Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch Approved Plants
Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch Approved Plants
Every plant below is officially approved on Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch's landscape guidelines and available from Three Timbers. No guesswork. No ACC rejections. Just plants that will get approved and thrive in your Florence yard.
on orders $150+ in the Phoenix Valley
trees, shrubs & flowering plants
we handle the ACC submittal too
Call or text 612-214-1955
If you live in Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch, this is the only plant list you need.
Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch enforces a specific approved plant palette — getting it wrong means rework, fines, or a rejected ACC application. We pulled the official guidelines, extracted every plant, and matched it against our nursery catalog. 75 of Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch's approved species are carried by Three Timbers — organized below by the same categories the ACC uses.
Every plant below is clickable. Click any plant to see sizes, current pricing, and our 30-day plant warranty terms. Free delivery to Florence on orders over $150.
About Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch’s Approved Plant List
| Community | Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch |
| City | Florence, AZ 85132 (South Valley) |
| Households | ~3,800 homes at buildout (Del Webb 55+ portion of the Merrill Ranch master plan) |
| Developer | Del Webb (Pulte Group) |
| Management | Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch Community Association, Inc.; Design Review Committee (DRC) administers Design Guidelines |
| Source document | Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch Residential Design Guidelines, Appendix G Plant Palette / Prohibited Plants (Revised July 2018; April 2021 version also referenced). View the source |
| Landscape themes | Sonoran Desert palette. Active-adult community amenities include 48,000 sq-ft clubhouse and Poston-Butte Golf Course. All residential plantings must come from Appendix G. Common Bermuda turf not allowed; warm-season seed must overseed with rye to prevent dormancy. Metal edging/borders between planting areas prohibited. |
| Three Timbers carries | 75 of Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch’s approved species (25 trees, 35 shrubs, 5 accents, 9 groundcovers/perennials, 1 grasses & vines) |
55+ Del Webb sister community to Anthem Parkside, sharing the Merrill Ranch master plan and the Pulte/Del Webb DRC. Plant palette OVERLAPS HEAVILY with Anthem Parkside but is NOT identical â SCAMR Appendix G covers Trees and Shrubs only (Parkside's Appendix E adds Annual Wildflowers, Grasses, Ground Covers, Perennial Wildflowers, Succulents/Accents, and Vines as full sections). Olive restriction tightened to 'Fruitless Only' on SCAMR (vs Parkside's 'Swan Hill Variety Only'). Adds Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island Date Palm), Brahea spp. (Fan Palm), Caesalpinia (Cascalote) and Phoenix roebelenii (Pygmy Date Palm) explicitly in tree list. RECOMMENDATION: Share base Trees+Shrubs language across both Anthem MR pages with minor copy variation (note the 55+ status on the SCAMR page, all-ages on the Parkside page), and only list the fuller plant categories (wildflowers, grasses, etc.) on the Parkside page.
Jump to a Plant Category
- Approved Trees — 25 plants
- Approved Shrubs — 35 plants
- Approved Cacti, Agaves & Accents — 5 plants
- Approved Groundcovers & Perennials — 9 plants
- Approved Vines & Ornamental Grasses — 1 plants
- Planting & watering guide
- Want it installed for you?
Trees (25 approved)
Three Timbers picks — best of trees
All cross-HOA approved trees (25 species)
| Common name | Botanical |
|---|---|
| African Sumac | Rhus lancea (Searsia) |
| Brazilian Pepper Tree | Schinus terebinthifolius |
| Cascalote | Caesalpinia cacalaco |
| Chaste Tree | Vitex agnus-castus 'Montrose Purple' |
| Desert Willow | Chilopsis linearis |
| Ironwood | Olneya tesota |
| Mesquite | Prosopis alba |
| Texas Mountain Laurel, Mescal Bean | Sophora secundiflora |
| Tipu Tree | Tipuana tipu |
| Western Hackberry | Celtis reticulata (C. douglasii) |
| Anacahuita | Cordia boissieri |
| Desert Hackberry | Celtis pallida |
| Lemon Bottlebrush | Callistemon citrinus |
| Pineapple Guava | Feijoa sellowiana |
| Pomegranate | Punica granatum |
| Yellow Oleander | Thevetia peruviana |
| Acacia, Wattle | Acacia berlandieri |
| Anacacho Orchid Tree | Bauhinia congesta |
| California Pepper Tree | Schinus molle |
| Desert Fern | Lysiloma microphylla v. thornberi |
| Orchid Tree | Bauhinia species |
| Evergreen Sumac | Rhus virens |
| Mearns Sumac | Rhus choriophylla |
| Skunkbush | Rhus trilobata |
| Wait-A-Minute Bush | Acacia greggii / Senegalia greggii |
Shrubs (35 approved)
Three Timbers picks — best of shrubs
All cross-HOA approved shrubs (35 species)
| Common name | Botanical |
|---|---|
| Xylosma | Xylosma congestum |
| Baja Red Fairy Duster | Calliandra californica |
| Brittlebush | Encelia farinosa |
| Bush Germander | Teucrium fruticans |
