Drought resistant plants

Mud Dog · Joined: 21 Aug 2003 Posts: 4 Location: Carrollton TX

Hi,
I'm a newbe so sorry if this question has been around before. But I need advice on drought resistant plants. I'm tired of wasting water and still losing plants.

Thanks :)

drchelo · Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Posts: 147 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

Hello, Mud Dog - I see you are in Carrollton - so you have not gotten any more rain than I have! What kinds of plants are you interested in? Flowering plants? Annuals/perennials? Shrubs? trees? Ground covers? Here are some of the plants I have found in these different categories that don't mind drought too much...
1. Perennial flowers - gaillardia, "butter and eggs", coneflowers (echinacea), rudbeckia of all kinds, salvia, achiella (yarrow), and speedwell, phlox, fairy roses, veronicas..cannas are also tough - from rhizomes
2. Annuals - Periwinkles are the prettiest ones I know of that stand my Dallas dirt and Texas heat and drought,but lantana and verbena will grow for my neighbors. Also ornamental purslane and moss roses are very colorful and tough flowers..
3. Other bedding plants - lambs'ears are great - they tolerate drought, and they like the heat, trailing germander, and many herbs are really pretty and they like heat and drought - lemon thyme is really pretty. Santolina and curry plants LOVE dry weather and are really pretty sliver-grey accent plants - and they smell good!
I don't know very much about trees and shrubs - but my holly and junipers live well with little water..
There are a lot of people here who have a lot of knowledge, and I am sure that they will be able to give you good points. At Northaven Gardens on Central (my second home) there is a Texas A&M horticulturalist who can give you really good advice, too!

dragonfly · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 8:44 pm Post subject:

In addition to the ones listed above, I have had great luck with mistflower this year. I planted a one-gallon container plant last Fall, then I grew some from seed that I transplanted out in the Spring, and they have all done pretty well on little water. I have found that salvia species will survive on little water, but do much better if watered at least weekly. Pavonia (I think that is the name) and zexmenia (maybe spelled wrong) have done well too. Ii also have some shrubs that are called Bluebeard that have survived the heat and drought and are just now starting to bloom.