They create a pleasing contrast with the plant’s greyish-green leaves.

This nice-looking succulent is an evergreen plant that is a popular landscaping choice in desert regions. It thrives in desert environments and is also extremely easy to care for. However, it’s well-equipped to handle cold snaps, as it can survive temperatures as low as -5 degrees Fahrenheit. It is native to much of northern Mexico, Arizona, and New Mexico.

20. Zebra Plant

• Latin name: Haworthia fasciata
• When it blooms: Flowers bloom in October and November
• Soil needs: Prefers relatively dry, acidic soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: These smallish plants don’t have the absolute brightest colors on the list, but they do have an unusual and eye-catching pattern. On the outer parts of the triangular leaves, there are raised white stripes similar to those of a zebra.

This beautiful succulent originated in South Africa. Despite its unique look, it is not often kept as a houseplant. However, a closely related species, Haworthia attenuata, is very commonly cultivated. It’s easy to tell them apart; Haworthia fasciata has fibrous leaves with smooth upper surfaces. The raised white stripes appear on both sides of the leaves of Haworthia attenuata.

21. Zig-Zag Cactus

• Latin name: Selenicereus anthonyanus
• When it blooms: Flowers appear in spring and summer, although they only open at night
• Soil needs: Prefers moister soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun or partial shade
• Color varieties: This plant has some of the most stunning flowers on the list. It has pinkish-purple bracts that extend outward, with cream yellow to white inner bracts. The result is a flower that looks almost star-like.

This plant is sometimes called the “orchid cactus,” and it’s easy to see why. Its magnificent blooms make it a very desirable ornamental plant to cultivate. Its interesting stems add even more visual interest; they look a lot like a cross between a fern and the teeth of a saw, and their dark, glossy green contrasts beautifully with the flowers.

22. Sand Blazing Star

• Latin name: Mentzelia involucrata
• When it blooms: Usually in early spring
• Soil needs: Prefers dry, sandy soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: Though the flowers of the sand blazing star are relatively large, they are also delicate and papery. They are cream-colored to white. Their darker centers appear to sit at the bottom of a cup shape formed by the petals.

This flower has historically been used for food. Its seeds, when baked and ground, form a paste with a similar consistency to peanut butter. The plant is fairly widespread and can be found in both the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. It also appears in some regions of Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada.

23. Indian Paintbrush

• Latin name: Castilleja sp.
• When it blooms: Usually in spring or early summer
• Soil needs: Prefers dry soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: The Indian paintbrush plant is actually a genus of more than 200 plant species. Its red flowers are very intense in color, and the plant is sometimes called “prairie fire.”

The Indian paintbrush plant has had several historical uses by Native American tribes. It was used by the Ojibwe to make a shampoo that enhanced both body and shine. There’s some science behind this use; the plant contains a large amount of selenium. The flowers can be eaten in small quantities, and some tribes even used them as a colorful garnish. The entire plant is not edible, and its greens and roots can be very toxic if eaten.

24. Turk’s Cap Cactus

• Latin name: Melocactus matanzanus
• When it blooms: Usually between May and November
• Soil needs: Prefers dry soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: This colorful cactus has a round, green body with golden spines. But its most colorful feature is its “cap.” The cap is a small dome covered in red bristles. It also forms bright red flowers.

This beautiful little cactus makes a great houseplant. It is easy to care for, and its bright cap makes it much more colorful than most cacti. Though it is native to Cuba, it is grown as an ornamental plant in many areas of the world. Its round green body makes it look a bit like a pincushion cactus. Its long blooming season makes it great for decoration, and its flowers always look fresh because new buds open every day.

25. Mexican Fire Barrel Cactus

• Latin name: Ferocactus pilosus
• When it blooms: Mostly in spring
• Soil needs: Prefers dry soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: This cactus gets its name from the red spines covering the body. When it blooms, its flowers are a beautiful pink to orange color. Thanks to its bright green body, you may also hear it referred to as the Mexican lime cactus.

The Mexican fire barrel cactus is easily one of the most colorful barrel cacti around. And true to the name, it is native to many parts of Mexico, mostly the Chihuahuan Desert. If it is taken care of well and not overwatered, it also makes an especially beautiful houseplant! It grows upward in a column, so it is especially striking if allowed to grow very tall.

26. Popcorn Flower

• Latin name: Cryptantha angustifolia
• When it blooms: Usually from January to June
• Soil needs: Prefers dry soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: This aptly-named plant has small blooms that are white with yellow centers. Thanks to their shape, coloring, and abundance on each plant, they look a lot like popcorn!

