Drought tolerant plants require very little water once established. During the rainy season they do not require additional water, but during hot summer months, they can benefit from deep watering.
Water Conservation and Low Maintenance Landscaping
As a rule of thumb, it’s best to water deeply and less often. The key is to not over water.
“The biggest threat to native plant gardens is too much water…with it you get root rot,” said Mike Evans, owner of Tree of Life Nursery in Southern California. “Water management in the garden is very important.”
Evans suggests ¼ inch of water an hour for about 6 hours. There are drip irrigation and other watering systems available to achieve this ratio. Watering in early morning or late afternoon is best, he said.
Top Five Native Plants for a Drought Tolerant Garden
Top performers in drought tolerant gardens get their status from ease of growth, flower power and hardiness. According to Evans, these top 5 are a good place for a gardener to start.
Manzanita Develops as a Low or Medium Shrub or Small Tree
The Manzanita grows as a low shrub (Artostaphylos ‘John Dourley’), medium bush (Artostaphylos ‘Sunset’) or small tree (Artostaphylos ‘Lester Rowntree’). The Manzanita is a slow-growing evergreen shrub that blooms profusely with white or pink blossoms. It makes an excellent foundation plant for a xeriscape landscape.
Its name derives from Spanish for “little apple” because of its red and green berries. The mahogany colored bark of the Manzanita is also unique and looks beautiful with the plant’s grey-green leaves.
Ceanothus Attracts Butterflies
The Ceanothus’ popularity comes from its color and fragrance, in addition to being very drought tolerant. The flowers range from white to light blue to deep purple.
The shrub also attracts butterflies. As with the Manzanita, the Ceanothus can be a stair-step plant as a low shrub (Ceanothus ‘Heart’s Desire), a medium bush (Ceanothus ‘Dark Sky) or small tree (Ceanothus arboreus).
Try Sage (Salvia clevelandii) for Fragrance and Fast Growth
Salvia clevelandii is known for its fragrant, deep purple blooms that hold from spring through late fall. It is a hardy grower that will reach 3-4 feet but can climb as high as 6 feet or more.
One of the beauties of salvias is that they are one of the drought tolerants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies with their fragrance and bright blooms.
Christmas Berry or Toyon
The famous town of Hollywood, CA was named after the Christmas Berry or Toyon bush, (Heteromeles arbutifolia). Many gardeners pick the Toyon for the garden because of its striking red berries. It usually grows to 6-8 ft. high in full sun, but can tolerate full shade.
Ornamental Grasses Add Texture
Deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens) is one of the many drought tolerant grasses that gardeners are using to mark paths and borders, as well as providing filler. It also functions well in bunches, reaching a height of about 5 feet. The long slender stems sprout tall tuffs that make it attractive, particularly in the fall when the plum turns a light shade of purple.
Xeriscape Gardens Conserve Water, Add Beauty and Attract Wildlife
Growing low maintenance plants can add beauty to any garden, while conserving water. Consider these five top choices when planning a garden, but check out other choices for drought tolerant gardens as well. Consider the individual plant’s water needs, the soil type of the garden, how quickly they grow and under what conditions (sun versus shade) they’ll thrive.
Nellene Teubner Plouffe - My passion for writing was kindled in third grade when I entered – and won – an essay contest sponsored by the local fire ...
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