Grow water wise flowers and shrubs that look absolutely gorgeous, help out pollinators and flourish in drought conditions.
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Top 10 Water Wise Plants That Will Thrive in a Dry Spell
Updated on Aug. 01, 2022
Amethyst Sea Holly
Eryngium amethystinum, Zones 3 to 9
Eye-catching and compact, sea holly has spiny gray-green foliage and prickly cool blue flower heads that bloom in mid-to-late summer. This deer-resistant plant loves hot sun and well-draining soil but will survive just about anywhere. Add this sea holly to borders, a cutting garden or by a drought tolerant shrub.
Why we love it: Bees and butterflies flock to these water wise plants, which also shine in floral arrangements.
Moss Rose
Portulaca grandiflora, Annual
A member of the purslane family, moss rose grows to create a mat that is 3 to 8 inches high and up to 1 foot wide. It makes for a stunning spiller in a hanging planter or rock garden. Give it full sun—the flowers open only in sunlight before closing in the evening. Try the Fairy Tale series for pompomlike flowers or Sundial for blooms that stay open longer during the day.
Why we love it: The petals have a ruffled appearance and come in a wide array of colors.
Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus, Zones 7 to 11 or annual
A fragrant evergreen that also serves as a savory herb, rosemary shrubs have needlelike leaves and clusters of flowers in pale blue to white that bloom from late winter through summer. Growing up to 6 feet tall, it requires moist, well-draining soil and full sun for best results. Prune if desired after flowering.
Why we love it: You can keep rosemary in a pot indoors to overwinter or for easy additions to recipes.
Gold Nugget Hens-and-Chicks
Sempervivum, Zones 4 to 9
Provide a year-round display of vibrant color with Gold Nugget. The succulent’s foliage changes from lime green in summer to golden red during cooler months. Place hens-and-chicks in gritty, well-draining soil where these water wise plants can receive full sun or very light shade.
Why we love it: With low-growing rosettes that spread 6 to 8 inches, hens-and-chicks can be divided by pulling out a few chicks (smaller rosettes) and replanting.
Pineleaf Penstemon
Penstemon pinifolius, Zones 4 to 9
Native to the southern Rocky Mountains, this compact perennial features foliage that resembles pine needles and has tubular flowers with bright red, orange and yellow tones. Also known as beardtongue, penstemon loves full sun and is a magnet for bees, hummingbirds and other helpful pollinators.
Why we love it: Deer leave it alone. Plus it’s easy to grow on slopes or in rock gardens.
Red Creeping Thyme
Thymus praecox ‘Coccineus’, Zones 3 to 8
Creeping thyme is a drought tolerant plant with a bounty of blooms. Many thyme varieties do well with very little water, but this magenta-hued version is especially vibrant and fragrant. Keep it in full or part sun. Tuck clusters of these water wise plants into rock gardens or near walls, where they will spread 8 to 12 inches.
Why we love it: The dark foliage slowly transforms to a beautiful bronze color during fall.
See more flowering drought tolerant ground cover plants.
Color Guard Adam’s Needle
Yucca filamentosa, Zones 4 to 10
This flowering desert plant has spiked variegated foliage and ivory bell-shaped flowers that appear on 4-to-6-foot stalks in midsummer. It’s a striking focal point in a low-water garden. Put it in a spot with sunshine and well-draining soil, and this will easily grow 2 to 3 feet wide.
Why we love it: Color Guard is salt tolerant, does well as a container plant and attracts hummingbirds, but deer tend to leave it be.
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa, Zones 3 to 9
This bushy perennial is known for its showstopping clusters of vivid flowers that bloom throughout the summer. Add these water wise plants to a cottage garden with easy access for cut flowers. The seedpods add texture and interest to a dried floral arrangement, and it will self-seed if pods aren’t removed. Butterfly vine also is known to attract pollinators and grows in Zone 9 or warmer.
Why we love it: Butterflies adore it and monarchs use it as a host plant.
Arizona Sun Blanket Flower
Gaillardia, Zones 3 to 9
Requiring little water and suitable in small spaces, this easy-to-grow perennial forms a swath of deep red, orange and yellow daisylike blossoms. Arizona Sun, an All-America Selections winner, prefers full sun and well-draining soil, and it beautifully tolerates heat. Blanket flower is drought resistant and can be grown for birds to enjoy.
Why we love it: A long-lasting bloomer, it flowers from early summer to fall. Deadhead to extend the color show.
Cascade Stonecrop
Sedum divergens, Zones 2 to 9
This succulent’s tightly stacked, plump leaves range from green to darker red. Golden, star-shaped flowers appear in summer. Also known as spreading stonecrop, it’s a tough, low-maintenance plant that needs lots of sunlight but very little water.
Why we love it: Use this fast-growing flowering succulent as a ground cover or to enhance rock gardens, borders and containers.
Psst—other succulents like aloe or agave also look great in a water-wise garden.
