Both succulents and ficus trees need to be specially cared for here in the metro area. Succulents and ficus need to be protected from the western sun in the afternoon in the summer. They also can freeze so you will want to cover them if we dip below 32 degrees which really happens here!

Definitely check out the Arizona forum. It is much more happening than this one, and just reading through old posts can be very informative. Good luck!

customs? I don't think there are any border crossings guards between California and Arizona; may be some Border Patrol checkpoints though -- look for illegal plants as well as illegal aliens, drugs, and terrorists?

Hilarious - you better be pretty far north or be a hoarder to get scorpions. Don't believe the myth. I've lived her 32 years and have only seen one on residential property and they lived way out in the desert and did not have a cat. Something about cat dander seems to deter them.

yes, there is agricultural customs between AZ and CA - its for citrus diseases.

They will need to be kept under a porch or trees to block sun or they will burn. The sun is a lot more extreme here and so dry make sure you check them daily until they are fully adapted to change. Put your plants inside cardboard boxes if they aren't to big because the agricultural restrictions might not let you bring them here. They do this for several reasons,cross pollination of certain plants mostly citrus,keep certain pests from being transported with plants. They actually kept some of my cacti but I was going from here to CA. Had others in boxes they did not see so they were OK. As for scorpions...I garden daily have many potted plants and many scorpions (ha ha) Just never reach into your plants without gloves,don't pick up any planters by rim or bottom without looking under rim or bottom of planter or saucer. I use a piece of rebar to stir the top of the dirt up before I put my hands in it if I am repotting.I use the rebar to turn or touch everything before using my hands rocks,wood,anything that has been on the ground. I use rebar to tap on stuff so if a scorpion is there at least I will see it when it moves. They are looking for water and of course food. They eat roaches,crickets,ants,beetles,spiders mostly insects you do not want.If you keep food source away scorpions won't be there either.Just remember to be cautious and you will not have a problem.I also put Sevin Dust under flower pots to keep anything from sitting under pots.The bigger problem with my succulents I think are Black Widows they get in the succulents and are hard to get too to kill. The webs are extremely strong and the spiders do not like water. If I notice a web I use the rebar piece or a strong blast from the hose and see if the web is easily removed. If not then I go out after dark with flashlight to see if the widow is out of plant and then kill it.Sometimes you can flush widows out of plant with hose but it is easiest to get it when it comes out of hiding at night to catch it's food. At least the spiders stay in one place and they are a heavy bodied spider so they almost always make webs closer to ground. Get a ultraviolet flashlight and go out at night look all around your yard,house and you will see if you have scorpions they glow unlike anything you have seen that way you will know if you even need to worry about them. Welcome to the real desert!