Below you will find the best collection on the net of drought-tolerant plants and garden ideas that require little water, making them perfect for xeriscaping applications. And most of these are not strictly desert plants – they can fit into the cutest cottage garden, or a formal landscape.
Browse our collection of perennials, annuals, evergreen shrubs, succulents, and drought-tolerant trees to make your garden more water efficient, requiring less irrigation.
Marigolds are a garden classic, and it doesn’t take much to see why. They’re easy to grow because they’re adaptable and tolerant of many environments. Plus, they provide long-lasting color without maintenance and they can improve the soil where you grow them by deterring nematodes. They’re marvelous! Read more now.
Russian sage, a member of the mint family, has attractive purple-blue flowers and green-gray foliage. It looks much like lavender but has a beauty all its own, adding unique appeal to the ornamental landscape. Hardy in USDA Zones 3-9, Salvia yangii thrives in full sun and well-draining soil. Read more now.
The iconic flowers of the bird of paradise plant have made it a popular landscape plant in regions with warm climates. And despite their regal appearance, these plants are relatively easy to care for, and rarely succumb to pests or diseases. Read on to learn how to grow birds of paradise in your garden in Zones 9-12.
Have you heard of xeriscaping? Often associated with desert climates, it’s much more than succulents and cacti. This sensible landscape style conserves water, reduces garden maintenance, and provides habitat for endemic species. Learn all about its aesthetics and efficiency here on Gardener’s Path.
Love echinacea? Go beyond the classic purple coneflower you know and adore and take a look at 17 of our favorite colorful series and cultivars that you can grow. With single or double blooms, available in just about every hue, flower arrangers and beneficial insects alike will go crazy for these perennial beauties.
For a drought-resistant, pollinator-attracting, and overall gorgeous plant that can rock both a shrub and tree shape, check out the chaste tree. We’ve whipped up a guide on Vitex agnus-castus that will teach a hopeful chaste tree grower everything they need to know, from propagation to cultivation to plant health care.
Coneflowers are a triple threat. They’re easy to grow, undeniably pretty and they’re also useful in the medicine cabinet, as you probably know. You can even make use of echinacea in the kitchen, which may come as a surprise to you! Ready to add these North American native beauties to your garden? Read more now.
For dramatic beauty in the landscape, consider purple fountain grass, a showy ornamental that dazzles with colorful leaves and long, droopy, and fluffy plume heads. It’s grown as an annual in most of the US, but overwinters in zones 9-11. Now on Gardener’s Path, learn more about this hybrid plant with African origins.
Did you know there are two different types of chamomile with different growth habits and uses? German chamomile has cheerful flowers just waiting to be turned into tea, while English chamomile is ideal for growing as a low-maintenance ground cover. Learn about the differences between English and German chamomile now.
Calamint is a fragrant perennial plant that makes an attractive member of an herb garden or flower bed. These bushy plants, covered with small white, blue, pink, or purple flowers, attract beneficial bees and butterflies, and are a delight to behold. Read more now to learn how to grow and care for calamint.
If you need a tough species that can survive neglect, check out gopher plants. It doesn’t take a lot of work to raise these low-maintenance evergreens, whether you need something to fill your containers, xeric garden, or dry areas. Learn all about propagation, planting, and care in this guide to Euphorbia rigida.
If you’re searching for eye-catching color, texture, and height to add to your late summer to fall garden, put sky blue aster at the top of the list. This vigorous native perennial produces masses of small, daisy-like blooms on upright, branching stems. Read more to learn how to grow sky blue aster in your garden now.
Looking for a durable plant that isn’t very thirsty or hungry and thrives in almost any soil? Try growing salvia. With many different varieties available, whether tall, short, annual, or perennial, you’ll get a tough plant softened by beautiful and profuse blooms in white, pink, red, coral, purple, blue, or yellow.
Woody shrubs give great structure to the garden, and ones that provide flowers as well as fall color are invaluable for multi-season interest. Spirea gives pretty spring flowers and bright green foliage that turns into vibrant fall color, and it’s fast and easy to grow! Get the full details here on Gardeners Path.
With colorful flowers and a spreading habit, the Swan River daisy hails from Australia and is a natural choice for annual ground cover and brightening borders. The most distinct variety has blue petals, but all the color options are cheery in containers and mass plantings. Follow our tips for the healthiest blooms.
