Drought-Tolerant Gardens

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Ample water is not a requirement for a beautiful garden. Water-conservation in the garden is very doable. Water-smart gardening can save time and money.

A drought-tolerant garden makes the most of the water it gets. “Xeriscaping” is a term used for growing naturally drought-adapted plants using water-saving methods.

A xeriscape does not need to look like a desert. A xeriscape can easily be mistaken for a well-watered garden.

How to grow a drought-tolerant garden

Here are some basic ways to grow a xeriscape, drought-tolerant garden:

Plant selection

Choose plants that don’t require a lot of water. Plants native to your region are a good place to begin; they are adapted to the rainfall in your region. Choose plants native to other regions of the world similar to where you live; they too will survive on the rainfall in your region.

Prepare the soil

Prepare the soil in your garden to hold water. Humus or soil rich in aged organic matter naturally holds water and is well-drained. Humus is dark brown or black and crumbly; it is not sandy or clay-like. Humus soil particles are sponge-like; they hold water and emit it slowly. Add aged compost or commercial organic planting mix to your planting beds to create a humus-rich soil. Add 6 inches of aged compost or commercial organic planting mix to your planting beds and turn it under to 10 inches; add more aged compost to the soil surface twice a year.

Group plants

Group plants together by their water needs. This will make watering easier. Group moisture needy plants together where the soil is naturally moist or plant them where they are shaded in the afternoon. The north side of a building or wall will be less dry than the south side. Group very drought-tolerant plants together as well; these can be watered occasionally rather than regularly. Group plants by their soil needs; some plants prefer sandy soil, others not.

Use the shade

In hot and dry regions use afternoon shade to protect plants that need more water than others in the garden. Midday to midafternoon is the warmest time in the garden and the time when soil moisture evaporates most quickly. Plants in pots and containers will need less water if they get afternoon shade.

Mulch around plants

Mulch will stem soil moisture evaporation and protect plant roots in hot and dry regions. Mulch will keep the soil cool. Mulch suppresses weeds which compete with ornamental plants for soil moisture. Aged compost or planting mix are good mulches which feed the soil. You can also mulch with chopped leaves, straw, and even gravel.

Drip irrigation

Drip irrigation is a good way to save water. Micro-irrigation lines and emitters deliver water directly to plants; water is not wasted on unplanted areas of the garden. Drip irrigation systems can be placed on timers to deliver water in cooler times of the day when there is less evaporation. If you don’t want to install an irrigation system, run hoses to planting beds and use water wands or hose-end sprinklers to deliver water exactly where plants need it.

Reduce lawn

Replace water needy lawns with flowers and shrubs. Lawn grasses are shallow-rooted and need more water more often than deeper-rooted annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Flowering groundcover plants mixed with perennials and shrubs can replace lawns. Replace large lawns with stroll paths and flower beds.

How to spot drought-tolerant plants

Many plants have evolved to conserve water; plant color and texture are often indicative of drought-tolerant plants. Here are some characteristics of plants that need less water:

• Silver or gray leaves
• Hairy or furry leaves
• Thick, waxy, and succulent leaves
• Small, fine-textured leaves
• Thorns