This cheerful plant can be found in woodlands and areas of desert scrub. It mostly grows in northern Mexico and parts of the American Southwest. Its narrow, prickly leaves give it an especially rugged appearance. It isn’t often kept in cultivation, although it may be a good choice if you’re looking for wild-looking landscape plants.

27. Desert Larkspur

• Latin name: Delphinium parishii
• When it blooms: Usually blooms between April and June
• Soil needs: Prefers dry, well-drained soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: This plant has eye-catching flowers that are a periwinkle blue. However, the color varies depending on location. They can be sky blue, purplish blue, or even pink.

These beautiful plants have especially showy flowers. Part of that is due to the fact that the leaves often shrivel and fall off by the time the flowers bloom. Each tall stalk has several flowers blooming off the sides. This plant is not generally cultivated, but it provides some beautiful visual interest in areas of desert scrub.

28. Emu Bush

• Latin name: Eremophila sp.
• When it blooms: Usually in summer
• Soil needs: Prefers dry soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: The emu bush has flowers of many different varieties. Some are pale pink, some are blue, some are red, and some are a soft coral.

These flowers may have received their name because many people believe that emus eat the plant’s fruit. But the emu bush is not just one plant; it refers to a genus with more than 260 separate species. It is native to Australia, and it is primarily found in Australia’s more arid regions.

29. Oleander

• Latin name: Nerium oleander
• When it blooms: Typically blooms from summer to fall
• Soil needs: Prefers relatively dry soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: These lovely flowers come in almost every conceivable color. Some are peach-colored with striped centers, some are pink, some are white, and some are blue.

The oleander plant may be beautiful, but be careful; it’s toxic, too! However, cases of poisoning are few and far between. That’s mostly because it has a very bitter taste. It grows in the wild in Africa, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of Asia. It’s a popular plant in cultivation, and the Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas includes every single named variety of the oleander. These gardens effectively serve as a base for the International Oleander Society, a society that promotes oleander cultivation.

30. Desert Rose

• Latin name: Adenium sp.
• When it blooms: Can bloom from late winter through fall
• Soil needs: Prefers dry soil that drains well
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun to partial shade
• Color varieties: These flowers are typically white with bright magenta petal outlines. The outlines seem to blend gently into the white background, making the flowers look like something out of a watercolor painting.

This extraordinarily beautiful desert plant is native to the Arabian Peninsula and parts of Africa. And even though it is native to arid desert regions, it is an outstanding house plant in other climates as well. It is often kept as a bonsai tree. There are many different species, as the name “desert rose” covers many different plants in the Adenium genus.

31. Dune Evening Primrose

• Latin name: Oenothera deltoides
• When it blooms: Usually blooms in spring
• Soil needs: Prefers dry desert soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: These lovely flowers are a soft white color. In fact, when they appear in larger quantities, they make it look as though tissue paper is strewn across the sand.

This beautiful plant is sometimes called the birdcage evening primrose. That name may sound confusing, but there’s a good reason for it. Once the flowers die, the stems of the dune evening primrose begin to curl upward, resembling a birdcage. It has two other common names that allude to this phenomenon: “lion in a cage” and “basket evening primrose.” Only one subspecies of this plant, the Antioch Dunes Evening Primrose, is federally listed as an endangered species.

32. Monk’s Hood Cactus

• Latin name: Astrophytum ornatum
• When it blooms: Usually blooms during the summer
• Soil needs: Prefers dry, well-drained soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: The body of this cactus is a rich, deep green. Its flowers are a very bright yellow similar to the color of a canary.

Though the monk’s hood cactus is definitely a sun-loving species, it has evolved a precaution to shield it from too much sun. It is often covered in whitish flakes that protect it from excessive sunlight. It also is a cactus that can grow extremely large; it can often grow to six feet tall or more!

33. Fairy Duster

• Latin name: Calliandra eriophylla
• When it blooms: Usually blooms in spring and summer
• Soil needs: Prefers dry soil
• Sun exposure: Does well in full sun
• Color varieties: This flower’s beautiful, magical blooms are various shades of pink. They range from pale pink to bright magenta.

The magical fairy duster plant is often found in the desert regions of the American Southwest. Its blooms usually have a pink center with very long stamens radiating outward. Those stamens often are white to pink, and they sometimes are paler on one side and darker on the other.

