Drought Tolerant Plants and Flowers to Grow in your Garden

These plants are all considered to be drought tolerant. That does not mean that these plants can survive without water!

These plants have adapted themselves to be able to utilize all available moisture but they still get thirsty from time to time.

It is essential to make sure that any plant you put into your landscape receives sufficient water until it becomes well established!

Common Name:

Abelia

Botanical Name: Abelia grandiflora

Height: 3-6 ft.

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Abelia is a very durable and adaptable shrub with dense, glossy dark green foliage. It produces hundreds of 1" funnel shaped flowers from early summer until the first frost

Common Name:

American Dune Grass

Botanical Name: Leymus racemosus 'Glaucus'

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

American Dune Grass is a valuable plant for the prevention of the wind eroding your soil due to its rhizomatous spreading habit

Common Name:

Australian Saltbush

Botanical Name: Atriplex semibaccata

Height: 1--2 ft.

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

The Creeping Saltbush is a low growing shrub from Australia with light green curly leaves. It will survive in areas where there is high levels of salt in the soil. Flowers in the summer are insignificant

Common Name:

Baby Sun Rose

Botanical Name: Aptenia cordifolia

Height: 10"

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

The Baby Sun Rose is a trailing, succulent perennial with glossy green foliage. It produces bright 1" flowers in the spring and summer. Excellent for hanging baskets

Common Name:

Big Bluestem

Botanical Name: Andropogon gerardii

Height: 4-7 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Big Bluestem forms large clumps of stiff silvery green to blue foliage, turning to a copper color in fall

Common Name:

Blanket flower

Botanical Name: Gaillardia grandiflora

Height: 1-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Blanket flowers are clumping upright perennials with light green foliage. Their Daisy-like flowers appear in mid summer and are up to four inches in diameter. Blanket Flowers are easily grown from seeds

Common Name:

Bluebell of Scotland

Botanical Name: Campanula rotundifolia

Height: 1-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

The Bluebell Bellflower is a clump forming perennial that, from June through September, produces multiple stems, each with a single nodding bell shaped flower. Campanula can be grown from seed or propagated by division. (Campanula comes from the Latin word campana, which means 'bell')

Common Name:

Blue Chalksticks

Botanical Name: Senecio serpens

Height: 6-12"

USDA Zones: 10-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Blue Chalksticks is a succulent sub-shrub from South Africa consisting of 4-6", ½-¾" thick, powder blue segments. In extremely hot areas, it should be protected from direct sun.

Common Name:

Blue Clumping Wheatgrass

Botanical Name: Elymus magellanicus

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Blue Clumping Wheatgrass is a clump forming plant with bright metallic blue foliage, producing taller stems of small blue flowers in early summer

Common Name:

Blue Fescue

Botanical Name: Festuca glauca

Height: 8-12"

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Blue Fescue is a durable plant that grows in clumping mounds of fine blue foliage. They tend to die out in the center after a couple years and will need to be divided

Common Name:

Blue Hill Sage

Botanical Name: Salvia superba

Height: 12-15"

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Narrow erect plant with irregular leaves, spikes of intensely bluish purple flowers all Summer if spent flowers are removed. Drought tolerant, Prefers slightly alkaline soil

Common Name:

Blue Lungwort

Botanical Name: Pulmonaria angustifolia

Height: 8-12"

USDA Zones: 3-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Blue Lungwort is a clumping, deciduous perennial with an 'I'll grow anywhere' attitude. They have light green, lance shaped foliage and produce short clusters of brightly colored flowers for several weeks in early spring

Common Name:

Blue Sedge

Botanical Name: Carex flacca

Height: 6-18"

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Blue Sedge produces slow spreading clumps of fine blue foliage. Great as a ground cover plantor for growing in a container.

Common Name:

Bottlebrush

Botanical Name: Callistemon lanceolatus

Height: 10-20 ft.

USDA Zones: 8-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Bottlebrush is a small, slow growing evergreen tree with light green, eliptical shaped 6" leaves. New growth has a nice copper hue. Brightly colored, 1½" bottle brush flowers appear conspicuously in the spring

Common Name:

Bougainville

Botanical Name: Bougainvillea

Height: 2-20 ft.

USDA Zones: 9-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Bougainvillias produce some of the showiest display of colors of all vines. Most cultivars have an upright growth habit, but there are many shrubby varieties and creeping types as well.

Common Name:

Burning Bush

Botanical Name: Dictamnus albus

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-7

Requirements & Benefits:

The Burning Bush, or Gas Plant, earned it's name because of the phenomina created by the fact that the leaves, flowers and seed pods give off a strong lemon scented vapor which, on a calm summer night can be ignited with a match.

Common Name:

Butterfly bush

Botanical Name: Buddleia davidii

Height: 6-15 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

The Butterfly Bush is a fast growing, profuse blooming, deciduous shrub that will grow in almost any type of soil. Prune hard in early spring and remove spent flowers promptly.