| Bush Morning Glory, Silverbush | Convolvulus cneorum |
| Cape Honeysuckle | Tecoma capensis |
| Cape Plumbago | Plumbago auriculata |
| Creosote Bush | Larrea tridentata |
| Desert Honeysuckle (restock soon) | Anisacanthus thurberi |
| Desert Lavender | Hyptis emoryi |
| Desert Milkweed | Asclepias subulata |
| Fairy Duster (restock soon) | Calliandra eriophylla |
| Fire Bush | Hamelia patens |
| Heavenly Bamboo | Nandina domestica |
| Hibiscus | Hibiscus rosa-sinensis |
| Hopbush | Dodonaea viscosa |
| Jojoba | Simmondsia chinensis |
| Juniper | Juniperus chinensis varieties |
| Little Leaf Cordia | Cordia parvifolia |
| Mexican Honeysuckle, Chuparosa | Justicia spicigera |
| Myrtle | Myrtus communis |
| Sugarbush | Rhus ovata |
| Texas Sage, Texas Ranger | Leucophyllum frutescens |
| Triangle Leaf Bursage | Ambrosia deltoidea |
| Turpentine Bush | Ericameria laricifolia |
| Willow Pittosporum | Pittosporum phillyraeoides |
| Buckwheat | Eriogonum sp. ** |
| Canyon Ragweed | Ambrosia ambrosioides |
| Cassia | Cassia candolleana |
| Golden Eye | Viguiera deltoidea |
| Plumbago | Plumbago scandens |
| Primrose Jasmine | Jasminum mesnyi |
| Sage | Leucophyllum species |
| Sagebrush | Artemisia spp. |
| White Bursage | Ambrosia dumosa |
Cacti, Agaves & Architectural Accents (5 approved)
Three Timbers picks — best of cacti, agaves & architectural accents
All cross-HOA approved cacti, agaves & architectural accents (5 species)
| Common name | Botanical |
|---|---|
| Mediterranean Fan Palm | Chamaerops humilis |
| Sago Palm | Cycas revoluta |
| Wax Plant, Candelilla | Euphorbia antisyphilitica |
| Euphorbia | Euphorbia myrsinites |
| Superstition Mallow (restock soon) | Abutilon palmeri |
Groundcovers & Perennials (9 approved)
Three Timbers picks — best of groundcovers & perennials
All cross-HOA approved groundcovers & perennials (9 species)
| Common name | Botanical |
|---|---|
| Bird of Paradise | Strelitzia reginae |
| Boxwood Beauty Natal Plum | Carissa macrocarpa |
| Damianita | Chrysactinia mexicana |
| Pineleaf Milkweed | Asclepias linaria |
| Russian Sage | Perovskia atriplicifolia |
| Emu Bush | Eremophila laanii 'Pink Beauty' |
| Lantana | Lantana all species |
| Ruellia | Ruellia species |
| Smoketree, Indigo Bush | Dalea pulchra |
Vines & Ornamental Grasses (1 approved)
Three Timbers picks — best of vines & ornamental grasses
All cross-HOA approved vines & ornamental grasses (1 species)
| Common name | Botanical |
|---|---|
| Pyracantha, Firethorn | Pyracantha varieties |
Planting & Watering Guide for the Phoenix Valley
Best time to plant
- Trees & shrubs: October through March. Avoid June, July, August.
- Cacti, agaves & ocotillo: April through October. They need warm soil to root in.
- Groundcovers & perennials: Spring (Feb–April) or fall (Sep–Nov).
Watering schedule
- Year 1, summer (June–September): Every 3–4 days, deep soak (run drip for 90 minutes per zone).
- Year 1, winter (Nov–Feb): Every 10–14 days, light watering.
- After year 1, established: Every 10–14 days in summer, every 3–4 weeks in winter. Cacti, agaves, and ocotillo need far less.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all these plants approved at every Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch property?
These are the species permitted under Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch's current landscape guidelines. Some sub-villages or front-yard-vs-backyard restrictions may apply — always check your specific lot's design package or submit an ACC application before installing.
Does Three Timbers handle the ACC submittal?
Yes — if you use our professional install service, we handle the ACC paperwork, plant list, and submittal for you. Just provide your homeowner contact info and we'll do the rest.
How fast can you deliver to Florence?
Same-day or next-day for orders received before 1pm. Free delivery on orders $150+ across the Phoenix Valley.
What’s included in the 30-day warranty?
Every tree, shrub, and flowering plant comes with a 30-day replacement guarantee. Cacti, agaves, aloes, ocotillo, and similar slow-growing succulents are warranted only at the time of delivery.
What if a plant is listed as “sold out”?
Our inventory rotates weekly — most species are back within days. Text or call 612-214-1955 with the plant name and we'll let you know exactly when it'll be back in stock.
Want your HOA landscape installed for you?
We’re the only Phoenix Valley online nursery with our own install crew
Three Timbers handles design, plant selection from Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch's approved palette, ACC submittal paperwork, delivery, and installation — all in one workflow. Same-day quotes. 30-day plant warranty on every install.
Why Phoenix Valley homeowners choose Three Timbers
Three Timbers is the Phoenix Valley's only online nursery with our own delivery and install crew. We carry 820+ desert-adapted species, cross-referenced to every major HOA's approved plant palette — including Sun City Anthem at Merrill Ranch's. Browse the full master HOA plant guide to compare across all 18+ Phoenix Valley communities, or call 612-214-1955 for a same-day quote.
