Guide 02 · 6 min read
Trees That Grow in Scottsdale, AZ
The tree that survives a Scottsdale yard gets picked for the job, not for the photo on the nursery tag. Shade, screening, litter near a pool and mature width all point at different species, and the first few summers decide whether the tree you planted is the tree you keep.
Planting
Which tree for shade, screening, a pool or a small yard?
No tree does all 4 jobs, so pick by the job first. Shade: velvet mesquite and canyon hackberry both get large enough to cool a patio, and ironwood is evergreen and reaches about 25 ft by 25 ft if you can wait out its slow growth (AMWUA, ironwood (opens in a new tab)). Screening: Texas ebony is evergreen with medium thorns at about 20 ft by 15 ft (AMWUA, Texas ebony (opens in a new tab)), and Mexican blue palm adds height at about 25 ft by 12 ft (AMWUA, Mexican blue palm (opens in a new tab)). Small yard: foothills palo verde stays near 15 ft in full sun (AMWUA, foothills palo verde (opens in a new tab)), and leatherleaf acacia is evergreen at about 10 ft by 8 ft and listed as good for small spaces (AMWUA, leatherleaf acacia (opens in a new tab)). For a green trunk in a hurry, palo brea has lime green bark and a fast growth rate (AMWUA, palo brea (opens in a new tab)). Match mature width to the gap, not to the pot.
Costs
How much water does each tree need?
Water use splits this list in 3, and the split matters more than the tag. AMWUA rates these as very low water: blue palo verde, foothills palo verde, velvet mesquite, ironwood, leatherleaf acacia, Texas ebony and palo brea (AMWUA, blue palo verde (opens in a new tab)). It rates these as low water: Mexican blue palm, desert willow, sweet acacia and fruitless olive (AMWUA, desert willow (opens in a new tab)). Chaste tree and canyon hackberry are moderate water (AMWUA, chaste tree (opens in a new tab)). Citrus is not on these lists and needs regular irrigation. No tree on these lists is established in one season: AMWUA puts establishment at about 3 years for trees, so plan on irrigation through the first few summers whatever the label says (AMWUA, watering schedules (opens in a new tab)). Scottsdale averages 8.73 inches of rain a year (NWS, Scottsdale normals (opens in a new tab)), which is the number to hold against the water ratings.
Planting
Which trees are safe next to a pool?
Next to a pool, litter is the thing to plan for. Velvet mesquite has 3 to 7 inch pods that ripen in mid to late summer (UA Extension, velvet mesquite (opens in a new tab)), desert willow flowers from spring to fall and drops its leaves in late fall (AMWUA, desert willow (opens in a new tab)), and palo verde follows its spring bloom with a seed crop. Pods and leaves that reach a pool can load the skimmer. The short list for a pool deck is leatherleaf acacia, fruitless olive and Mexican blue palm, which AMWUA rates as low litter; the leatherleaf acacia and fruitless olive pages also carry a Pool Friendly label (AMWUA, fruitless olive (opens in a new tab)). What a tree drops in September matters more than what it looks like in April.
Good to know
Can I move a saguaro over 4 feet tall?
A saguaro over 4 ft needs a state permit, a tag and a seal before it moves (A.R.S. 3-906 (opens in a new tab)). The permit costs $7, each saguaro tag $8, other protected plants $6 and the seal $0.15 (Arizona Administrative Code R3-3-1104 (opens in a new tab)). The rule follows the plant: a saguaro with no record of an earlier legal move needs the paperwork whether it is dug, bought or relocated, and the tag stays with it, while a saguaro with documentation of an earlier legal move, or one propagated by people, is exempt. A saguaro is a cactus, not a tree: no canopy, no shade worth counting, and a root system that is wide and shallow. Scottsdale's Native Plant Ordinance adds a city permit to remove or relocate protected plants (City of Scottsdale, native plants (opens in a new tab)).
Planting
Why do young trees die in the first year?