Common Name:

Butterfly Gaura

Botanical Name: Gaura lindheimeri

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Butterfly Gaura are shrubby, perennial wildflowers that are closely related to the Evening Primrose. From late spring until first frost, they produce 8"-24" spikes of 1" flowers that are white when they open at dawn and fade to rose-pink as the sun sets.

Common Name:

Butterfly Pea

Botanical Name: Clitoria ternata

Height:

USDA Zones: 10-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Butterfly Pea is a fast growing climber is a fairly common tender perennial species that produces two inch flowers in mid to late Summer. A quick cover for lattice, a trellis, arbors and chain-link fences

Common Name:

Butterfly Weed

Botanical Name: Asclepias tuberosa

Height: 2 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Butterfly Weed is a perennial wildflower, native to the United States. This upright growing plant has long fuzzy foliage and produces fragrant, bright orange flowers atop 3 ft. stems in July and August

Common Name:

Campion

Botanical Name: Lychnis species

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

The botanical name, Lychnis, is from the Greek word for lamp, referring to the flame colored flowers of some species and the fact that the felt-like leaves were once used for lamp wicks.

Common Name:

Cape Marigold

Botanical Name: Arctotheca calendula

Height: 3-6"

USDA Zones: 10-11

Requirements & Benefits:

The Cape Marigold is a rosette forming evergreen that is commonly grown as an annual plant. It produces loose, aster-like flowers in the summer. Cape Marigold is considered invasive or noxious in some areas

Common Name:

Cat's Foot

Botanical Name: Antennaria dioica

Height: 2-6"

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Cat's Foot is a mat forming North American native wildflower with durable silvery foliage. It produces light to bright pink flowers in late spring and early summer. Excellent mimi ground cover for hot and dry spots in the garden

Common Name:

Catmint

Botanical Name: Nepeta faassenii

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Catmint is a compact, upright branching perennial that grows 1-2 feet tall with a spread of 18". From early summer into fall, Catmint plants produce long, loose spikes of pretty, ½" violet-blue flowers. Cats love it, and it repels Aphids!

Common Name:

Catnip

Botanical Name: Nepeta cataria

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-7

Requirements & Benefits:

Catnip is a very easy to grow and care for plant that is somewhat less ornamental than Catmint. Catnip plants grow to 3 feet tall, with a spread of 1½-2 feet. In the summer and early fall, they produce 3"-4" spikes of tiny white flowers spotted with pale purple.

Common Name:

Christmas Kalanchoe

Botanical Name: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Height: 8"-12"

USDA Zones: 9-12

Requirements & Benefits:

Christmas Kalanchoes are easy to grow, winter blooming plants with waxy, green, scalloped edged leaves, and clusters of tiny, brightly colored flowers that continue for 6 weeks or longer. Most Kalanchoes that are commonly available today are dwarf hybrids that only reach 8"-12" tall.

Common Name:

Climbing Fig

Botanical Name: Ficus pumila

Height:

USDA Zones: 8-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Climbing Figs are frost tender, fast growing evergreen vines. The foliage lays flat so it is useful for covering walls and flat surfaces. Easy propagation by layering or softwood cuttings

Common Name:

Cosmos

Botanical Name: Cosmos bipinnatus

Height: 3-5 ft.

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Cosmos are extremely heat and drought tolerant. They prefer full sun and do well in poor, infertile soil. Cosmos plants come in a rainbow of summer blooming flower colors

Common Name:

Cotoneaster

Botanical Name: Cotoneaster

Height: 3"-15 ft.

USDA Zones: vary

Requirements & Benefits:

Cotoneaster is an extremely diverse genus of plants which includes ground covers, dwarf sized bushes and large sprawling shrubs. The flowers are generally small and appear from spring to early summer followed by bright red or orange berries for the birds to eat in winter.

Common Name:

Creeping Baby's Breath

Botanical Name: Gypsophila repens

Height: 4-6"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Creeping Baby's Breath forms a low growing mat of tiny greyish green foliage and produces masses of small star shaped flowers in early summer. This plant is easily grown from seed or propagated by division. Trim back after blooming

Common Name:

Creeping Zinnia

Botanical Name: Sanvitalia procumbens

Height: 6-10"

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Creeping Zinnia is a bright little yellow flowering annual plant. They should be planted in rich, well draining soil, in full sun.

Common Name:

Cupid's Dart

Botanical Name: Catananche caerulea

Height: 18-24"

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Cupid's Darts are short lived perennials that form 12" clumps of 18"-24", narrow grey-green leaves that radiate out from the root crown. The single, 1"-2" flower heads appear atop leafless upright stems from early summer until fall.

