Drought-Tolerant Trees

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Drought-tolerant trees can withstand dry conditions once established. No native or commonly used landscape plant is drought-resistant until it becomes established in the site. All plants require a steady supply of moisture when first planted.

Trees can tolerate drought if they are deep-rooted. Deep roots can harvest soil moisture from past rainfalls. Trees planted in the landscape should be deeply watered for the first two or three years before they can become full drought resistant.

Roots follow moisture in the soil; deep watering will result in deep roots. Surface watering–the water you might give a lawn or perennial plants–will be insufficient to sustain mature trees. Avoid shallow-rooted trees and increase drought tolerance by watering trees deeply until they are well established.

Drought-Tolerant Trees

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zone
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

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zone
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

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zone
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

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zone
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

Common Name	Botanical Name	Zone
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

Also of interest:

Drought-Tolerant Shrubs

Drought-Tolerant Annuals and Perennials