Drought Tolerant Plants Part 1: Selections for Water Wise Gardens

Drought tolerant plants help those gardens that generally do not get a lot of rain. These water wise plants do not need supplemental watering to keep them alive and thriving, thus making them an asset to those in semi-desert areas. These plants listed below all have clickable links on their name that will open to more in depth articles; complete with planting instructions and interesting facts about the plant.

The Bracken Fern

Also known as Pteridium aquilinum, the braken fern is a drought tolerant perennial that grows 1 to 3 feet high with green fronds that go tan in the fall. Easy to grow in any lighting, it prefers dry acidic soil. This fern has a USDA hardiness zone spread of 3 through 11.

The Desert Marigold

Also known as the Baileya multiradiata, the desert marigold is a short-lived perennial with near leafless stems and yellow daisy-like flowers. It grows 10 to 30 inches in height. It works well in partial shade and dry soil, and can be propagated by seed.

Lavender-Scallops

Also known as Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi, the lavender-scallops is an evergreen perennial that grows 2 feet high and has succulent blue-green leaves and red or purple bell-like flowers. It prefers partial shade and can be propagated by cuttings.

Rosemary

Also known as Rosemarinus officinalis, rosemary is an evergreen drought tolerant herb that has needle like leaves and blue clustered flowers. It can be used in the kitchen or in herbal remedies and grows in zones 8 through 10. It prefers dry sandy areas that are not acidic.

Hardy Prickly Pear

Also known as Opuntia humifusa, the hardy prickly pear is an evergreen drought resistant perennial cactus. It works well in any lighting or soil conditions and can be a food. A tasty jelly recipe is included in the link to the full article.

Crown of Thorns

Also known as Euphorbia milii, the crown of thorns is a semi-succulent that grows up to 3 feet tall. It works efficiently in well-drained poor soils in hardiness zones of 8 through 11. It can be propagated by cuttings.

Iron Plant

Also known as Aspidistra elatior, the iron plant is a hardy perennial evergreen that grows in USDA hardiness zones of 7 through 10. They have dark green leaves and are a good foliage plant. They prefer partial to full shade and can be propagated by clump division.

There are more drought tolerant plants that go well in desert and water wise gardens in Part Two of this series.