strawberry
Fragaria ananassa
Glossy red, long-necked fruit, ‘Ozark Beauty’, ‘Tri Star’, ‘Seascape’ and ‘Eversweet’ have a mild, sweet … Continued
Drought-tolerant and drought-resistant plants may still need supplemental water from time to time, but they can survive periods of dryness without dying.
Drought-resistant plants like cactus, hens and chicks, and sedums can go for very long periods without water and do not tolerate poorly drained locations. Drought-resistant tropical plants grown indoors in winter like cactus, Sansevieria, Echeveria, and other succulents sometimes fail due to overwatering.
Drought-tolerant plants grow in many textures and sizes and have different adaptations that help them get through periods of drought:
The latter two types of plants are drought tolerant once established because any new planting, regardless of drought tolerance, needs to be watered during the first growing season to allow roots to reach the depths needed to access moisture during dry periods.
It’s also important to note that survival may not mean that the plant will look its best during this time. Watering weekly for a longer period of time will result in the best-looking gardens with the highest tolerance for drought. During the hottest, dryest times in summer, watering deeply twice a week is recommended. These less frequent waterings will encourage root systems to expand, making it easier for plants to access moisture when their environment is dry.
Winter drought has become a bigger problem in recent years as snowfall declines. Evergreen plants are especially vulnerable during winter drought because their foliage continues to shed moisture while dormant deciduous plants have shed their leaves and can conserve moisture in woody stems and underground. Watering shrubs and trees in winter on days when the temperature allows (above freezing) will help ensure their healthy return in spring.
Here are some drought-tolerant and drought-resistant plants to grow—
Fragaria ananassa
Glossy red, long-necked fruit, ‘Ozark Beauty’, ‘Tri Star’, ‘Seascape’ and ‘Eversweet’ have a mild, sweet … Continued
Fragaria virginiana
Ground-hugging foliage produces loose clusters of small, five-petaled flowers followed by tasty, wild strawberries. Found … Continued
Syringa vulgaris
‘Sensation’ sports bicolor blooms of purple edged in white in early to mid-spring, and fill … Continued
Gaillardia aristata
Blanketflowers are one of the longest-blooming native perennials, well suited to hot sunny sites. Soft-yellow … Continued
Gaillardia aristata
Gaillardia aristata ‘Arizona Apricot’ grows 8 to 10″ tall, 10 to 12″ wide with continuous color … Continued
Gaillardia pulchella
Indian blanket is a bright native annual! It is easy to establish in dry to … Continued
Gaura longiflora
Large-flowered gaura is a great plains prairie plant that establishes quickly to provide late-season bloom. … Continued
Geranium sanguineum
One of the best choices for massed plantings, filling in quickly to create a bushy … Continued
Pelargonium interspecific
Copius color to beat the heat with a spreading habit. Dark foliage with vibrant single … Continued
Geranium 'Gerwat' ROZANNE
Perennial Plant Association 2008 Perennial Plant of the Year! A patented hybrid, clump-forming geranium noted for … Continued
'Johnson Blue' Geranium
‘Johnson’s Blue’ is an old favorite of many gardeners. Clear periwinkle blue flowers grow 2″ … Continued
Geranium maculatum
Native to much of eastern North America, this perennial has attractive dissected foliage, beautiful pink … Continued