Mexican hats
Ratibida columnifera
Round, dense, fine foliage is covered with 1″ blooms of yellow, red and bicolor flowers … Continued
browsing: drought tolerant
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:
- succulents have thick, fleshy foliage to hold moisture for long periods
- silver-leaf plants reflect sunlight
- many grasses and native prairie plants have deep root systems that allow them to access moisture way underground
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—
Fine Line® fernleaf buckthorn
Rhamnus frangula 'Ron Williams' PP #14,791
Ferny foliage and a narrow columnar habit make this a fantastic plant for contrast. Foliage … Continued
Moses-in-a-cradle
Rhoeo spathacea nana
Succulent stems sport showy flat, pointed leaves of dark green above with purple undersides. Intermittent … Continued
‘Crimson Cherry’ rhubarb
Rheum x hybridum
Produces multitudes of red-blushed green stalks and is the best cooking rhubarb. Sweeter and milder … Continued
Aromatic Sumac, Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
This low-growing, native shrub forms a dense mass of stems and is used en masse … Continued
smooth sumac
Rhus glabra
This native, deciduous shrub occurs on prairies, fields, abandoned farmland, clearings and along roads and … Continued
staghorn sumac
Rhus typhina
Grows in any well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of urban conditions. … Continued
‘Red Lake’ currant
Ribes rubrum
Outstanding variety with clusters of bright red berries of good quality. Vigorous, disease resistant and … Continued
gooseberry
Ribes uva-crispa/hirtellum
Gooseberry cultivars can be American or European. Fruit from the American cultivars are smaller but … Continued
‘Consort’ black currant
Ribes nigrum 'Consort'
Black fruit on medium-long clusters has a sweet, strong, musky flavor. Used for jams, jellies, … Continued
trailing coral cactus, rice cactus
Rhipsalis cereuscula
Native to South America, this plant is lives in the understory of the forest where … Continued
black locust
Robinia pseudoacacia
‘Purple Robe’ is a poor soil and drought tolerant, deer resistant, and fast-growing native tree … Continued