Plants For Drought Conditions

This is a list of plants which tolerate drought conditions better than most.  Just like any other plants, however, they'll do best when properly watered.

Deciduous Trees

Acer griseum - Paperbark maple
Carpinus caroliniana - American hornbeam
Cornus kousa - Kousa dogwood
Cotinus obovatus - American smoketree
Crataegus phaenopyrum - Washington hawthorn
Ginkgo biloba - Ginkgo
Halesia tetraptera - Carolina silverbells
Koelreuteria paniculata - Goldenraintree
Liquidambar styraciflua - American sweetgum
Malus spp. - Crabapple
Platanus x acerifolia - London planetree
Quercus spp. - Oak
Sophora japonica - Japanese pagodatree
Tilia spp. - Linden

Shrubs

Aesculus parvifolia - Bottlebrush buckeye
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - Bearberry
Aronia spp. - Chokeberry
Buddleia davidii - Butterfly bush
Calluna spp. - Heather
Chaenomeles x superba - Japanese flowering quince
Clethra alnifolia - Sweet pepperbush
Comptonia peregrina – Sweetfern
Cornus mas - Corneliancherry dogwood
Cotinus coggygria - Smokebush
Cotoneaster spp. - Cotoneaster
Erica spp. - Heath
Exochorda racemosa - Pearlbush
Forsythia sp. - Forsythia
Hydrangea paniculata - Panicle hydrangea
Hypericum prolificum - Shrubby St. John’s wort
Itea virginica - Virginia sweetspire
Myrica pensylvanica - Bayberry
Philadelphus coronarius - Mockorange
Physocarpus opulfolius - Ninebark
Potentilla fruticosa - Bush cinquefoil
Rhus spp. (aromatica, copallina, typhus) -
Ornamental sumac
Rosa rugosa - Saltspray rose
Rosa virginiana - Virginia rose
Spirea spp. - Spirea, many species
Syringa spp. - Lilac
Vaccinium angustifolium - Lowbush blueberry
Viburnum dentatum - Arrowwood

Needled Evergreens

Abies concolor - White fir
Cedrus atlantica - Atlas cedar
Cephalotaxus harringtonia - Japanese plum yew
Chamaecyparis pisifera - Sawara false cypress
Juniperus spp. - Junipers, most species
Picea spp. - Spruce, most species
Pinus spp. - Pine, most species
Taxus spp. - Yew, most species
Thuja occidentalis - Eastern arborvitae

Broadleaf Evergreens

Ilex crenata - Japanese holly
Ilex glabra - Inkberry
Ilex x meserveae - Meserve holly
Ilex opaca - American holly

Vines

Aristolochia macrophylla (durior) – Dutchman’s pipe
Campsis radicans - Trumpet creeper
Clematis montana - Anemone clematis
Lonicera sempervirons -Trumpet honeysuckle
Parthenocissus quinquefolia - Virginia creeper
Wisteria frutescens - American wisteria

Perennials

Asclepias tuberosa - Butterflyweed
Agastache foeniculum - Anise hyssop
Amsonia spp. - Amsonia
Artemisia spp. - Artemisia
Aster spp. - Asters
Baptisia australis - False blue indigo
Centauria montana - Perennial bachelor’s button
Coreopsis spp.- Coreopsis
Dianthus spp. - Pinks
Echinacea purpurea - Purple cone flower
Echinops ritro - Globe thistle
Erygium spp. - Sea holly
Euphorbia sp. - Spurge
Gaillardia spp. - Blanket flower
Geranium macchrorhizum - Bigroot geranium
Helleborus sp. – Hellebores
Hemerocallis spp. – Daylily
Hibiscus moscheutos - Common mallow
Hosta sp. - Hosta
Iris sibirica - Siberian iris
Lavendula angustifolia -Lavender
Liatris spp. - Gay feather
Nepeta spp. - Catmint
Paeonia sp. - Peony
Perovskia atriplicifolia - Russian sage
Phlox spp.- Phlox
Rudbeckia spp. - Black-eyed Susan
Salvia spp. - Sage
Sedum spp. - Sedum
Sempervirens tectorum - Hens and chicks
Stachys byzantina - Lamb=s ears
Stokesia laevis - Stoke=s aster
Thymus spp. - Thyme
Verbascum spp. - Mullein
Yucca spp. - Yucca

Annuals

Calendula officinalis - Pot marigold
Canna x generalis - Canna
Capsicum spp. - Ornamental peppers
Celosia cristata - Cockscomb
Cleome - Spider plant
Cosmos - Cosmos
Digitalis purpurea - Foxglove
Eschscholzia californica - California poppy
Gazania rigens - Gazania
Helianthus sp. - Sunflowers
Helichrysum bracteatum - Strawflower
Lantana spp. - Lantana
Limonium spp. - Statice
Nicotiana alata - Flowering tobacco
Pelargonum x hortatum - Geranium
Petunia x hybrida - Petunia
Portulaca grandiflora - Moss rose
Rudbeckia hirta - Gloriosa daisy
Senecio cineraria - Dusty miller
Tagetes spp. - Marigolds
Verbena spp. - Verbena
Begonia semperflorens - Wax begonia
Ornamental Grasses
Calamagrostis x acutiflora - Feather reed grass
Festuca glauca - Blue fescue
Panicum virgatum - Switch grass
Schizachyrium scoparium - Little bluestem

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