Many failures start at the hole. The root flare, where trunk widens into roots, has to sit at or slightly above grade, because a tree planted too deep is open to crown rot. UA Extension says to dig the hole slightly wider than the root ball and no deeper than it, and to loosen the soil around the hole to 3 to 4 times its width (UA Extension, planting container trees (opens in a new tab)). Caliche is the second problem: a cemented calcium carbonate layer that restricts roots and drainage (UA Extension, caliche (opens in a new tab)). Test the spot by filling the hole with water; if the level drops at least 4 inches in 4 hours, drainage should be adequate. If it does not, the extension page says to dig through the caliche layer so water can drain and to set the tree several inches above grade. UA Extension also says most tree roots sit in the top 2 feet of soil and spread up to 3 to 5 times the width of the canopy, so a wide loosened zone matters more than a deep hole.
Water
How do I stake and water a new tree?
Stake only if the tree cannot stand without support, and take the stakes off after the first growing season. Use 2 stakes and ties that allow slight trunk movement; gentle movement helps the trunk build strength (UA Extension, planting container trees (opens in a new tab)). Water is the bigger job. AMWUA's schedule for newly planted native and desert-adapted plants starts at every 1 to 2 days in summer and every 3 to 4 days from fall through spring in weeks 1 and 2, then stretches to every 7 days in summer and every 10 to 14 days from fall through spring by weeks 7 and 8, and keeps lengthening until the tree is established (AMWUA, watering schedules (opens in a new tab)). Each irrigation should wet the root ball and 1 to 2 inches of the surrounding soil. Monsoon rain from June 15 to September 30 does not replace irrigation on a new tree, because storm rain is uneven, even though for most of the Desert Southwest about half of the annual rainfall falls from June through September (NWS Phoenix, 2025 monsoon review (opens in a new tab)). Pull the stakes before the trunk grows around them.
Planting
What should I not plant, and why?
Skip anything that wants a different climate. Citrus is the obvious trap: UA Extension lists kumquats and mandarins as the most cold hardy, followed by grapefruit, orange, lemon and lime (UA Extension, citrus varieties (opens in a new tab)), and says lemon, lime and citron are the least cold tolerant and suffer some damage below 25 F (UA Extension, protecting citrus from cold (opens in a new tab)). A wall that gets winter sun keeps a citrus tree a few degrees warmer. Ficus and other tropicals can burn back at the first frost and return as a bush. Scottsdale's site plan requirements say trees and saguaros are not planted in public utility easements or within 7 feet of a public water or sewer line (City of Scottsdale, single family site plan requirements (opens in a new tab)). Blue palo verde in a lawn is another mistake, because frequent water against the trunk can rot it. And a saguaro over 4 ft moved without its tag is a legal problem.
4 questions
Questions people ask
Still have a question? Call (747) 243-2089 and describe the yard.
How fast does a palo verde grow?
Blue palo verde is the fast one, rated fast by AMWUA, and it can reach 30 ft (AMWUA, blue palo verde (opens in a new tab)). Foothills palo verde is rated slow to moderate and stays near 15 ft. Both flower in spring and drop seed pods after. Fast growing young trees may need pruning to train a strong branch structure.
Can I plant a tree in June in Scottsdale?
You can, and it takes more water than a fall planting. UA Extension says planting is best when temperatures are above freezing and conditions are not too hot and dry (UA Extension, planting container trees (opens in a new tab)), which points to fall and early spring, when roots grow through cool soil and the tree meets its first summer with a head start. A June planting follows the summer schedule, watering every 1 to 2 days for the first 2 weeks (AMWUA, watering schedules (opens in a new tab)).
Do desert trees need fertilizer?
Native desert trees generally do not need it at planting. UA Extension says to backfill with native soil and no soil amendments, and that some trees may benefit from fertilizing after the first growing season (UA Extension, planting container trees (opens in a new tab)). If a tree looks pale in summer, check the irrigation first.
Will a saguaro survive being moved?
Sometimes, and results vary with size and care. A saguaro over 4 ft needs the state permit, tag and seal unless it has a documented earlier legal move. Overwatering a moved saguaro can rot it.
Keep reading
- Landscape installation: Planting, soil and irrigation.
- Irrigation and sprinkler repair: Drip zones for trees.
- Desert landscaping vs xeriscape: Where trees fit.
- Landscaping cost in Scottsdale: What trees add to a budget.
- North Scottsdale: Caliche, grade and native plant rules.
- Sod vs Seed in Scottsdale:
- Drip Irrigation vs Sprinklers in Scottsdale:
