California Lilac
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus
Drought-tough once established — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot; it stands 6–20 ft tall and blooms Mar through May.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–20 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
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Collection
Drought-Tolerant Native Plants
Deep-rooted native plants that shrug off heat and dry spells and rarely need watering once they are established.
Tip: open your state below for the version of this list filtered to plants native to your region and hardy in your zone.
The plants
56 native species in this collection.
Drought-tough natives earn their reputation with deep roots, so the secret is patience: water them through the first season while those roots reach down, then taper off and let them fend for themselves. Plant in fall or early spring, give them sharp drainage and full sun, and resist the urge to coddle — overwatering kills more of these than any heat wave.
California Poppy
Eschscholzia californica
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot — 8–18 in tall, and blooms Mar through Jun.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 8–18 in
- Blooms Mar–Jun
Desert Marigold
Baileya multiradiata
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 12–18 in tall and it blooms Mar through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Mar–Oct
Firecracker Penstemon
Penstemon eatonii
Built for heat and dry spells — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants — 1.5–3 ft tall, and blooms Mar through May.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
Built for heat and dry spells — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells, reaching 6–12 in tall and it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Red-Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — right at home in dry rocky ground where most perennials struggle — 5–9 ft tall, and flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 5–9 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants; it stands 3–6 ft tall and blooms Apr through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle; it stands 2–3 ft tall and blooms Apr through Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Apr–Oct
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — holding up in dry clay where other perennials wilt; it stands 25–50 ft tall and flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 25–50 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
Built for heat and dry spells — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 6–16 in tall, and flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle — 1–2 ft tall, and blooms May through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Built for heat and dry spells — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot — 1.5–3 ft tall, and blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 15–25 ft tall, and blooms May through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — thriving in the lean, fast-draining rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 2–4 ft tall and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Gregg's Mistflower
Conoclinium greggii
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 1–2 ft tall, and blooms May through Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot — 1.5–2 ft tall, and blooms May through Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Rocky Mountain Penstemon
Penstemon strictus
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot, reaching 1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms May through Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — happiest in poor, gritty rocky soil where richer plants rot, reaching 2–5 ft tall and it blooms May through Oct.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — happiest in poor, gritty sand soil where richer plants rot — 4–7 ft tall, and flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Built for heat and dry spells — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle; it stands 2–4 ft tall and blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Built for heat and dry spells — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 1.5–3 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
Built for heat and dry spells — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot; it stands 1–2.5 ft tall and blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot — 1.5–2.5 ft tall, and blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Flame Acanthus
Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii
Built for heat and dry spells — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants — 2–4 ft tall, and blooms Jun through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Oct
Browse by state
Drought-tolerant, near you.
Native ranges differ across the country — open your state for the list that actually applies to your yard.
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Sourcing
Where to find drought-tolerant plants
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.