34. Desert Lily

• Latin name: Hesperocallis undulata
• When it blooms: Usually blooms from March through May
• Soil needs: Does best in dry desert soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: This beautiful plant has striking white flowers. Their centers sometimes have a faint yellowish hue. The stem is a soft, almost silvery green.

The desert lily is a plant that looks like it would be at home in just about any garden. Each stalk has several blooms extending from the sides. It can be found in both the Mojave Desert and the Sonoran Desert. And despite its beauty, this plant is also useful: its bulbs are sometimes eaten by native people.

35. Bigelow’s Monkeyflower

• Latin name: Mimulus bigelovii
• When it blooms: Usually blooms between late spring and early autumn
• Soil needs: Prefers dry desert soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: These flowers are especially beautiful and unusual. The outer petals are a pinkish purple that looks a lot like a mix of magenta and lavender. The center of the flower usually has spots of deep, energetic pink and bright yellow.

This beautiful flower has a somewhat strange name. Members of its genus, Mimulus, are all known as monkeyflowers. That’s because these flowers tend to appear as though they have a mouth. Depending on the individual flower, some look like the faces of monkeys! 

36. Spanish Needles

• Latin name: Palafoxia arida
• When it blooms: Flowering can happen at almost any time of year
• Soil needs: Prefers dry desert soil
• Sun exposure: Does well in full sun
• Color varieties: These distinctive plants have unique and colorful flowers. Each one is actually a collection of very small flowers. They usually are white and royal purple.

You might not guess it, but the Spanish needle is part of the aster family. And like many plants on the list, it can be found in both the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. But unlike many shrubby plants on the list, this one can reach six feet high! Though it is an especially beautiful desert plant, it is not commonly cultivated.

37. Queen of the Night

• Latin name: Selenicereus grandiflorus
• When it blooms: Each flower blooms once a year for a single night
• Soil needs: Prefers dry desert soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: This cactus has a stunning, delicate white flower. Behind the white petals is a wheel of pinkish petals. But if you want to see one in the wild, you might have to go to some effort. This flower blooms only at night, and it only blooms once!

The queen of the night is a stunning and delicate night-blooming cactus. But unlike other blooming cacti like the orchid cactus, the queen of the night is almost never found in cultivation. It is native to many parts of South America and Central America.

38. Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus

• Latin name: Echinocereus engelmannii
• When it blooms: Usually between February and May
• Soil needs: Needs dry, desert soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: This cactus has stunning, bright pink flowers. Their centers are a dark burgundy color, and the papery pink petals reach upward.

This lovely cactus is one of the most widespread ones in the American Southwest. It’s often found in the wild, but it’s also a very popular landscape plant. Unlike some similar cactus species, it tends to form clusters. When these clusters bloom at the same time, they can create striking garden centerpieces.

39. Sand Verbena

• Latin name: Abronia villosa
• When it blooms: Usually between February and May
• Soil needs: Prefers dry, sandy soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: This plant has beautiful rounded clusters of small flowers. They range from lavender to deeper purple to pink.

Like other verbena plants, the sand verbena has a sweet, pleasant scent. It also forms a creeping ground cover in sandy areas. It can appear along coastlines, but it more often grows in deserts. Its foliage is a muted, sage-like green that makes its flower clusters that much more brilliant. If you go to pick some, be careful: though it smells nice, sand verbena is very sticky to touch!

40. Red Torch Cactus

• Latin name: Echinopsis huascha
• When it blooms: Usually blooms in spring
• Soil needs: Prefers dry desert soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: This cactus has a green body, but its red-orange flowers are easily its most striking feature. A tough, funnel-shaped stem rises from each cactus, while a large, bell-shaped flower’s petals reach upward.

The red torch cactus is very aptly named; each incredibly bright flower looks like a burning torch. It is a rare plant, but if you can take good care of it, it will make a striking garden addition in the right climate. A fully grown red torch cactus can be up to three feet tall, so it will definitely make a statement!

41. Desert Mariposa Lily

• Latin name: Calochortus kennedyi
• When it blooms: Usually blooms between March and June
• Soil needs: Prefers sandy or rocky soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: This plant has flowers that are a deep burnt orange. The color is a bit like that of the California poppy, although it is more orange than golden.

“Mariposa” means “butterfly” in Spanish, and it’s easy to see why it’s part of this beautiful flower’s name. At first glance, its unique shape makes it look a lot like a resting butterfly. And since the plant’s waxy leaves wither as it flowers, it can sometimes be hard to recognize it as a plant at first! You can find it in the deserts of the American Southwest and parts of northern Mexico. Its scientific name honors William L. Kennedy, a well-known collector of plants.