Common Name:

Cup Flower

Botanical Name: Nierembergia

Height: 6-9"

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Cup Flowers are long lasting annual plants that produces hundreds of 1", upturned star shaped flowers from late spring until mid fall. It is great for hanging baskets and planters or as a quick ground cover

Common Name:

Cypress Vine

Botanical Name: Ipomoea quamoclit

Height:

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Cypress vine is a fast growing member of the Morning Glory family with attractive, feather-like foliage and pretty, 1½ star shaped tube flowers in late summer. Can be easily grown from soaked or nicked seeds

Common Name:

Daisy

Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum maximum

Height: 18-36"

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Daisies are long blooming, short lived (2-3 years) members of the Chrysanthemum family. This clumping perennial produces an abundance of 2-3" flowers from early summer through summerAttracts Butterflies: Pearly Crescentspot, Red Admiral, Queen

Common Name:

Dandelion

Botanical Name: Taraxacum officinale

Height: 1-2"

USDA Zones: 5-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Dandelions are a common lawn and garden weed, but can be cultivated and used. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, flowers are used to make wine, and the milky sap can be used as a mosquito repellentAttracts Butterflies: Cabbage White, Common sulphur, Comma Angelwing, Red Admiral

Common Name:

Daylily

Botanical Name: Hemerocallis

Height: 10-24"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Daylilies produce an abundance of flowers which open over a long period of time. They are useful in the perennial flower border, as a garden centerpiece, or any corner of the garden which needs to be brightened up. Daylilies can be propagated by division

Common Name:

Dogbane

Botanical Name: Apocynum cannabinum

Height: 3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Dogbane is an upright, shrub-like deciduous perennial with yollowish green foliage. It produces small flowers at the branch tips from late spring until late summer, followed by slender 8 inch seed pods Attracts Butterflies: Spicebush Swallowtail, checkered White, Common Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, Spring Azure, Pearly Crescentspot, Mourning Cloak, American Painted Lady, Buckeye

Common Name:

Coyote Brush

Botanical Name: Baccharis pilularis

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 7-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Coyote Brush is a fast growing evergreen shrub with small, bright green leaves. It blooms from July through October with clusters of tiny flowers. The male flowers are yellow, female flowers are white

Common Name:

Dusty Miller

Botanical Name: Senecio cineraria

Height: 12-24"

USDA Zones: 8-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Dusty Miller are compact, mound forming, evergreen perennial plants that are grown as annuals in cooler regions. They are great for borders or as companion plantings for brightly colored annual flowers. Excellent for growing in containers.

Common Name:

Dwarf Yarrow

Botanical Name: Achillea kellereri

Height: 8"

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Dwarf Yarrow is a vigorous growing perennial with silvery strap-like leaves that add interest when the plant is out of bloom. It produces a profusion of large white or yellow flower clusters that continue throughout the summer.

Common Name:

Echeveria imbricata

Botanical Name: Echeveria imbricata

Height: 6-12"

USDA Zones: 8-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Echeveria imbricata is a rosette forming succulent plant that is perfect for dry, sunny locations. It produces spikes of clustered flowers in early summer. Mature specimens readily form offsets

Common Name:

Elderberry

Botanical Name: Sambucus

Height: 10-20 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Elderberries are fast growing, low maintenance, multi-stemmed deciduous shrubs with deeply veined, serrated foliage. They produce large flat clusters of flowers in late spring to early summer, followed by small berries which may or may not be poisonous, by species

Common Name:

English Lavender

Botanical Name: Lavandula

Height: 12-24

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

English Lavender is an evergreen, upright clumping perennial with bluish green, grass-like foliage. The small, fragrant flowers are held in long spikes at the top of the stems. For dried flowers, cut when the spikes first show color but the flowers are not fully open and hang inverted, in a cool dry place

Common Name:

English Marigold

Botanical Name: Calendula officinalis

Height: 6"-24"

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

The English Marigold is a bright and cheery plant that produces 3"-5" blooms all summer from June until frost. They are very fast and easy to grow and are easily grown from seeds.Herbal and Medicinal uses of the English Marigold Plant

Common Name:

Eucalyptus

Botanical Name: Eucalyptus

Height: 1-180 ft.

USDA Zones: 8-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Eucalyptus plants come in a number of varieties ranging from low growing shrubs to 180 ft. giants. Most varieties are evergreen but may shed their leaves in severe droughts. They bear fluffy little flowers in late spring to early summer

Common Name:

Evening Primrose

Botanical Name: Oenothera biennis

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 4

Requirements & Benefits:

The Evening Primrose is a tall, upright biennial plant

Common Name:

Evening Primrose (hardy)

Botanical Name: Oenothera speciosa

Height: 6-18"

USDA Zones: 5-8

Requirements & Benefits:

The hardy Evening Primrose is a compact, low growing, mound forming wildflower that is native to most parts of the United States. It produces an abundance of 1-2" pink or white cup flowers all through the summer

Common Name:

Fairy Fan Flower

Botanical Name: Scaevola aemula

Height: 8-12"

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Fan Flower plants are fast growing tender evergreen perennials that only grow 8"-12" tall but will spread up to 5 feet. Fan Flowers are sprawling plants with light green, coarsely toothed foliage. The 1"-1½" flowers are produced in abundance from spring through fall.

Common Name:

Fairy Wings

Botanical Name: Epimedium

Height: 6-20"

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Fairy Wings (Bishops Cap) will survive in one of the most difficult situations in the garden; the dry shade beneath a tree.

