10 Drought-Resistant Perennial Plants Homeowners Can Trust

Flowering perennial plants, shrubs, and native grasses with a high tolerance to low moisture and limited rainfall can prove vital to maintaining a robust landscape. Intense heat and long periods of dry weather can create a plant-killing storm. That's why residential and commercial property owners need to be able to identify plants that tolerate drought.

Benefits Of Employing Drought-Resistant Plants

Wilting flower beds and browning leaves paint the opposite picture of why you invested hard-earned money and sweat equity into beautifying your residential or commercial property. Not only can smartly selected landscaping assets help avoid feeling that disappointment, but they can also deliver the following benefits.

Conserve Water: It's essential to understand that this class of plant life doesn't just require less water during a dry spell. Drought-tolerant plants typically use less water all year, which means property owners experience lower monthly or quarterly water bills. If you own a private well, these plants won't tax your supply during a severe drought.

Reduced Infrastructure: People with large parcels often consider installing irrigation systems rather than towing a hose across the yard to water gardens. Having an irrigation system professionally installed proves a costly and unnecessary expense, given many lovely ornamental shrubs, flowering perennials, and native grasses remain available.

Increased Leisure Time: Consider how many hours per week, month, and year you spend watering plants and lawns during the dry season. When the weather spikes, gardening enthusiasts take on the unenviable task of watering late at night or early in the morning before the blazing sun can negatively impact thirsty plants. That's an inconvenience that people can do without every day.

Improved Landscape: The challenges of keeping up with routine watering while work and family obligations take precedence sometimes leave little room for error. Missing a needed watering due to hectic schedules occurs more often than not. When life gets in the way of watering gardens and shrubs, the once bountiful landscape turns brown. Drought-resistant plants possess the patience to wait and remain green longer.

When residential and commercial property owners decide about landscape designs, maintenance, care, and ability to withstand local conditions remain significant factors. How often plants require watering can indicate how well they survive a lack of rain without someone standing over them holding a hose.

Drought-Resistant Plants To Consider Employing In Your Landscape

It's not uncommon for native grasses and perennial plants to rank among the most drought-resistant in a region. These plants have acclimated mainly to the seasonal climate, including abundant rain and long stretches without a drop. But plenty of relatively new arrivals to the U.S. also have the chops to handle hot, dry conditions. Perennial plants, native grasses, and ornamental shrubs enjoy the hardiness necessary to sustain rainless periods.

Black-Eyed Susan: Ranked among the most popular flowering perennials in gardens today, the black-eyed susan's yellow-golden petals and dark center make it an excellent complement to gardens. It tends to resist deer, attracts butterflies, and handles full sun like a champ. While it prefers well-drained soil, it can weather a minor drought.

Burning Bush: Its awe-inspiring scarlet foliage makes it a popular standalone shrub. It is considered low-maintenance and drought-resistant, so it matures to 8 feet and prefers full sun and partial shade.

Appalachian Sedge: This native grass prefers dry, shaded spaces and rarely desires watering. Other varieties of native sedges also tend to tolerate rainless periods reasonably well.

Echinacea: The Purple Coneflower ranks among the most popular perennials. Thriving in full or partial sun, its stunning blooms and golden center attract butterflies and hummingbirds. This native wildflower is keenly adapted to dry spells.

Geraniums: Maturing to 24 inches, this native flowering perennial blooms during late spring and early summer. Known for its pink to purple petals range, it requires little maintenance, care, and water while handling direct sunlight.

Privet: This hedgerow darling, reaching 8 feet tall, delivers rich greenery and valued privacy. Native to England, this hardy shrub has more than acclimated to the U.S.

Trumpet Vine: This climber enjoys average soil conditions but generally stands its ground when the weather turns hot and dry. Recognized by its trumpet-shaped flowers, it can perform throughout the summer and matures upwards of 8 feet. Native to the Southeastern U.S., the Trumpet Vine remains a proven asset in other regions.

Virginia Creeper: This hardy ground cover should be nicknamed Hercules because it is strong enough to withstand pollution, full shade, deer, compacted soil, juglone from Black Walnut trees, and drought. These expansive plants succeed in many urban landscapes when others might not.

Wisteria: These fragrant shrubs succeed in wide-reaching conditions from full sun to partial shade. Known for its large purple and pinkish clustered blooms, Wisteria can be deployed as a standalone shrub or creeping vine and can reach heights of 30 feet without asking for help.

Yarrow: Along with attracting butterflies, Yarrow also resists deer and rabbits. Maturing to about 3 feet tall, its clustering flowers bloom during the summer. Yarrow remains a fragrant darling that thrives in full sun and manages dry, average, and moist soil conditions well.

Plants requiring minimal maintenance and care allow property owners to enjoy the landscape more and toil in the garden less.