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You are here: Home / Projects / Garden & Outdoor / 39 Stunning Drought-Tolerant Plants For Low-Maintenance Landscapes

39 Stunning Drought-Tolerant Plants For Low-Maintenance Landscapes

Reading Time: 7 minutes

October 6, 2023 By Riley E. Carlson 22 Comments

Looking for drought-tolerant plants for your ornamental garden or arid landscape? Look no further because you might find what you’re looking for on this roundup!

These are gorgeous drought-tolerant plants you won’t believe thrive with little to no watering. Here’s an extensive list of drought-tolerant plants you’ll fall in love with!

RELATED: When to Plant a Garden [Chapter 8] Homestead Handbook

Drought-Tolerant Plants | Make Your Dry Garden An Eden

1. Agave

blue agave field tequila jalisco mexico | drought tolerant plants california

Turn heads with these interesting perennials in your front yard landscape. Wait till it flowers and you’ll have more curious onlookers. And if you have a spacious garden, agave is the perfect addition to your plant display!

2. African Daisy (Gerbera)

patch violet african daisies flowers green | heat and drought tolerant plants

African daisies will wither on a dry spell, so what got them into this list of drought-tolerant plants? They’re hard to kill once they’re established and they don’t really wither and die. They only go dormant or go into survival mode.

3. Beardtongues (Penstemon)

pink blooming beardtongue garden nature background | drought tolerant shade plants

Don’t be fooled by these lovely and dainty blooms. Penstemons thrive on neglect. They will only feel at home in your waterless garden.

4. Black-eyed Susans

black eyed susans | drought tolerant ground cover plants

If you want a cottage flower garden in your arid landscape, black-eyed Susans are your go-to plants for a flower garden running riot in your dehydrated garden.

5. Blazing Stars (Ajuga)

blazing star liatris spicata asteraceae perennial | drought tolerant plants florida

It’s amazing how these flowers can thrive on both ends of the weather spectrum. From a dry spell to bitter winter, blazing stars will bloom in your garden.

6. Bougainvillea

blooming bougainvillea flowers-background bright orange | florida drought tolerant plants

Spanish villas and a Mediterranean landscape are never without these lovely blooms. Bougainvillea is proof of how you can maintain a lovely flower garden in a dry landscape.

7. Bugleweed (Ajuga)

carpet bugle weed ajuga reptans flower | drought tolerant plants texas

Some former growers may pass up on this drought-tolerant plant. Bugleweed or carpet bugle can be invasive but in a parched landscape, you can tame them.

8. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias Tuberosa)

bright orange butterfly weed which attracts | drought tolerant plants home depot

Invite butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden with dainty butterfly weeds. These beautiful flowers thrive in a dry landscape. They are also a favorite to the Monarch butterfly.

9. Cleome

purple flowerscleome spinosa linn growing garden | native california plants drought tolerant

An English cottage flower garden is possible in arid landscapes with drought-tolerant flowers like cleome which adds character to any flower garden. Not only is it lovely in pastel, but it also has an interesting wispy form.

10. Cactus Plants

golden barrel cactus commonly used ornamental | drought tolerant plants landscape design

What could be more drought-resistant than cactus? They do thrive in a waterless environment. You’ll love even their thorns which help quench their thirst. With hundreds of varieties, it will always be interesting.

11. Cardinal Climbers

ipomoea quamoclit cypress vine tropical plant | best drought tolerant plants

This annual climbing plant with small yet gorgeous red flowers is perfect in a trellis, fence, or arbor. That is if you have a small garden and a clematis won’t do.

12. Coneflowers (Echinacea)

coneflower echinacea angustifolia | drought tolerant flowering plants

Large flower heads and showy blooms are perfect backdrops for your dry landscape. Coneflowers, being a member of the daisy family, are dependable even with inferior and dry soil.

13. Coral Vine (Mexican Creeper)

pink flower named coral vine mexican | drought tolerant landscape plants

You’ll also love this flowering vine with dainty pink or white flowers for your trellis or arbor. You can grow them from seeds but the tubers will grow back even with frost damage.

