EPA Level I Region
North American Deserts
North American Deserts spans the dry interior west, from the Columbia Plateau and Snake River Plain down through the Great Basin to the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan deserts. Rainfall is scarce throughout, but the timing differs sharply: winter rain in the north and west, a summer monsoon in the southeast. Desert natives such as penstemon, brittlebush, and apache plume are among the only plants that hold their shape here without irrigation, which is why so many water districts in this region pay homeowners to plant them.
Ecoregions inside it: 10. Native range is set at that finer level, so start there rather than here.
Ecoregions with plant lists
Pick the one that covers your yard. Each has its own plant list, conditions, and maintenance notes.
- Central Basin and RangeEPA Level III 13
- Mojave Basin and RangeEPA Level III 14
- Chihuahuan DesertsEPA Level III 24
- Sonoran Basin and RangeEPA Level III 81
Also in this region
These ecoregions do not have their own page yet. The full plant library covers them in the meantime.
- Columbia PlateauEPA Level III 10
- Snake River PlainEPA Level III 12
- Wyoming BasinEPA Level III 18
- Colorado PlateausEPA Level III 20
- Arizona/New Mexico PlateauEPA Level III 22
- Northern Basin and RangeEPA Level III 80
Not sure which one covers your yard?
Pollinator Patch resolves your ZIP to its ecoregion and builds a front-yard plan tuned to the soil, climate, and HOA expectations where you actually live.