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Drought Tolerant Plants
Hosta "Gold Standard"
Long periods of dry weather can pose a major threat to the health of your plants. Water is a plant's lifeblood, and just like us, they cannot go indefinitely without it for long. Fortunately, with good planning, there are several ways that you can plan a garden which will perform well during dry spells.
Right Plant, Right Place
The most important step in maintaining healthy plants is to plant the right plant in the right place. Before selecting plants, take note of the planting site.
What are the light conditions?
- Is it sunny all day?
- Just in the morning?
- Just in the afternoon?
- Shady most of the day?
Crimson Pygmy Barberry
Is it windy? Does the soil take a day or two to dry out after it rains? How much actual space is available for planting?
Light Conditions
Begin by defining the light condition of your planting site. If the site is sunny all day, or all afternoon (at least 6 hours) it is considered full sun. If the site is sunny just in the morning, it is considered shady. If the site has sun in the morning and part of the afternoon it is considered part sun and if it is shady most of the time it is considered full shade.
Full sun plants (junipers, crimson pygmy barberry, and cypress, for example) will not perform well, and may eventually die if they are planted in too shady of a location.
Shade loving or part shade loving plants can often tolerate more sun, but the plants will always be under stress and are more prone to insect and disease problems, will tend not to bloom well, and will require additional water to remain healthy.
Gold Sword Yucca
How does light affect drought tolerance?
Many plants are mistakenly considered to be sun loving, but actually prefer some shade in the afternoon. Hollies, viburnums, hydrangeas and dogwoods are a few major groups of plants that fall into this category. While these plants will live and perhaps thrive in full sun conditions, they will be more stressed during periods of drought than plants which truly prefer full sun.
Wind
Winter wind dries the leaves of broadleaved evergreens such as hollies, rhododendrons and magnolias. In order for these plants to survive these conditions, they must be well watered throughout the fall to help prevent damage and again in the spring to recover from any damage the wind.
Sites that are windy during the rest of the year will also possibly be drying to big-leafed perennials and other plants such as hydrangeas.
How does wind affect drought tolerance?
Miscanthus Adagio
Plant leaves are full of water. Plants with leaves (vs. needles) are more susceptible to losing moisture in a windy spot and will therefore need additional watering.
Spacing
Plants need adequate space for their roots to grow and develop properly. When plants are space too close, the roots will compete for soil and moisture as the plant matures.
How does spacing affect drought tolerance?
When plants are crowded together, the roots may not be able get adequate moisture from the soil and the plants may then need additional water.
Drought Tolerant Plants
It is very important to understand that plants that are considered "drought tolerant" are only drought tolerant once they are established. When these plants are first planted they have the same watering requirements as non-drought tolerant plants. It takes several years for the plant to become established enough to be considered drought tolerant. The following is a list of plants which are reputed to be drought tolerant.
| Trees |  |
Shrubs |
| "Winter King" Hawthorne | Barberry | |
| Ginkgo | Cotoneaster | |
| London Planetree | Deutzia | |
| Pin Oak | Elaeagnus | |
| Zelkova | Potentilla | |
| Trident Maple | Pyracantha | |
| Halka Honeylocust | Dwarf Spirea | |
| Sweet Gum | Arrowwood Viburnum | |
| Callery Pear | Yucca | |
| Littleleaf Linden | Juniper | |
| Seven Sons Flower | Mugho Pine | |
| Mop Cypress |
Perennials |
| Achillea |
| Artemisia |
| Baptisia |
| Coreopsis verticillata |
| Dianthus |
| Euphorbia |
| Russian Sage |
| Santolina |
| Sedum |
| Hosta |
| Epimedium |
| Miscanthus grass (but not other varieties of ornamental grass) |
| Panicum |
| Sorghastrum |
| Erianthus |
| Cortaderia |
| Calamintha |
| Delosperma |
| Gaura |
| Daylily |
| Iberis |
| Lamium |
| Lavender |
| Liatris |
| Nepeta |
| Liriope |