14. Cosmos Plants

cosmos genus same common name consisting | drought tolerant plants for florida

Another beautiful flowering annual plant that thrives even in neglect. Growing cosmos in fertile soil will only produce verdant foliage and fewer flowers. This isn’t exactly what you are looking for in your flower garden.

15. Daylily (Hemerocallis)

daylily brownyellow flowerbed against foliage hemerocallis | drought tolerant plants for pots

One of my favorite perennials, daylilies aren’t considered ‘the perfect perennial’ for nothing. What lovely blooms and brilliant colors for a variety that is both drought and frost tolerant!

16. Desert Rose (Adenium Obesum)

adenium obesum desert rose impala lily | tall drought tolerant plants

One of the most familiar flowers in a desert or arid landscape is the Adenium obesum. Its common name, desert rose couldn’t be perfect. It may shed its foliage in a cold or dry spell but the blooms will flourish to your adoration.

17. Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia Milii)

red euphorbia milii desmoul flower blooming | drought tolerant tropical plants

The thorns may intimidate you but the flowers will definitely win you over. One of the most interesting drought-tolerant plants is the crown of thorns. They will interest you more with the variety of colors, sizes, and forms.

18. Indian Blanket Flowers (Gaillardia)

indian blanket flowers showing their beauty | drought tolerant container plants

Blanket flowers or Sundance are best appreciated in the wild. But you can grow a few in your sandy well-drained soil. With a high tolerance for drought, they do best in a hot climate in full sun.

19. Kaiser’s Crown (Crown Imperial)

bright orange flowers royal grouse springtime | colorful drought tolerant plants

Did our list just get even more interesting with this amazing entry? A bulb can cost a few dollars, but you can boost your dry landscape with this beautiful oddity.

RELATED: 5 Easy Gardening Tips That’ll Have You Grow Plants Like A Pro

20. Lantana Camara

colorful hedge flower shallow depth field | drought tolerant plants southern california

Lantana is common in the tropics and is even classified as invasive. But with trimming and care, you can grow it to your preference. With a profusion of different colors, you can grow a cottage flower garden in a dry landscape.

21. Lavender (Lavandula)

beautiful violet lavender green leaves light | southern california drought tolerant plants

One of our favorites, the lavender plant is simply extraordinary. Valued for more than just its looks, it is both an ornamental and essential herb. It is also a plant that can withstand both a dry spell and a frost.

22. Marigold

close beautiful marigold flower tagetes erecta | drought tolerant plants for shade

One of the most familiar summer plants growing in dry conditions is the marigold. To make your vegetable garden colorful, grow marigold among your veggies. They will also help drive away pests.

23. Romneya (Matilija Poppies)

white flowers california tree poppy | full sun drought tolerant plants

Featured in 1998’s The Mask Of Zorro, Romneyas, are true, native to California and Northern Mexico. A white flashy flower head with an intense yellow center deserves a spot in your arid garden landscape.

24. Oleander (Nerium Oleander)

close view pink oleander nerium flower | drought tolerant shrubs

Oleander is native to the Mediterranean region to the Arabian peninsula. It is also found in tropical regions around the world. Take care though. This beautiful drought-resistant plant is one of the most poisonous ornamental plants.

25. Primula

spring purple flowers perennial primrose primula | drought tolerant plants meaning

Primula, as a drought-tolerant plant, is due to its ability to thrive in inferior soil. You can find them in arid to dry landscapes from the rocky Himalayas to boggy meadows.

26. Purslane (Portulaca)

beautiful pinkredwhiteyellow orange flower portulaca oleraceae | drought tolerant plants landscape design

Some varieties of purslane belong to the weed class. It’s hard to kill and spreads fast. Use this to your advantage and grow an Alpine meadow-like landscape. Yes, even in your waterless garden.

27. Red Salvia (Scarlet Sage)

scarlet sage plants salvia splendens | drought-tolerant plants for pots

Grow scarlet sage with the drought-resistant purple wild sage. You will get a cottage flower garden-like landscape. A flower garden with an explosion of colors is possible even in a dry, sandy, and rocky landscape.