Drought-tolerant annuals and perennials

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zones
Agapanthus	Agapanthus spp.	8-10
Agave	Agave spp.	8-11
Aloe	Aloe spp.	Varies
Artemisia	Artemisia spp.	Varies
Baby’s breath	Gypsophila paniculata	3-9
Basket-of-gold	Aurinia saxatilis	4-8
Bear’s breeches	Acanthus mollis	6-10
Black-eyed Susan	Rudbeckia fulgida	3-10
Blanket flower	Gallardia x grandiflora	2-10
Blazing star	Liatris spicata	3-9
Butter daisy	Melampodium leucanthum	Annual
Butterfly weed	Asclepias tuberosa	4-10
California poppy	Eschscholizia californica	Annual
Catmint	Nepeta x fassenii	4-9
Coneflower, purple	Echinacea purpurea	3-9
Coreopsis	Coreopsis spp.	4-9
Cosmos	Cosmos spp.	Annual
Echeveria (most)	Echeveria spp.	8-11
Euphorbia (most)	Euphorbia spp.	Varies
Evening primrose, showy	Oenothera speciosa	3-9
False sunflower	Heliopsis helianthoides	4-9
Feather grass	Stipa spp.	Varies
Flax	Linum perenne	5-8
Flax, New Zealand	Phormium tenax	8-11
Fountain grass	Pennisetum alopecuroides	5-9
Gaura	Gaura lindheimeri	5-9
Geranium, hardy	Geranium sanguineum	3-8
Iris, bearded	Iris x germanica	3-10
Lamb’s ears	Stachys byzantina	4-8
Lavender, English	Lavandula angustifolia	5-8
Love-in-a-mist	Nigella damascena	Annual
Marigold	Tagetes spp.	Annual
Mexican sunflower	Tithonia rotundifolia	Annual
Moss rose	Portulaca grandiflora	Annual
Muhly grass	Muhlenbergia spp.	7-10
Naked ladies	Amaryllis belladonna	5-9
Ox-eye daisy	Leucanthemum vulgare	5-9
Penstemon	Penstemon spp. (many)	Varies
Poppy	Papaver spp.	Varies
Pot marigold	Calendual officinalis	Annual
Red-hot poker	Knifphofia uvaria	5-9
Red valerian	Centranthus ruber	4-8
Russian sage	Perovskia atriplicfolia	3-9
Santolina	Santolina chamaesyparisus	6-9
Sea lavender	Limonium spp.	8-11
Sea thrift	Armera maritima	3-8
Sedums; stonecrop	Sedum spp.	4-9
Snow-in-summer	Cerastiu tomentosum	3-7
Spider flower	Cleome hasslerana	Annual
Spurge, cushion	Euphorbia polychroma	4-8
Statice	Limonium spp.	Varies
Strawflower	Helichrsyum braceatum	Annual
Sunflower	Helianthus annuus	Annual
Swan river daisy	Brachycome iberidifolia	Annual
Verbena (most)	Verbena spp.	Varies
Yarrow	Achillea spp.	3-9
Yucca	Yucca spp.	4-10
Zinnia	Zinnia elegans	Annual
Zinnia, narrow-leaf	Zinnia angustifolia	Annual

Drought-tolerant bulbs

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zones
Allium, ornamental onion	Allium spp.	4-10
Amaryllis	Hippeastrum spp.	7-11
Crocosmia	Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora	6-9
Crocus	Crocus spp.	3-8
Iris, German bearded	Iris hybrids	3-10
Iris, African	Dietes iriodiodes, D. bicolor	8-10
Peruvian lily	Alstromeria spp.	6-10
Society garlic	Tolbaghia violacea	8-11
Tulip	Tulipa spp.	3-7

Drought-tolerant vines

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zones
Bittersweet, American	Celastrus scandens	3-8
Black-eyed Susan vine	Thunbergia alata	Annual
Boston ivy	Parthenocissus tricuspidata	4-8
Bougainvillea	Bougainvillea	9-10
Euonymus, wintercreeper	Euonymus fortunei	4-8
Firethorn	Pyracantha coccinea	6-9
Honeysuckle, trumpet	Lonicera sempervirens	4-9
Morning glory	Ipomoea tricolor	Annual
Porcelain berry vine	Ampelopsis brevipedunculata	4-8
Silver lace vine	Polygonum aubertii	4-9
Trumpet creeper	Campis radicans	4-9
Viginia creeper	Parthenocissus quinquefolia	4-9
Wisteria	Wisteria spp.	5-9

Drought-tolerant ornamental grasses

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zones
Dwarf pampas grass	Cortaderia selloana ‘Pumila’	7-10
Blue fescue	Festuca glauca	4-9
Blue oat grass	Helictotrichon sempervirens	4-9
Feather grass	Stipa spp.	Varies
Fountain grass	Pennisetum alopecuroides	5-10
Silver grass; miscanthus	Miscanthus sinensis	5-10
Switch grass	Panicum virgatum	4-9