Common Name:

Feather Reed Grass

Botanical Name: Calamagrostis acutiflora

Height: 5-7 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Feather Reed Grass is fairly drought resistant and tolerates a wide range of garden soils. It is deer resistant plant

Common Name:

Flame vine

Botanical Name: Pyrostegia venusta

Height:

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Flame Vines are fast growing, branching, evergreen vines that produce massive clusters of bright orange tubular flowers in late winter and early spring. Excellent fence cover

Common Name:

Flowering Quince

Botanical Name: Chaenomeles speciosa

Height: 3-10 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Flowering Quince is a twiggy, rounded upright deciduous shrub. The 1" foliage opens to a beautiful reddish bronze color before turning dark green by mid summer. Showy cup shaped flowers cover each stem in the spring before turning to an edible fruit by summers end

Common Name:

Giant Feather Grass

Botanical Name: Stipa gigantea

Height: 3-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Giant Feather Grass forms a large, loose clump of greyish-green foliage. Seven foot arching stems of tan flower spikes persist through the summer months. Needs well drained soil

Common Name:

Goldenrod

Botanical Name: Solidago virgaurea

Height: 12-36"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Goldenrod is an aggressively spreading, upright clumping, deciduous perennial plant with light green foliage. It produces sprays of bright yellow flowers from mid summer until mid fall Attracts Butterflies: Common Orange Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, American Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Viceroy

Common Name:

Golden Foxtail Grass

Botanical Name: Alopecurus pratensis 'Aureovariegatus'

Height: 12-18"

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Soft yellowish green with a golden stripe. This ornamental grass is NOT related to Foxtail barley grass!

Common Name:

Gold Plate Yarrow

Botanical Name: Achillea filipendulina

Height: 4 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Gold Plate Yarrow is a long blooming perennial with fern like greyish green foliage and 4-6" bright yellow flower clusters

Common Name:

Grape Hyacinth

Botanical Name: Muscari

Height: 5-8"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Grape Hyacinths are small, long lived bulbs that look their best when planted in masses. They need twelve weeks of winter's chilling (below 50°) in order to bloom in the spring. Grape Hyacinth can be forced into bloom at any time of the year

Common Name:

Ground Morning Glory

Botanical Name: Convolvulus mauritanicus

Height: 1 ft.

USDA Zones: 7-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Ground Morning Glories are drought resistant, evergreen perennials that are useful as ground covers, rock gardens and border plantings. They have fuzzy grayish green leaves and pretty, funnel shaped lavender blue flowers in the Summer

Common Name:

Hardy Purple Ice Plant

Botanical Name: Delosperma cooperi

Height: 3-5"

USDA Zones: 5-7

Requirements & Benefits:

The Hardy Purple Ice Plant is a vigorous growing succulent ground cover. Dozens of bright magenta, Daisy-like flowers in mid to late Summer. Needs good drainage

Common Name:

Hardy Yellow Ice Plant

Botanical Name: Delosperma nubigenum

Height: 2"

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Hardy Yellow Ice Plant is an evergreen succulent plant. Due to its vigorous carpeting growth habit it is outstanding ground cover and rock garden plant. The plant covers itself with hundreds of yellow daisies in late spring.

Common Name:

Helen's Flower

Botanical Name: Helenium autumnale

Height: 5 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Branching, leafy stems with yellow, orange or reddish Daisy-like flowers in the Fall

Common Name:

Hens and Chicks

Botanical Name: Echeveria elegans

Height: 2"-3"

USDA Zones: 8-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Succulent blue-green clustering rosettes; bell shaped pink flowers in late summer

Common Name:

Hens and Chicks

Botanical Name: Sempervivum tectorum

Height: 1"-4"

USDA Zones: zones vary

Requirements & Benefits:

Many varieties of succulent rosettes; unique flowers develop after the plant is a couple years old; needs excellent drainage

Common Name:

Holly

Botanical Name: Ilex aquifolium

Height: 50 ft.

USDA Zones: 6-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Holly trees require well-drained, slightly acidic, fertile soil. They can tolerate either sun and shade. The male and female flowers of the holly tree are produced on separate plants. Therefore to ensure berry production, both male and female plants need to be planted.

Common Name:

Hollyhock Mallow

Botanical Name: Malva alcea

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Hollyhock Mallow plants are multi-stemmed, upright perennials that grow 2-4 feet tall, forming 2 foot clumps. From mid summer until fall, they produce spikes of 2" rose-pink or white flowers that resemble Hollyhocks. Mallow are reliable, easy to care for plants.

Common Name:

Honeysuckle

Botanical Name: Lonicera

Height:

USDA Zones: 4-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Honeysuckle are easy to grow, vigorous, heat-tolerant, and nearly indestructible. The flashy, fragrant flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies all summer long. The resulting fruit will provide a fall treat for your local songbirds as well.

Common Name:

Hummingbird Bush

Botanical Name: Anisacanthus quadrifidus

Height: 3-5 ft.

USDA Zones: 7-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Hummingbird Bushes are covered with redish orange, tube shaped blooms from mid Summer until first frost. They are drought tolerant, heat-loving small deciduous shrubs that Hummingbirds love!

