Set in a stunning valley of red rocks, the native plants that call Sedona, Arizona home are a wonder! These natives are structurally beautiful and impressive in how they have adapted to this unique desert climate.
Sedona sits at what could be considered the base of the Colorado Plateau. This might sound familiar because, the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce National Park, and Arches National Park are all on the Colorado Plateau as well. This area’s beauty comes from its very ancient sandstone. This sedimentary rock was formed slowly over time as rock and sand settled layer upon layer and with the help of water and pressure, formed each rock solid layer of earth. The red that you will notice in the rocks in Sedona is due to the high iron content in the soil (think of rust). At some point in history, all of this sandstone was underground, but then a shifting of plates or volcanic movements of the earth pushed up the Colorado Plateau displaying this ancient sandstone. Since that time it has been slowly eroding away. In the case of the Grand Canyon, this was done by the Colorado River. In the case of Sedona, it was helped along by a fault that runs through Sedona. The result is breathtaking red rocks surrounding the town.
Sedona is a small town with a big personality. People are there because they want to be there. The native plants of the region may not feel the same way! It is an arid environment with intense sun, some snow, and little rainfall. The result leads to plants that are adapted to an intense and beautiful environment. Hopefully, the images below will help you identify a few of the more common native plants of Sedona.
Other facts – Native Sedona Plants
This is a semi-arid climate
USDA Hardiness Zone: 8a and 8b
Sunset Western Climate Zone: 3b or10
Rainfall: Averages 18″ of rain
Elevation: 4,500 ft.
Juniperus deppeana (Western Juniper ), Elderica Pine, and Arizona Cypress
Things I would recommend doing in Sedona
While I am by no means an expert having spent less than a week visiting Sedona, I would still like to offer these tips for visiting Sedona.
- Hiking – Hiking is one of the best ways to see many of the native plants of Sedona. We went on several hikes, but my favorite was the one near coffee pot rock. Our Air BnB rental was located in that neighborhood and hiked behind it. I recommend hiking around sunset and taking your camera or phone. There were lots of locals walking their dogs. It would be an amazing daily walk to go on!
- Yoga – Rather than going on a special yoga tour (which I’m sure is amazing), every local told us to head to 7 Centers Yoga Arts. We had a yoga class in a yurt with a very thoughtful instructor. The drop in rate for a class is reasonable too!
- Stay mostly out of the touristy downtown. Yes, it is pretty, but we mostly ate overpriced mediocre food.
- Lunch at Indian Gardens Cafe and Market – Their food is fantastic and reasonable. You can also buy supplies for a little picnic and pack it for the little trailhead that starts across the street
- The Airport Vortex – someone correctly described it to us as a lot of bang for your buck. You get to “see” one of the famed vortexes of Sedona and an absolutely fantastic view, all a few minutes from the city center. – We found these directions helpful.