Evening primrose flowers bloom later than many other plants, are tolerant of many environmental stressors, and are just flat-out gorgeous. In our guide to growing Oenothera, you’ll learn how to propagate, cultivate, and maintain these wonderful plants, as well as how to keep them safe from pests and disease. Read more.
A pretty evergreen tree for subtropical gardens, the loquat produces yummy fruits that can be eaten plain or used in scrumptious recipes. Our guide goes over everything a loquat gardener needs to know, from cultivation tips to pointers on plant health care. Read more now and you’ll be ready to grow loquats like a pro.
The alpine aster is a low-profile, cold-weather perennial for USDA hardiness zones 4 to 7. It’s an early-blooming species that flowers from late spring through early summer. Perfectly suited to rock gardens, its flowers are pink, purple, or white. Learn how to grow and care for alpine aster, here on Gardener’s Path.
If you are looking for a drought-tolerant flower that blooms profusely from early spring to late fall, consider blackfoot daisy, the heat-loving American native that’s not picky about soil and is resistant to pests, deer, and diseases. You will love its cheerful white flowers and low, rounded form. Read more now.
Cape marigold is a daisy-like annual native to South Africa and Namibia, suited to USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 11. Its showy blooms offer summer-to-frost color in apricot, orange, salmon, white, and yellow hues, sometimes accented by purple. Give your garden an explosion of color and learn how to grow it in this guide.
Yarrow is a perennial flowering herb with a long history of medicinal use, from treating wounds on the battlefield to modern herbal remedies. With feathery leaves and delicate flowers, it repels pests and provides ornamental interest in the garden. Read on to learn all about the history of yarrow and its many uses.
A cultivated wildflower, gaura features clouds of pretty pink or white flowers on long, waving stems that flutter in a breeze. Low maintenance and easily cultivated, this lovely ornamental puts on a fantastic show for months, flowering from early summer until frost. Learn how to grow and care for beeblossom now.
Ready to plant marigolds from seed for bright summer blooms? Planting marigolds from seed is easy, but you’ll want to know when you should start these annual flower seeds indoors – and when you can sow the seeds right into your garden soil. Learn more about how and when to plant marigolds from seed. Read more now.
Highly ornamental as a container plant, ground cover, hedge, screen, or specimen, low-care Chinese fringe flower features spidery pink flowers in early spring with beautiful burgundy/plum foliage all year long. A striking addition to mild-winter gardens, learn how to grow and care for Chinese fringe flower right here.
Four o’clocks bloom in the late afternoon, which is just part of their appeal. They also thrive in poor soil, resist drought, and sprout easily from seed. Our guide explains how to tend this old-fashioned cottage garden flower, from selecting cultivars to overwintering to saving seeds. It’s time to grow four o’clocks.
Want to become a succulent gardening pro? We share our top tips for planting, watering, fertilizer needs, dealing with winter weather or warm spells, pests and diseases, and more. Whether you’re planting outdoors in Zone 11 or growing a few potted plants in a sunny windowsill, read our guide now on Gardener’s Path.
With bright colors, fast growth, and good drought tolerance, portulaca is an easy-care annual for many garden settings. These low-growing succulents are superb for edging, spreading in hot, dry areas, or spilling through rockeries and out of hanging baskets. Read on to learn how to grow and care for moss rose.
The daylily is one of America’s favorite perennials, and with good reason. It is an easy-to-grow plant with extended periods of flowering, and is susceptible to few ailments. Practically required in your perennial borders, we share all the tips you’ll need. Read more about this lovely perennial now on Gardener’s Path.
If you’re looking for a versatile, low-maintenance shade plant that does well in the sun, too, consider Mexican petunia, aka Ruellia simplex. Sporting purple, pink, or white blooms, this easy-care hardy perennial comes in varieties short and tall, and you’ll love its slender, droopy leaves and sometimes-purple stems.
Agaves range in size, shape, and color, from stunning emerald and white to blue-green, and they’re sure to catch the eye. They can hold their own as a focal feature, a gorgeous addition to a succulent garden, or mixed with other drought tolerant plants. Learn how to grow and care for agaves in this guide. Read more now.
Perfume your garden, and your neighbors’ gardens, with the glorious scent of Texas mountain laurel. Come springtime, this evergreen shrub displays numerous spectacular clusters of aromatic purple flowers. The lovely plant is drought tolerant, deer resistant, and easy to grow. Get expert tips and advice now.