28. Stonecrops (Sedum)

showy stonecrop sedum spectabile flowers clouse | drought tolerant plants california

If you’re looking to do a xeriscape for your dry landscape, stonecrops or ‘sedum’ would be great. It is a leaf succulent flowering plant that does well in a rocky landscape.

29. Succulent Plants

collection various multicolored succulent plants garden | drought tolerant plants home depot

Succulents are all the rage these days with different varieties and interesting colors and forms. Besides that, its resistance to drought probably made it an endearing garden and indoor plant.

30. Sunflowers (Helianthus)

common sunflower large annual forb genus | drought tolerant plants in india

If not totally drought-tolerant, sunflowers are definitely summer flowering plants. Not only are they great for your landscape, but both the seeds and the young flower heads are also edible!

31. Torch Tithonia

orange mexican sunflower scientific name tithonia | drought tolerant plants zone 9

Torch tithonia or Mexican sunflower will light up any flower garden indeed. Its bright red-orange flowers will turn heads even when grown with other drought-tolerant plants.

32. Verbena (Vervain)

verbena bonariensis flowers-argentinian vervain purpletop | drought tolerant container plants

Some species of Verbena wear the colors of the stars and stripes. This makes them great for your summer garden in planters or hanging pots, not just for the Fourth of July, but for a patriotic look all summer long.

33. Vinca (Periwinkle)

madagascar periwinkle vinca old maid cayenne | tall drought tolerant plants

You can trust these lovely blooming flowers to thrive in your garden with little care. On hot and dry summer days just sit back and relax and these flowers will flourish all on their own.

34. Whiteweed (Ageratum)

close photo bluemink whiteweed deep purple | drought tolerant plants for pots

For a plant called Whiteweed, the flowers are commonly deep purple to blue, which is great for your dry garden. For a flower color that can be hard to grow, ‘ageratum’ is a great choice for your arid landscape.

35. Wild Sage

field flowers sage | native california plants drought tolerant

Like most varieties from the sage and salvia family, the wild sage sure is drought-resistant. Grow a drought-tolerant landscape with wild sage as an addition.

36. Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium)

medicinal perennial herbyarrow ordinary achillea millefolium | drought tolerant ground cover plants

You would do well to include yarrow in your dry garden landscape with its beneficial herb properties. It has long been used as food, to make tea, dried as a cooking herb, and was once a popular vegetable.

37. Yellow Alyssum (Stone Herb)

golden tuft alyssum dust yellow spring | best drought tolerant plants

You have a bonus in this low-lying dry-resistant plant which thrives in rocky terrain. It has a sweet-smelling scent which earned it the nickname of sweet alyssum plus it has dainty yellow flowers in clumps.

38. Yucca

yucca latin genus treelike evergreens agave | drought tolerant landscape plants

One of the mainstays in a desert to semi-desert landscape is the interesting yucca. It is similar to agave, only reserved or smaller in form, and has conventional flowers which bloom in a shorter time than agave.

39. Zinnia

pink white orange | heat and drought tolerant plants

Zinnias look a lot like Mexican sunflowers though they have a wide color variety. From red, yellow, orange, and pink, you can grow a rainbow flower garden even in a dry landscape.

Watch this video by Crocus.co.uk on how to grow drought-tolerant plants in a pot:

There you go, homesteaders! Drought-tolerant plants perfect for your dry or arid landscape. A dry spell wouldn’t be much of a concern now with these trusty plants to choose from!

Which drought-tolerant plant will you be adding to your homestead? Let us know in the comments section below!

Up Next:

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Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on November 9, 2019, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

Filed Under: Garden & Outdoor, Garden

Comments

  1. Selah says

    April 30, 2019 at 9:13 PM

    I planted Desert Bird of Paradise

    Reply
  2. Vickie J Borcher says

    May 17, 2021 at 10:58 PM

    #5 is liatrus not ajuga

    Reply
    • Justin Duncan says

      January 21, 2023 at 6:20 AM

      They even updated the article and did not correct the picture

      Reply
      • Marie Keough says

        March 12, 2023 at 4:55 PM

        Oh well, Justin, no one’s perfect!! We have absolutely no idea what goes on in other people’s lives and what they are needing to deal with! Let’s be kind.

        Reply

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