42. Desert Five Spot

• Latin name: Eremalche rotundifolia
• When it blooms: Usually between March and May
• Soil needs: Prefers dry or rocky desert soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sunlight
• Color varieties: This plant is one of the most colorful on the entire list. Its flowers are a pastel lilac color. And each of the five petals has a deep reddish spot at the base. The center of the flower is relatively pale, making the spots even more noticeable.

This desert flower has an interesting adaptation to get as much sunlight as possible; its leaves can actually move during the day to absorb as much light as possible. The flowers will close at night and then open during the day. It grows in both the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert. It’s a very hardy flower that can grow in many areas with harsh climates, including Death Valley National Park.

43. Old Lady Cactus

• Latin name: Mammillaria hahniana
• When it blooms: Usually in the spring and summer
• Soil needs: Prefers dry, well-draining desert soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: This beautiful yet odd-looking cactus has small flowers that are usually pinkish, purple, or red. Their centers are usually pale yellow.

This cactus has one of the strangest names on the list. But if you take one look at a full-grown old lady cactus, it’s easy to see where the name came from. Each cactus has a rounded shape with a small, spherical stem in the middle. Both the cactus body and the stem are covered in white spines and a white downy substance. The result is a cactus that looks like the hair of an old lady with her hair in a bun. When the flowers bloom, they form a ring around the “bun.”

44. Yellow Bell

• Latin name: Tecoma stans
• When it blooms: It can bloom all year
• Soil needs: Does best in rocky, sandy soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: These beautiful, bright yellow flowers have a few orangish streaks in the center. Since they grow in clusters, they are especially noticeable against the plant’s green leaves.

This beautiful, bright flower is the floral emblem of the Bahamas. It’s also the official flower of the U.S. Virgin Islands. And even though it’s beautiful, the yellow bell plant is very hardy. It’s a plant that readily grows in disturbed areas like those that have been burned. Though it is native to many parts of the Americas, it has been successfully introduced to both southern Africa and Hawaii.

45. Flaming Katy

• Latin name: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
• When it blooms: Usually blooms from late fall to early winter
• Soil needs: Needs soil that drains well
• Sun exposure: Prefers partial shade
• Color varieties: This plant has striking flowers and foliage. Its glossy succulent leaves stay green all year. The flowers are usually a deep reddish pink, but they do come in many other colors, including yellow, orange, lilac, white, purple, and golden. They grow in striking clusters.

This striking plant is native to Madagascar, an island that is home to some of the world’s most colorful plants and animals. It has many other common names, including “Christmas kalanchoe,” “Madagascar widow’s-thrill,” and “florist kalanchoe.” It is also a fairly popular garden plant; it has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

46. Purple Poppy-Mallow

• Latin name: Callirhoe involucrata
• When it blooms: Flowers usually appear from May to August
• Soil needs: Prefers soil that drains well
• Sun exposure: Does well in full sun
• Color varieties: This cheerful wildflower has beautiful blooms that range from deep magenta to bright purple.

The purple poppy-mallow can be found in the United States from Florida to Oregon and Texas to Michigan. It also can be found in northern Mexico. It is sometimes called the wine-cup thanks to its cup-shaped flowers. This plant makes a beautiful natural groundcover, as flowers bloom from sprawling foliage. It is often found in prairies, but it also grows in very sandy and rocky soils.

47. Cleveland Sage

• Latin name: Salvia clevelandii
• When it blooms: Usually blooms from June to July
• Soil needs: Prefers soil that drains very well
• Sun exposure: Does well in full sun unless it’s in a very hot area
• Color varieties: This plant has beautiful flowers that can range from sky blue to amethyst in color. They bloom in whorls, making the plant itself especially striking.

This beautiful plant is native to Southern California. But thanks to its lovely flowers, it is very popular in cultivation and specifically used as a landscape plant. It has been used to produce a number of hybrids and cultivars. One hybrid variety has a sweet scent like that of rose potpourri. Other varieties smell more like eucalyptus. The various cultivars are usually grown for their color. Many of them are intense violet or intense blue.

48. Ocotillo

• Latin name: Fouquieria splendens
• When it blooms: Usually blooms in spring and summer, but it will sometimes bloom in fall as well
• Soil needs: Does best in dry desert soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun exposure
• Color varieties: This unusual plant has a very distinctive look. When it blooms, its stems become naked stalks. Clusters of brilliant red flowers sprout from the tips of the stalks.