Strawflower is a cutting garden annual that’s perfect for both fresh and dry arrangements. It’s daisy-like, with crisp, petal-like bracts in shades of orange, pink, purple, red, and white. For garden color from spring to frost, learn to grow strawflower now on Gardener’s Path.
Coreopsis is a native perennial with cheerful flowers that keep blooming from spring to fall. These low maintenance, pollinator-friendly beauties are ideal for a planting in a wildflower meadow or to add color to beds and borders. Learn how to plant and grow coreopsis flowers in this guide. Read more now.
Yarrow is a flowering perennial that grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9. Flattened flower heads called corymbs create a carpet of velvety color in late spring and summer. Choose from shades of pink, red, white, and yellow. Drought and salt tolerant, you’ll find this plant easy to cultivate. Learn how to grow it now.
When hot summer temps and high humidity strike, the native prairie wildflower Liatris spicata, or blazing star, puts on an excellent show. Tall plumes of feathery purple flowers welcome extreme summer conditions and shine when delicate greenhouse plants wither. Get all the details on this North American perennial now.
Evergreen oleander shrubs add tropical flair to the garden, blooming for months in vibrant shades of pink and red or delicate white. These low maintenance beauties thrive in poor soil, drought, high heat, and salt air and are suitable for cultivation in Zones 8-10. Learn how to plant and grow oleander in this guide.
Of all the plants in my garden, chamomile offers the most return on my investment. It is a vigorous and problem-free plant that produces a spray of beautiful flowers that can immediately be harvested to make a tasty tea. Gardener’s Path has all of the information you need to know about growing this fine addition in your own garden. Read on to learn more!
You’ll know it’s spring when the columbine blooms. Known as “granny’s bonnet,” these dainty ladies appear early in the season, signaling the end of winter, and inviting the bees and birds to awaken. Learn about native and nonnative varieties of this delicate perennial right here on Gardener’s Path.
Need a pollinator-friendly desert plant that thrives with little to no water, making it ideal for xeriscaping? Learn how to grow ocotillo! Give this unique water-wise shrub a spot with full sun and watch the hummingbirds enjoy the dazzling flowers’ nectar. These are slow growers but they’ll last for generations!
Conserving water is more important now than ever before. Fortunately, cooperating with nature by installing xerophytic plants, which require less water, can create a gorgeous landscape or garden. In fact, we’ve cultivated a list of 27 of the best and most attractive options – which ones will you choose in your region?
Nowadays, we’re all concerned about natural resources and the environment – and rightly so! But there are steps that we can take to reduce our environmental impact, like landscaping with plant species that need less water to thrive. Learn how to plan a xerophytic garden and choose the best plants for your needs.
Learn how to grow and care for yucca in your garden or landscape! This drought-tolerant plant thrives in hot climates, making it ideal for water-wise gardens. A stunning succulent that is perfect for xeriscaping and container gardening, yucca is low-maintenance while adding a dramatic statement to any space. Read more.
With its alluring bicolored flowers, purple sage is a Western native that performs beautifully in arid landscapes. Drought tolerant and adapted to the desert, this shrub is an excellent, low maintenance choice for waterwise gardens and xeriscaping. Keep reading to learn more about growing and caring for purple sage.
With their cheery yellow blooms, desert marigolds are waterwise plants adapted to arid landscapes. These drought-tolerant natives of the southwest can provide an eco-friendly alternative to thirsty bedding plants for those in hot, dry locations. Keep reading to learn more about growing and caring for desert marigolds.
California coffeeberry is the ideal species for wildlife gardens! Birds will appreciate your consideration when you grow this beauty in your landscape, and you’ll be able to watch them from your yard. This fast-growing perennial shrub is a drought-tolerant flowering native plant that’s perfect for spaces big and small.
Versatile, leafy, and easygoin, hackberry trees can thrive in locations where most other trees can’t. Working well in cities or in your backyard, they grow rapidly to provide shade, produce colorful berries, attract birds, and display iconic bark. These large trees are easy to maintain, giving much and asking little.
Verbena’s delicate, colorful flowers make them a popular pick in many parts of the country, but these plants have varying requirements depending on where they are grown. If you’re in the south or southwestern part of the US, check out this guide to growing and caring for verbena in warm zones. Read more now.
