giant cabbage leaf coneflower
Rudbeckia maxima
This incredible wildflower grows 5-7′ tall with glaucous leaves to 10″. Flowers have 4-6″ cones … 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—
Black-eyed Susan ‘Cappucino’
Rudbeckia hirta 'Cappucino'
Huge 4″ blooms are beautiful bronzy red-orange bicolor with darker centers. Great for cut flowers, … Continued
‘Little Goldstar’ black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia fulgida 'Little Goldstar'
A knee-high black-eyed Susan with star-shaped golden yellow flowers produced over dark green foliage over … Continued
orange coneflower
Rudbeckia fulgida
This adaptable native occurs in both dry and moist soils in open woods, glades and … Continued
‘Prairie Sun’ black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta 'Prairie Sun'
An All-American Selections Award Winner 2003 Huge daisy-like blooms have peachy orange petals that wash … Continued
sweet coneflower
Rudbeckia subtomentosa
Gray-green foliage is covered by masses of yellow daisy-like flowers about 3” across with dark … Continued
brown-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia triloba
Native to the United States, this yellow flowering perennial is often seen in old fields … Continued
‘Prairie Glow’ Brown-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia triloba 'Prairie Glow'
A butterfly magnet, this compact, well-branched, and floriferous Rudbeckia produces gold-tipped blooms with bronzy orange … Continued
rue
Ruta graveolens
Lacy blue-green ornamental herb is known as the “herb of grace.” Rue was once thought … Continued
wild petunia
Ruellia humilis
Tubular, bell-shaped, petunia-like flowers up to 3″ long open from May to October on drought-loving … Continued
dock, bloodwort
Rumex sanguineus
Distinct red veins color the foliage of this 15″ highly ornamental but also edible vegetable. … Continued
hardy pampas grass
Saccharum ravennae (formerly Erianthus ravennae)
Showy plumes tower 8-10′ tall in summer. An excellent instant privacy planting especially useful between … Continued