City of Peoria, Arizona Utilities Departmant Water Conservation Division

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Xeriscape Landscaping

Nature usually knows best. When it comes to landscaping our yards, we can all emulate nature by using xeriscape techniques to create a lush, attractive, and water saving yard. The word xeriscape is a combination of the Greek word "xeros," which means dry, and landscape. Put together, xeriscape means "dry landscape." Xeriscaping does not mean letting your yard go untouched and growing weeds.

Photo of Xeriscape Landscaping

Instead, xeriscape takes advantage of naturally occurring, water frugal plants that happen to be extremely attractive. Landscapes can use large amounts of our drinking water. As valuable as drinking water is in the Valley of the Sun, it makes sense to use plants that minimize water use and water waste. Arizona’s hot and dry climate causes extremely high evaporation rates. Combine that with the low average rainfall in the Phoenix area and its obvious why xeriscape is the way to go.

Average Rainfall and
Maximum Evaporation Rates in Inches

MONTH	AVG. RAINFALL	MAX. EVAPORATION RATE
JANUARY	.67	3.6
FEBRUARY	.68	4.5
MARCH	.88	6.5
APRIL	.22	8.4
MAY	.12	10.9
JUNE	.13	11.4
JULY	.83	11.8
AUGUST	.96	8.4
SEPTEMBER	.86	8.7
OCTOBER	.65	7.0
NOVEMBER	.66	4.8
DECEMBER	1.00	3.1
TOTALS	7.66	91.2

Source of data: U.S. Weather Service;
Arizona Department of Water Resources

Xeriscape makes sense.
It’s attractive, it conserves water, and it requires little maintenance.

The ADWR Phoenix AMA Drought Tolerant / Low Water Use Plant List is a list of native, drought-tolerant and low water-use plants, trees and shrubs suitable for the Phoenix area. This list and a supplemental list are used as a regulatory document by many cities to decided which plants are considered to be drought tolerant and suitable for the Phoenix area.

Click Here to view an Adobe Acrobat PDF
of the Phoenix AMA Drought Tolerant / Low Water Use Plant List

Click Here to view a PDF file of the Phoenix AMA Drought Tolerant/Low Water Use Plant List Supplemental

For more information about xeriscape, call the City of Peoria Water Conservation Office at (623) 773-7286 or refer to the University of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension for gardening and landscaping tips in Maricopa County.

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