Hardy, long lasting, and carefree to grow, ornamental grasses are a mainstay in professionally designed landscapes. With a superb diversity of textures, color, shapes, and sizes they can add drama and flair, or subtle softness. Their applications in the garden are many, and they’re one of the best plants to bring out your inner designer. Discover for yourself how readily these plants will work in your garden with our best tips and tricks.
Coneflowers are daisy-like perennials for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9. They bloom from late spring to early fall in an array of colors, and attract a host of pollinators and birds. Read on to learn if it’s beneficial to deadhead spent blooms to promote more flower production, or if you can skip this chore altogether.
There are so many coreopsis varieties to choose from that it’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re trying to pick out a few to plant in your flower beds. We’ve rounded up 17 of our favorite varieties to make the decision easy! Whether you’re looking for a specific color or height, we’ve got you covered. Read more now.
Greek oregano is one of the most popular culinary herbs to grow for a reason. A common seasoning in pizza and pasta sauce, this spicy and flavorful perennial is also amazingly hardy and very easy to grow in the home garden. Continue reading for more information on how to grow and use Greek oregano.
Small globe thistle (Echinops ritro) features whimsical pom-pom flowers atop stems that grow to over three feet tall. Ideal as a background for smaller foreground plants, small globe thistle is a striking addition to the garden. Learn how to plant and grow this exceptional perennial in this guide. Read more now.
With an elegant form, sumptuous colors, a delicate fragrance, and elaborate blossoms, the iris is a delightful specimen of early summer. Named after a goddess and used as a symbol of royalty, this flower is easy to grow and multiplies readily. Learn how to enjoy this divine beauty in your garden with this guide.
A good late season bloomer can be hard to find, but don’t worry – Montauk daisies have got your back. This tough perennial features large, vibrant white flowers with bold yellow centers that stay in bloom until first frost. Learn how to grow these lovely, easy-to-tend perennials in this guide. Read more now.
Are you sick and tired of always having to mow the lawn? Instead, save time, money, and water by converting your grass yard to low-growing chamomile. Chamomile lawns improve the soil and attract pollinators while greatly reducing maintenance. Continue on to learn how to grow chamomile as a lawn alternative.
Oleanders are drought-resistant shrubs with colorful blooms in shades of pink, red, or white. These robust plants thrive in poor soil and warm weather conditions. There are a number of different types available – from dwarf shrubs to large trees and hedges. Learn about 9 of the best oleander varieties for your landscape.
Gaillardia is an easy-to-grow perennial that puts on a burst of color throughout the summer months. With a few simple preparations, you can set up your plants to survive winter’s chill and come back healthy in springtime. Learn how to care for your blanket flowers during the winter in this guide. Read more now.
If you want to grow dazzling bird of paradise flowers in your garden or as houseplants, you’ll need to know about the different types. There are five species in the Strelitzia genus, some are perfect as indoor plants while others thrive outdoors. Learn about the different types of bird of paradise plants in this guide.
If you are growing tropical birds of paradise you’ll need to know how to care for them over the winter months. These flowering plants aren’t cold hardy, and sometimes they need extra winter protection – even in their ideal growing zones. To learn all about winter care for bird of paradise, read our guide now.
Bright coreopsis flowers provide a sweet, cheerful sight during the summer months, and now they’ve died back. These perennial wildflowers will go dormant through the winter months and return in the spring. But how do you prepare your coreopsis for winter? Learn all about winter care and preparation in this guide.
Are you looking for a perennial native flower to naturalize in your yard? Anise hyssop is the answer for sun-filled border gardens, where its lavender spikes create a showy swath of color throughout the summer months. Learn how to grow and care for this easy-to-grow, deer-resistant plant. Read more now.
Chamomile is boisterous in the garden, self-seeding where you least expect it. Planting it in a pot can keep this herb under control. There are just a few things you need to succeed, including the right container, soil, and location. Read more now to learn everything you need to know to grow chamomile in a container.
Need a quick fix for barren ground? Plant yarrow. This low-maintenance, sun-worshiping perennial thrives in poor soil and rewards with vivid color. Choose low-profile or statuesque cultivars in colors like salmon pink, burgundy, neon yellow, and rusty orange from our list of 13 of favorites, now on Gardener’s Path.
Are you open to adding a delicious taste of Latin America to your culinary garden? Consider growing Mexican oregano, the flavorful, citrusy herb whose large, woody shrub form is easy to grow. If you’re north of Zone 9, you can grow this Mexican native as an annual, or bring a container of it indoors to overwinter.