Drought-tolerant shrubs

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zones
Abelia, glossy	Abelia x grandiflora	6-9
Barberry	Berberis spp.	4-8
Bayberry, northern	Myric pensylvanica	2-6
Bluebeard	Caryopteris x clandonensis	5-8
Brooms	Genista spp., Cytisus spp.	4-8
Butterfly bush	Buddleia spp.	5-10
Ceanothus	Ceanothus spp.	8-10
Chase tree	Vitex agnus-castus	6-10
Currant, alpine	Ribes alpinum	2-7
Honeysuckles	Lonicera spp.	Varies
Mahonia	Mahonia spp.	Varies
Manzanita	Arctostaphylos spp.	Varies
Mockorange	Philadelphus spp.	4-8
Oleander	Nerium oleander	8-10
Potentilla, shrubby	Potentilla fruticosa	2-7
Rose-of-Sharon	Hibiscus syriacus	5-9
Rose, rugosa	Rosa rugosa	3-9
Snowberry	Symphoricrapos albus	3-7
Staghorn sumac	Rhus typhina	3-8

Drought-tolerant trees

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zones
Acacia, Bailey	Acacia baileyana	8-10
Ash, green	Fraxinus pennsylvanica	3-9
Bald cypress	Taxodium distichum	4-10
Bay; sweet bay	Laurus nobilis	8-11
Birch, river	Betula nigra	4-9
Birch, Whitespire	Betual mandschurica japonica	4-7
Buckeye, California	Aeschulus californica	6-10
Buckeye, Ohio	Aesculus glabra	3-7
Cedar, blue atlas	Cedrus libani ‘Glauca’	6-9
Cedar, deodar	Cedrus deodara	6-9
Crape myrtle	Lagersroemia indica	7-9
Cypress	Cupressus spp.	Varies
Desert willow	Chilopsis linearis	8-9
Elm, Chinese	Ulmus parvifolia	5-9
Fir, white	Abies concolor	3-7
Ginkgo	Gingo biloba	3-9
Hawthron, Washington	Crataegus phaenopyrum	3-9
Honey locust, thornless	Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis	3-8
Incense cedar	Calocedrus decurrens	5-8
Junipers	Juniperus spp.	Varies
Linden, silver	Tilia tomentosa	3-7
Magnolia, southern	Magnolia grandiflora	6-10
Mahonia, leatherleaf	Mahonia beali	6-9
Maple, Amur	Acer tartaricum spp. ginnala	2-6
Maple, Norway	Acer platanoides	3-7
Maple, red	Acer rubrum	3-9
Maple, silver	Acer saccharinum	3-9
Mesquite	Prosopis glandulosa	10-11
Mountain, ash European	Sorbus aucuparia	3-6
Oak, bur	Quercus macrocarpa	2-8
Oak, pin	Quercus palustris	4-8
Oak, white	Quercus alba	4-9
Oak, willow	Quercus phellos	4-8
Olive	Olea europaea	8-10
Pagoda tree, Japanese	Sophora japonica	6-8
Palo verde	Cercdium	9-10
Pine, Austrian	Pinus nigra	4-7
Pine, Jack	Pinus banksiana	2-6
Pine, Japanese black	Pinus thunbergii	5-7
Pine, mugo	Pinus mugo	2-7
Pine, Scotch	Pinus sylvestris	3-7
Pine, white	Pinus strobus	3-8
Pistachio	Pistacia chinensis	6-9
Redbud	Cercis canadensis	3-9
Russian olive	Elaeagnus angustifolia	3-8
Serviceberry, shadblow	Amelanchier spp.	3-8
Sugarberry; hackberry	Celtis spp.	Varies
Yellowwood	Cladrastis lutea	6-8
Yuccas	Yucca spp.	4-10