Common Name:

Hyacinth Bean

Botanical Name: Dolichos lablab

Height:

USDA Zones: 8-10

Requirements & Benefits:

The Hyacinth Bean is a fast growing tender perennial that is usually grown as an annual. This twining vine has purplish green foliage, pinkish lavender blooms in summer and fall and purple seed pods in the fall

Common Name:

Ice Plant

Botanical Name: Carpobrotus chilensis

Height: 6-12"

USDA Zones: 9-10

Requirements & Benefits:

The Ice Plant is a creeping, mat-forming succulent ground cover from South Africa. 1-2" magenta flowers, low maintenance, requires good drainage, may become invasive

Common Name:

Ice Plant

Botanical Name: Lampranthus aurantiacus

Height: 14"

USDA Zones: 9-10

Requirements & Benefits:

This Ice Plant is a winter growing, succulent sub-shrub from South Africa. The flowers are bright and dramatic but they will fail to open without full sun

Common Name:

Italian alkanet

Botanical Name: Anchusa italica

Height: 3-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Italian alkanet is a stout and durable member of the Forget-me-not family. It has hairy 6" leaves and produces spikes of "true blue" flowers in June and July

Common Name:

Jupiter's Beard

Botanical Name: Centranthus ruber

Height: 24-36"

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Jupiter's Beard is an upright, branching perennial with soft, light bluish green, lance shaped foliage. It produces clusters of small, fragrant flowers from June through August. Can be easily grown from seeds.

Common Name:

Korean Feather Reed Grass

Botanical Name: Calamagrostis brachytricha

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

This Feather Reed is a slow spreading, clump forming, narrow foliaged grass that produces plumes of pink flowers in late summer

Common Name:

Lantana

Botanical Name: Lantana camaraLantana montevidensis

Height: 1-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 7-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Lantanas are fast growing, shrubby, spreading or trailing evergreen plants that grow from one to four feet tall. Lantana plants produce flat-topped 2" clusters of bright, multi-colored tubular flowers in the summer and fall.

Common Name:

Lily of the Nile

Botanical Name: Agapanthus praecox

Height: 18-36"

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

The Lily of the Nile is a tuberous rooted, clump-forming tender perennial with deep green, arching, strap like leaves. In mid summer to early fall, they produce rounded, 3" starburst flower heads. Agapanthus don't like their roots disturbed so in colder regions they should be grown in planters.

Common Name:

Little Bluestem Grass

Botanical Name: Schizachyrium scoparium

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Little Bluestem Grass forms dense clumps of fine textured foliage. The flower stem will grow to 30" tall before displaying its burgundy flower spray. Little Bluestem is a larval host for many species of butterflies and provides nesting material and seed for birds.

Common Name:

Madwort

Botanical Name: Alyssum spinosum

Height: 24"

USDA Zones: 8-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Compact shrub-like growth, tiny foliage, profusion of small white to pink flowers

Common Name:

Meadow Sage

Botanical Name: Salvia nemorosa

Height: 3 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Narrow erect plant with irregular leaves, spikes of small purple to white blooms in the Summer. Prefers slightly alkaline soil

Common Name:

Mexican Daisy

Botanical Name: Erigeron karvinskianus

Height: 6-15"

USDA Zones: 8-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Mexican Daisies are a readily trailing perennial that produce abundant white daisy-like flowers that turn to pink as they age. Excellent as a ground cover or in rock gardens

Common Name:

Mexican Feather Grass

Botanical Name: Stipa tenuissima

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 7-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Mexican Feather Grass forms compact clumps of fine, thread-like foliage. Produces a a profusion of feather-like, yellowish green flower panicles all summer. Deer resistant

Common Name:

Mimosa Tree

Botanical Name: Albizia julibrissin

Height: 20-30 ft.

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

The Mimosa Tree is a short lived, fast growing, multi stemmed deciduous tree with fine, compound, fern like foliage. It produces clusters of fragrant, feather-ball flowers in the summer, followed by brownish seed pods

Common Name:

Mint

Botanical Name: Mentha

Height: 6-24"

USDA Zones: 3-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Mint plants are fragrant, easy to grow, sometimes invasive, drought tolerant perennials that range from low growing ground covers to two foot uprights. Flowers should be snipped away to strengthen the stems. Attracts Butterflies: Swallowtails, Cabbage White, Gray Hairstreak, Painted Ladies, Red Admiral, Monarch, Large Wood Nymph

Common Name:

Mme. Galen's Trumpet Creeper

Botanical Name: Campsis x tagliabuana

Height:

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Mme. Galen's Trumpet Creeper is a cross between Campsis radicans and Campsis grandiflora with large dark green serrated leaves and bright reddish orange flowers. t thrives in poor soil and in partial shade

Common Name:

Mock Orange

Botanical Name: Philadelphus virginalis

Height: 10-12

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Mock Orange thrives in full sun or light shade, in almost any soil, but they grow and bloom best in moist, well-drained soil. It needs to be pruned immediately after flowering by cutting back the outer stems that have bloomed

Common Name:

Morning Glory

Botanical Name: Ipomoea species

Height: 10-20 ft.