Deep-green Asian, or Asiatic, jasmine is a fantastic ground cover, especially for shady areas of the garden. But like many plants, it can get out of hand. Read more now to learn about several methods for pruning and controlling the spread of this assertive vine. Your neighbors will be glad you did!
If you’re in need of a quick-growing ground cover that tolerates shade, salt, heat, cold, and drought, consider Asiatic jasmine, the easy-to-grow, low-maintenance import from Japan and Korea that quickly develops a thick carpet of cover, filling in your garden’s most problematic and frustrating bare spots.
If the name doesn’t intrigue you, perhaps the red and purple flowers of heat-loving bat-faced cuphea will convince you that this Mexican native is a worthy addition to your landscape. Learn more now at Gardener’s Path about this low-maintenance plant that’s a favorite of bees, birds, and butterflies, but not bats.
Now, on Gardener’s Path, learn how to grow the lovely shrub American beautyberry, native to the southeast US. You’ll love the fall and winter interest provided by the plant’s long, arching branches laden with clusters of bright purple berries, which attract many bird species, and are edible for humans, too.
Pretty flowers aren’t just for areas with acidic soil, moderate temperatures, and bucketsful of rain. Now at Gardener’s Path, learn how evergreen desert dazzler turpentine bush contributes resplendent, deep-green needle-like leaves and showy, brilliant yellow blossoms to sophisticated Southwest landscapes.
Pretty colors, a knockout fragrance, and easy growth are the hallmarks of garden pinks. Old-fashioned favorites, new cultivars add to their charm with improved growth, a longer bloom period, and vibrant color combos in pink, red, and white. Learn how to grow these enchanting flowers here on Gardeners Path.
Looking for an intriguing edible plant with spectacular flowers that will astound the neighbors? Consider growing caper bush, a Mediterranean native whose preserved fruit makes a delicious addition to many dishes. Learn more about growing this tough beauty — and preserving the fruit — now on Gardener’s Path.
Learn from Gardener’s Path how you can add a dose of prehistoric drama to your landscape, home, or patio with sago, an ancient plant from Japan that looks like a palm but is actually related to conifer trees.
Faassen’s catmint is a mounded perennial that’s drought heat and tolerant, and unlike its cousin catnip, it doesn’t drive kitties crazy. You’ll love the gray-green foliage and lavender-blue flowers, not to mention the butterflies and hummingbirds this plant attracts. Learn how to grow it now with our in-depth guide!
Long-lasting and mid-height color is always special. Verbena promises to perform all season long, and besides a few necessities it only needs a watchful eye. Our expert advice sheds light on the mysteries of the beautiful flower. Learn about what to watch for and how to grow this lovely and colorful annual here on Gardener’s Path
Are you looking for an affordable way to xeriscape with succulent plants? Create an enchanting low-maintenance array of colors, shapes, and textures by purchasing one of each of your favorites, and propagating the rest yourself. Learn how with easy instructions from your friends at Gardener’s Path.
Few flowers are easier to plant and forget about than Gaillardia. Providing nonstop shows of color and bloom, they are of interest at all stages of growth. Best of all, they’re easy to grow and will quickly fill whatever space they are afforded. Read on to learn all about gorgeous Gaillardia now on Gardener’s Path.
Succulent plants are not just for desert landscapes. Cluster them in bright containers to energize a patio, or among river rock for a serene garden bed. Set pots around the house for eye-catching color, shape, and texture. Easy and fun, they add style to any decor. Meet eleven beauties, here on Gardener’s Path.
Highly aromatic with a piquant flavor, summer savory is an easily grown annual. It makes a fragrant, low-growing edging plant for the garden, is valued in the kitchen, and has some qualities that may surprise you. Join us for a closer look at how to grow this often underutilized herb. Read more now.
Whether you want to weave your own linen fabric, boost your intake of healthful omega acids and other nutrients, preserve your butcher block countertops, or just enjoy attractive flowers, consider adding multipurpose flax — either the annual or perennial type — to your landscape. Learn more at Gardener’s Path.
If a top university recommends this tree for its own campus, you know it’s gotta be good. We share five unbeatable reasons why you should plant a fast-growing and easy-care Monterrey oak tree in your landscape — learn more now at Gardener’s Path.