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Drought-Tolerant Plants

Find lower-water plants that help gardens stay resilient through hot spells, dry soil, and leaner maintenance schedules.

This guide highlights dependable choices for sunny beds, gravel planting, and gardens where every watering round matters.

Plan a drought-tolerant garden with these plantsExplore all plants

101856 plants found

Featured plants

24
Caucasian stonecrop
Perennial
Evergreen

Caucasian stonecrop

Phedimus spurius

Crassulaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 4–9
0.1–0.3m
Blooms: Jul
Purple sage
Perennial

Purple sage

Salvia purpurea

Lamiaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 5–9
0.4–0.8m
Blooms: Jun, Jul, Aug
White milkwort
Perennial

White milkwort

Polygala alba

Polygalaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 4–8
0.2–0.4m
Blooms: May, Jun, Jul
Spring crocus
Perennial

Spring crocus

Crocus vernus

Iridaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 3–8
0.13–0.13m
Blooms: Feb, Mar
Lavender
Shrub
Evergreen

Lavender

Lavandula angustifolia

Lamiaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 5–9
0.5–1m
Blooms: Jun, Jul, Aug
Argentine vervain
Perennial

Argentine vervain

Verbena bonariensis

Verbenaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 6–10
1.3–1.3m
Blooms: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Andropogon
Grass

Andropogon

Andropogon selloanus

Poaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 5–8
0.6–1.2m
Blooms: Aug, Sep, Oct
Savory
Perennial
Evergreen

Savory

Satureja montana

Lamiaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 4–9
0.16–0.3m
Blooms: Jul, Aug, Sep
Sage
Perennial
Evergreen

Sage

Salvia officinalis

Lamiaceae

Partial Shade
Low
Zone 5–9
0.51–0.6m
Blooms: Jun, Jul, Aug
Yellow bedstraw
Perennial

Yellow bedstraw

Galium verum

Rubiaceae

Partial Shade
Low
Zone 4–10
0.11–0.32m
Blooms: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Many-leaved Spurge
Perennial

Many-leaved Spurge

Euphorbia polyphylla

Euphorbiaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 4–9
0.3–0.6m
Blooms: May, Jun, Jul
Olive
Tree
Evergreen

Olive

Olea europaea

Oleaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 8–11
4.5–13m
Blooms: May, Jun
Japanese pine
Tree
Evergreen

Japanese pine

Pinus densiflora

Pinaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 4–8
9.13–20m
Shrub
Evergreen

Aucuba

Aucuba eriobotryifolia

Garryaceae

Partial Shade
Low
Zone 7–10
1.5–3m
Breckland thyme
Perennial
Evergreen

Breckland thyme

Thymus serpyllum

Lamiaceae

Partial Shade
Low
Zone 4–9
0.06–0.07m
Blooms: Jun, Jul
Evergreen candytuft
Perennial
Evergreen

Evergreen candytuft

Iberis sempervirens

Brassicaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 5–9
0.2–0.3m
Blooms: Apr, May, Jun
pasque flower
Perennial

pasque flower

Pulsatilla vulgaris

Ranunculaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 3–9
0.23–0.28m
Blooms: Mar, Apr
Jelecote pine
Tree
Evergreen

Jelecote pine

Pinus patula

Pinaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 7–10
18.35–27.5m
Baby sage
Perennial

Baby sage

Salvia microphylla

Lamiaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 5–9
0.4–0.8m
Blooms: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Moorgrass
Grass
Evergreen

Moorgrass

Sesleria wettsteinii

Poaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 5–9
0.3–0.6m
Blooms: Aug, Sep, Oct
Perennial
Evergreen

Santolina

Santolina semidentata

Asteraceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 5–9
0.3–0.6m
Blooms: Jun, Jul, Aug
Carthusian pink
Perennial

Carthusian pink

Dianthus carthusianorum

Caryophyllaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 4–9
0.44–0.6m
Blooms: Jun
Woad
Perennial

Woad

Isatis glauca

Brassicaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 5–8
0.5–1m
Blooms: May, Jun, Jul
European feather grass
Grass

European feather grass

Stipa pennata

Poaceae

Full Sun
Low
Zone 4–9
0.51–0.95m
Blooms: Jun, Jul, Aug
Why this theme works
Drought-tolerant planting works when water demand, root resilience, and sun exposure all line up. These plants give you a stronger baseline for lower-input designs.
FAQ

What belongs in a drought-tolerant garden?

Start with plants that match the core site conditions for a drought-tolerant garden, then layer in foliage, structure, and bloom for a longer season.

How do I plan a drought-tolerant garden?

Choose the right site conditions first, shortlist plants that fit them, and sketch the mix in Plantory before you buy anything.

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