USDA Zones: 9-12

Requirements & Benefits:

Morning Glories are very fast growing vines that are capable of growing 10 feet or more within the first two months. They readily reseed themselves for the next year. Morning Glory vines may become invasive

Common Name:

Moss Rose

Botanical Name: Portulaca Grandiflora

Height: 4-8

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Moss Rose is a quick growing succulent annual. Portulaca seeds should be sown outside after your last frost has passed. Seeds will germinate within 10-15 days.

Common Name:

Nasturtium

Botanical Name: Tropaeolum majus

Height:

USDA Zones:

Requirements & Benefits:

Once established, Nasturtiums take little or no care. As they spread and grow, their foliage resembles a sea of tiny lily pad leaves topped with brightly colored, edible blossoms. Can be easily grown from seed

Common Name:

Oriental Poppy

Botanical Name: Papaver orientale

Height: 18-36"

USDA Zones: 3-7

Requirements & Benefits:

Poppy plants form 18"-36" tall clumps of deeply divided green leaves that are covered with fine bristles. These undemanding perennials slowly spread by rhizomes to form nice two to three foot colonies. Their flowers have the texture of silky crepe paper.

Common Name:

Pampas Grass

Botanical Name: Cortaderia selloana

Height: 8-10 ft.

USDA Zones: 7-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Pampas Grass is an impressive, fast growing plant due to its size and durability as well as its large plumes of showy white to pink flowers (Cortaderia selloana 'Rosea'). Once it becomes well established, it is very drought tolerant and nearly indestructible plant.

Common Name:

Periwinkle

Botanical Name: Vinca

Height: 6"

USDA Zones: 4-9 7-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Periwinkles are fast growing, evergreen ground cover plants with opposing pairs of glossy dark green or variegated, oblong to lance shaped, 1½"-3" leaves. They produce an abundance of single, 1"-2" funnel shaped flowers with five flared and flattened petals.

Common Name:

Pincushion Flower

Botanical Name: Scabiosa columnaria

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

The Pincushion Flower is a long blooming, clump forming perennial. From early summer until the first frost of fall, Pincushion Flowers produce an abundance of rounded, 1½" flowerheads on top of wirey, 12"-24" stems.

Common Name:

Plecostachys

Botanical Name: Plecostachys serpyllifolia

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Plecostachys is a sturdy and drought tolerant, low growing shrub from South Africa. It has dense, very fine textured, light green or light grey foliage and produces Yarrow like flowers from mid summer to early fall

Common Name:

Plumbago

Botanical Name: Plumbago

Height: 6-8 ft.

USDA Zones: 8-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Plumbago is a semi-tender perennial, evergreen shrub that produces Clusters of phlox-like light blue flowers on new growth throughout the year. Can be trained to cover trellises or fences and may be grown in containers. Prune in late winter

Common Name:

Powis Castle Artemisia

Botanical Name: Artemisia 'Powis Castle'

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 6-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Powis Castle Artemisias are shrubby, mound forming perennials are grown for their finely dissected, aromatic, silvery-blue foliage. Powis Castle plants are evergreen (eversilver?) in warm winter regions. They form soft mounds that grow 2-3 feet tall and wide.

Common Name:

Purple Coneflower

Botanical Name: Echinacea purpurea

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Purple Coneflowers produce large, fragrant pink flowers beginning in April and May. The three to five foot flower stalks make them an excellent background planting for your landscape, or in a butterfly garden.

Common Name:

Purple Fountain Grass

Botanical Name: Pennisetum setaceum

Height: 12-18"

USDA Zones: 9-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Purple Fountain Grass forms tufts of short, rigid stems topped by long, bronze colored blades of grass. 12" purplish pink flower spikes. Often grown as an annual

Common Name:

Privet

Botanical Name: Ligustrum vulgare

Height: 4-15 ft.

USDA Zones: 1-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Privet is a densely growing deciduous shrub with small light green, mottled or golden foliage. It produces clusters of fragrant white flowers all summer. Can be pruned into elaborate shapes Attracts Butterflies: Spring Azure, Painted Ladies, Red-spotted Purple

Common Name:

Rabbitbrush

Botanical Name: Chrysothamnus nauseosus

Height: 4-5 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-6

Requirements & Benefits:

Rabbitbrush is best known for it's intensely yellow colored flowers which bloom from August through October.

Common Name:

Ravenna Grass

Botanical Name: Saccharum ravennae

Height: 9-12 ft.