The ocotillo has one of the longest lists of alternative names on the list. It is also called “coachwhip,” “Jacob’s staff,” “Jacob cactus,” “candlewood,” “desert coral,” “slimwood,” and “vine cactus.” It can be found in the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, and Colorado Deserts. It looks unusual, but it also has unusual ancestry. It may be called a cactus, but the ocotillo plant is more closely related to blueberries and tea.

49. Sunburst Aeonium

• Latin name: Aeonium decorum “Sunburst”
• When it blooms: Usually blooms only once, although the plant will die after flowering
• Soil needs: Prefers relatively dry soil
• Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
• Color varieties: This beautiful plant is a domestic cultivar of a common desert plant. Though its succulent leaves are mostly green, they are outlined in different colors. The lower leaves are outlined in pink, and that outline turns to yellow closer to the top of the plant.

This particularly beautiful aeonium variety has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. And like other related plants, it has an eye-catching round shape. Although it is cultivated throughout the world, the various species of aeonium plants are native to the Canary Islands, East Africa, Madeira, and Morocco. Some of these plants have been successfully introduced in California as well.

50. Spiral Aloe

• Latin name: Aloe polyphylla
• When it blooms: Flowers bloom in the beginning of summer
• Soil needs: Prefers rocky or sandy soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: This plant’s leaves curl in a spiral shape. Its flowers bloom from the center of the plant. They have bright, lively colors ranging from red to salmon pink to yellow.

The spiral aloe is another plant that has a particularly pleasing shape. It looks much different from aloe vera, the best-known aloe species. Its leaves grow in an amazingly symmetrical spiral. Its fat leaves appear serrated at the edges, and they can grow either clockwise or counterclockwise. Before flowering, the plant will also usually grow a tall, noticeable stem or stalk where the flowers sprout. The spiral aloe is sought out as an ornamental plant for obvious reasons, but it is extremely tough to cultivate. If an existing plant is removed from its natural habitat, it will usually die.

51. Beavertail Pricklypear

• Latin name: Opuntia basilaris
• When it blooms: Usually blooms between spring and early summer
• Soil needs: Prefers dry, sandy soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
• Color varieties: This beautiful green cactus has some of the most intensely-colored flowers on the list. The blooms are usually rose-colored, pink, or pinkish-purple.

One of the things that makes the beavertail pricklypear so beautiful is the sheer size of each plant. A single plant can consist of hundreds of flattened “branches.” Each one is topped with a bloom, so each plant can grow many, many flowers. It’s an appropriately named plant as well: each “leaf” is flat and paddle-like, much like the tail of a beaver. At one point, this cactus was used by Native Americans as a food staple.

52. Arizona Rainbow Cactus

• Latin name: Echinocereus rigidissimus
• When it blooms: Usually blooms all through the spring
• Soil needs: Prefers dry desert soil
• Sun exposure: Does best in full sunlight to partial shade
• Color varieties: The Arizona rainbow cactus has truly beautiful flowers that almost don’t look real. They are wide and bright pink with white, throat-like centers. But the cactus itself also appears rainbow; it has yellowish spots toward the bottom. Those spots turn orange and then pink as you move toward the top of the cactus.

The Arizona rainbow cactus is one of the most spectacular plants on the list. Its bright colors make it a popular choice in cultivation. It’s a surprisingly tough cactus as well: it is able to withstand the heat of grass fires.

53. Red Pancake

• Latin name: Kalanchoe thyrsiflora
• When it blooms: Usually blooms from fall through spring
• Soil needs: Prefers dry, rocky soils
• Sun exposure: Does well in full sun
• Color varieties: This striking plant has leaves that are mostly green to greyish green. They are rimmed with deep red. Sometimes it will also have some bright yellow between red and green; you can see that in the plant in the picture.

The red pancake is a bit of an odd-looking plant. Like its name suggests, its broad leaves look pancake-like. It also is sometimes called “desert cabbage,” “flapjacks,” or “paddle plant.” It also produces flowers, although they are somewhat strange-looking. They appear to be narrow and tubelike in shape. Their outsides are a waxy green although they appear yellow at the mouth. The red pancake grows naturally in many parts of southern Africa.

Nature’s Most Colorful Desert Plants

Clearly, the desert landscape has no shortage of beauty. Whether you visit the desert, just see it in pictures, or are shopping for some landscaping plants, make sure to keep an eye out for some of these breathtaking plants.