Best Drought Tolerant

Salvia rosmarinus, commonly known as rosemary and formerly classified as Rosmarinus officinalis, is an aromatic evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Its narrow, needle-like leaves are used as a culinary herb, and its volatile oils give the plant its characteristic fragrance. Rosemary...

Echinocereus triglochidiatus is a hardy hedgehog cactus of the southwestern US and Mexico, notable for its brilliant scarlet flowers that attract hummingbirds and its tolerance of freezing temperatures.

Leptospermum scoparium, mānuka or New Zealand tea tree, is an evergreen shrub native to New Zealand and southeastern Australia, source of mānuka honey and mānuka oil, both commercially valuable for their antimicrobial properties.

Feijoa sellowiana, commonly known as pineapple guava, is an evergreen shrub originating from South America particularly Brazil and Argentina. It’s notable for producing edible fruit with a distinctive sweet and aromatic flavor reminiscent of pineapple and guava. The plant thrives in drought-tolerant...

Perovskia atriplicifolia, commonly called Russian sage, is a drought-tolerant deciduous shrub native to Central Asia, including Afghanistan and Pakistan. Despite its common name, it is a member of the mint family and features aromatic, silvery-gray stems and foliage. The plant produces tall spikes o...

Banksia serrata, commonly known as old man banksia or saw banksia, is a shrub or small tree native to the east coast of Australia. It is characterized by its thick, wrinkled bark, serrated leaves, and large, cylindrical flower spikes that are typically pale yellow or silver. The species was among th...

Dotted Blazing Star is a prairie wildflower known for its striking purple flower spikes and remarkable drought tolerance. *Liatris punctata* thrives in central North American grasslands, utilizing extensive taproots to access water deep within the soil. It’s particularly useful for creating resilien...

The California poppy, *Eschscholzia californica*, is a vibrant orange wildflower native primarily to California. It’s notable for its extensive displays blooming across the state during spring and its remarkable drought tolerance. The plant serves as an iconic symbol of California and is appreciated...

Caryopteris x clandonensis, commonly known as bluebeard or blue mist shrub, is a hybrid resulting from a cross between Caryopteris incana and Caryopteris mongholica. The original hybrid was cultivated around 1930 by Arthur Simmonds at Clandon Park in Surrey, England. This deciduous shrub is valued b...

Ilex vomitoria, commonly known as Yaupon Holly, is an evergreen shrub in the family Aquifoliaceae native to the southeastern United States. It is notable as the only known caffeinated plant native to North America, with caffeine and related compounds present in its leaves. Indigenous peoples, includ...

Leucadendron argenteum, commonly known as the silver tree, is an evergreen shrub or small tree belonging to the Proteaceae family. It is endemic to a small region of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa, primarily on the slopes of Table Mountain. The plant is distinguished by its striking, overlapping...

Callistemon citrinus, commonly known as the crimson bottlebrush, is an evergreen shrub native to the coastal regions of eastern Australia. It belongs to the myrtle family and is distinguished by its cylindrical, brush-like flower spikes composed of bright red stamens rather than petals. These distin...

Phlomis fruticosa, commonly known as Jerusalem sage, is an evergreen shrub belonging to the mint family, Lamiaceae. Native to the Mediterranean region, specifically areas like Greece and Turkey, it is well-adapted to dry, rocky environments. The plant is characterized by its woolly, gray-green leave...

Nerium oleander, commonly known as oleander, is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Mediterranean and Asian regions. It is widely cultivated in warm climates for its drought tolerance and abundant pink, white, or red flowers. Despite its popularity in landscaping, the plant is highly toxi...

Westringia fruticosa, widely known as Coastal Rosemary, is an evergreen shrub endemic to the eastern coast of Australia. It is distinguished by its gray-green, needle-like foliage and small, pale lilac to white flowers that bloom throughout the year. Highly tolerant of coastal conditions, the plant...

Perovskia atriplicifolia, commonly called Russian Sage, is a deciduous subshrub native to the steppes and hills of central Asia. It is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, and features deeply lobed, silvery-gray foliage that emits a distinct sage-like aroma when crushed. During the late summer, t...

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, commonly known as blue blossom or California lilac, is a species of evergreen shrub in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae. It is native to the coastal mountain ranges of California and Oregon, where it naturally thrives in chaparral and woodland environments. The plant is chara...

Arctostaphylos manzanita, common manzanita, is an evergreen shrub endemic to the foothills of northern California, USA, recognized by its distinctive smooth, deep reddish-mahogany bark and an important component of the state's chaparral ecosystems.

Fremontodendron californicum, commonly known as flannel bush, is an evergreen shrub belonging to the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is native to the dry, rocky slopes and chaparral environments of California, Arizona, and Baja California. The species is named in honor of the 19th-century American expl...

Bougainvillea is a genus of thorny, woody vines belonging to the four-o'clock family, Nyctaginaceae. Native to the tropical and subtropical regions of South America, these plants produce vibrant, colorful displays that come not from their small, white true flowers, but from specialized, papery leave...

Juniperus horizontalis, commonly called creeping juniper, is a low, spreading evergreen conifer native to northern North America. Its long horizontal branches form dense mats of scale-like or awl-shaped foliage, and female plants can produce small, bluish, berry-like seed cones. Numerous cultivars a...

Cistus x purpureus, commonly called purple rock rose, is an evergreen hybrid shrub associated with Mediterranean-style gardens. It bears crinkled pink to magenta flowers, each typically marked with a dark red blotch near the base of the petal, against narrow gray-green foliage. Adapted to sun and we...

Westringia fruticosa, coastal rosemary, is a compact evergreen shrub endemic to the coast of New South Wales, Australia, widely used in horticulture as a drought-tolerant alternative to true rosemary due to its similar appearance.

Carpenteria californica, the bush anemone, is an evergreen shrub in the Hydrangeaceae family and the sole species in its genus. It is endemic to a small area of the western Sierra Nevada foothills in Fresno County, California, where it grows on dry, rocky slopes. It produces clusters of fragrant whi...

Kangaroo paw refers to several species of the genus Anigozanthos, a group of perennial plants endemic to the sandy soils of Southwest Australia. They are distinguished by their unique, tubular flowers, which are covered in dense, velvety hairs and feature a curved, paw-like structure when they open....

Ceanothus thyrsiflorus is a fast-growing California native shrub or small tree, one of the hardiest blue-flowered ceanothus species and a significant nitrogen-fixer in Pacific coast chaparral communities.

Nerium oleander, commonly known as oleander, is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, and parts of South Asia. It is widely planted in warm climates worldwide due to its high tolerance for drought, heat, and coastal conditions, as well as its prolific...

Cistus × purpureus is a hybrid rock rose of garden origin, a cross between Cistus ladanifer and Cistus purpureus, valued in Mediterranean-climate gardens for its large, short-lived pink flowers with dark basal spots and exceptional drought tolerance.

Opuntia chlorotica, known as the Pancake Prickly Pear, is a distinctive, tree-like cactus species native to the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It is recognized by its thick, nearly circular, pancake-flat blue-green pads that grow stacked upon on...