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Ravenna Grass is often called Hardy Pampas Grass because of their similarities. It forms a large clump of ¾ wide greyish green blades. Pinkish flower spikes may reach 12 ft. Avoid fertilizing and excess watering to keep the plant compact

Common Name:

Red Clover

Botanical Name: Trifolium pratense

Height: 10-20"

USDA Zones: 6-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Red Clover is a legumous, nitrogen fixing, frost tender perennial with light green, trifoliate leaves immediately below a globe type flower head. It blooms from late spring until mid fall. An excellent cover crop. Attracts Butterflies: Cabbage White, Great Spangled Fritillary, Painted Ladies, Red Admiral

Common Name:

Rocky Point Ice Plant

Botanical Name: Malephora lutea

Height: 6-12"

USDA Zones: 9-10

Requirements & Benefits:

The Rocky Point Ice Plant is a fast growing, very succulent ground cover from South Africa. In extremely hot regions it should be planted in partial or light shade to avoid sun burn

Common Name:

Rosary vine

Botanical Name: Ceropegia woodii

Height:

USDA Zones: 10-11

Requirements & Benefits:

The vines of the Rosary plant are like thin wires with marbled, heart shaped leaves. They will reach two to four feet in length. The slender flowers resemble an inverted, small pink vase. The end of the tube is partly closed by delicate purple bars. Do not over-water! Usually grown as a house plant

Common Name:

Sage

Botanical Name: Salvia officinalis

Height: 2-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Sage is a short lived evergreen shrub with fuzzy, greyish green leaves. Camphor scented, purplish blue flowers appear in mid-summer. Sage is used in cooking, cosmetics and herbal remedies

Common Name:

Salal

Botanical Name: Gaultheria shallon

Height: 2-8 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Salal is a deer resistant, low growing shrub that prefers partial shade and well draining, acidic soil. It has thick, leathery, dark green foliage and spikes of small bell flowers in the spring and edible purple berries in the fall

Common Name:

Sandwort

Botanical Name: Arenaria montana

Height: 6"

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Sandwort forms a mossy looking, mounding mat of deep green foliage. It produces a mass of small 1" flowers in late spring. Good for rock gardens or as a ground cover

Common Name:

Sea Holly

Botanical Name: Eryngium bourgatii

Height: 1 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Sea Holly is a uniquely ornamental perennial plant that is among the favorites of many varieties of butterfly. The prickly foliage of this plant is variegated green and white. The steel blue, thistle like flowers form atop a two foot spike.

Common Name:

Sedum 'Autumn Joy'

Botanical Name: Sedum telephium

Height: 18-24"

USDA Zones: 3-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Sedum Autumn Joy is a low maintenance, clump forming, succulent perennial plant with waxy, grey green foliage. Four inch clusters of tiny, star shaped flowers appear from mid summer until mid autumn

Common Name:

Showy Dewflower

Botanical Name: Drosanthemum floribundum

Height: 6"

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

The Showy Dewflower is a slow spreading ground cover from South Africa. The succulent foliage is greyish green. The brightly colored flowers persist throughout the summer. May become invasive if not contained

Common Name:

Silverberry

Botanical Name: Eleagnus commutata

Height: 8-15 ft.

USDA Zones: 7-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Silverberry is a trouble free, very spiny evergreen shrub with waxy, olive green foliage. It produces small clusters of vase shaped flowers in fall, which develop into berry-like fruits

Common Name:

Silver Carpet

Botanical Name: Dymondia margaretae

Height: 1-2"

USDA Zones: 8-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Silver Carpet is a ground hugging evergreen ground cover from South Africa. The short blades of felt textured, grey green foliage lay nearly flat, giving the illusion of a frosted lawn. Silver Carpet is a good filler between paving stones, a good ground cover and has even been used as a substitute for a lawn.

Common Name:

Silver Mound Artemisia

Botanical Name: Artemisia schmidtiana

Height: 10-12"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Silver Mound Artemisia forms a low growing, 12-24" mound of fragrant, fern-like, silvery grey foliage. The flowers that appear in mid summer are tiny and insignificant. Excellent accent plant for borders and rock gardens

Common Name:

St. John's Wort

Botanical Name: Hypericum calycinum

Height: 18-60"

USDA Zones: 3-9

Requirements & Benefits:

St. John's Wort is a vigorous grower that is useful for erosion control but it can be invasive. This drought tolerant plant thrives on neglect. Herbal and Medicinal uses of St. John's Wort plants

Common Name:

Stonecrop

Botanical Name: Sedum acre

Height: 1½-2"

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Creeping, small bright green leaves covered with small, star shaped, golden flowers in Spring

Common Name:

Strawberry Tree

Botanical Name: Arbutus unedo

Height: 6-12 ft.

USDA Zones: 7-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Strawberry trees are upright evergreen shrubs with thick, leathery, dark green foliage. They produce hanging clusters of inverted urn-shaped flowers which develop into 1", bright red spherical fruits that take a full year to ripen. The fruit is edible but not flavorful

Common Name:

Sulfer Flower

Botanical Name: Eriogonum umbellatum

Height: 9-12"

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Low growing, spreading mat of 1" green leaves; clusters of bright yellow flowers

Common Name:

Sweet Woodruff

Botanical Name: Galium odoratum

Height: 6-12"

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Sweet Woodruff is a nice, mat forming ground cover for the shadier areas of your garden. Edible, fragrant green foliage and fragrant little white flowers in the springtime. Used for potpouri, a moth deterrant, roots used to make red dyes, flowers used to make yellow dyes

Common Name:

Tickseed

Botanical Name: Coreopsis species

Height: 1-3 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Coreopsis plants form nice, slow spreading clumps of green, fern-like or thread-like foliage with profusely blooming flowers that stand above the foliage on long, wirey stems. Coreopsis are excellent border or rock garden plants, and are great for cut flower arrangements.

Common Name:

Trailing Petunia

Botanical Name: Calibrachoa

Height: 6-8"

USDA Zones: 9-11

Requirements & Benefits:

Calibracoa shares most of the features of a Petunia, except everything is shrunk down to about one fourth the size. Trailing Petunias are easy to care for, fast growing plants that will produce an abundance of Petunia-like blooms all summer long.

Common Name:

Tricolor Stonecrop

Botanical Name: Sedum spurium 'tricolor'

Height: 4-6"

USDA Zones: 2-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Stonecrop are creeping, succulent ground cover plants. It forms a loose carpet of small green, pink and white tri colored leaves. It produces clusters of tiny star flowers in the summer. Excellent for rock gardens or can be grown in a a planter.

Common Name:

Turkish Speedwell

Botanical Name: Veronica liwanensis

Height: 3"x24"

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Groundcover, Rock Gardens, Lawn Substitute Tough, drought tolerant evergreen, mat forming plant with tiny, glossy, evergreen leaves that turn reddish bronze in hot sun. Covers itself with clusters of bright blue flowers all summer. Tolerates occasional walking. Requires good drainage

Common Name:

Verbena

Botanical Name: Verbena species

Height: 6"-5'

USDA Zones: vary

Requirements & Benefits:

There are about 250 annual and perennial species of Verbena but there are only about a half dozen that are commonly cultivated. These easy to grow, long blooming plants are both heat and drought tolerant. Trailing forms of Verbena are excellent for growing in containers and hanging baskets.

Common Name:

Vine Maples

Botanical Name: Acer circinatum

Height: 15-20 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Vine Maple grow well in a wide variety of soil types, varying levels of sunlight and tolerate almost any level of watering once established

Common Name:

Violets

Botanical Name: Viola sp

Height: 2-6"

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Violets are dainty little self seeding versions of the Pansy. Their seeds can be directly sown into the garden at anytime from spring through fall, but the seeds need darkness and 70° to germinate

Common Name:

Virginia Creeper

Botanical Name: Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Height:

USDA Zones:  

Requirements & Benefits:

Virginia Creeper is a fast growing deciduous vine with intensely rich red fall color. It easily clings to walls or a trellis, or can be allowed to creep as a ground cover. The berries are highly toxic!

Common Name:

Wallflower

Botanical Name: Erysimum

Height: 1-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 6-9

Requirements & Benefits:

The Wallflower is an old-fashioned perennial garden flower which is usually grown as an annual or biennial because it tends to 'bloom itself to death'. The profusion of fragrant, bright orange flowers in early spring makes this plant an excellent choice for the butterfly garden, flower bed, or garden border.

Common Name:

Wild Lilac

Botanical Name: Ceanothus cuneatus

Height: 4-8 ft.

USDA Zones: 6-10

Requirements & Benefits:

The Wild Lilac or Buckbrush is a drought tolerant shrub, native to the west coast. The sprays of white to light blue flowers are very fragrant in late Spring

Common Name:

Witch Hazel

Botanical Name: Hamamelis mollis

Height: 10-15 ft.

USDA Zones: 5-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Witch Hazel is a low maintenance deciduous shrub which is one of the earliest blooming shrubs, providing you with lots of showy, fragrant flowers beginning in early February

Common Name:

Woodrush

Botanical Name: Luzula sylvatica

Height: 1-2 ft.

USDA Zones: 4-9

Requirements & Benefits:

Woodrush is an easy to grow and durable, slow growing grass-like plant that will even survive in dry shade. Variegated varieties are available

Common Name:

Wood Sorrel

Botanical Name: Oxalis oregana

Height: 6"

USDA Zones: 7-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Studies show that 9 out of 10 Gnomes prefer Wood Sorrel as their garden carpeting over any other ground cover. Wood Sorrel is a deciduous clover-like ground cover plant that produces small, star shaped flowers throughout the spring and summer

Common Name:

Woolly Yarrow

Botanical Name: Achillea tomentosa

Height: 9-12"

USDA Zones: 5-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Woolly Yarrow is a very durable and low maintenance perennial with aromatic, greyish green, strap-like leaves. It produces small clusters that continue throughout the summer. Very drought tolerant

Common Name:

Yarrow

Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium

Height: 2-4 ft.

USDA Zones: 3-10

Requirements & Benefits:

Yarrow belongs to a group of plants that includes annual and perennial, drought resistant plants that will grow in almost any garden soil. It is a long blooming perennial wildflower with fern like greyish green foliage and 4-6" flower clusters

Common Name:

Yellow Sedge

Botanical Name: Carex flava

Height: 18-30"

USDA Zones: 4-8

Requirements & Benefits:

Although it is not commonly grown as ornamental, Yellow Sedge is durable and adaptable. It has yellow striped foliage, and produces seed for the birds winter feeding.