July 2024 Plant of the Month | Drought Tolerant Plants
As we enter the hot "Dog Days of Summer," it's essential to consider incorporating drought-tolerant plants suited for USDA Hardiness Zone 5 into your landscape and garden. These plants help conserve water and require less maintenance, making your gardening efforts more sustainable and manageable.
Herbaceous Plants: Perennials and Annuals
Characteristics of Drought-Tolerant Plants:
- Often have deep root systems
- Many have specialized leaves that prevent water loss
- Description: Succulent leaves, clusters of star-shaped flowers
- Varieties: Sedum 'Autumn Joy', Sedum 'Dragon’s Blood'
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
- Description: Daisy-like flowers, vibrant colors
- Varieties: Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, adaptable to various soil types
- Description: Aromatic leaves, purple flower spikes
- Varieties: Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula x intermedia
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
- Description: Brightly colored, daisy-like flowers
- Varieties: Gaillardia aristata, Gaillardia x grandiflora
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, sandy or loamy soil
- Varieties: Achillea millefolium, Achillea filipendulina
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
Annuals
These plants not only tolerate drought but also bring bursts of color to gardens with minimal maintenance.
- Description: Low-growing succulent with vibrant, rose-like flowers
- Varieties: Portulaca grandiflora, Portulaca umbraticola
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
- Description: Brightly colored flowers in a variety of shapes and sizes
- Varieties: Zinnia elegans, Zinnia haageana
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
- Description: Cheerful, vibrant flowers that are easy to grow
- Varieties: Tagetes erecta (African Marigold), Tagetes patula (French Marigold)
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
- Description: Clusters of small, colorful flowers that bloom profusely
- Varieties: Verbena bonariensis, Verbena x hybrida
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
Woody Plants: Shrubs and Trees
Characteristics of Drought-Tolerant Shrubs:
- Deep roots, woody stems
- Often have adaptations like waxy leaves or reduced leaf area
Shrubs:
- Description: White spring flowers, dark berries
- Varieties: Aronia melanocarpa, Aronia arbutifolia
- Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade, moist to dry soil
- Description: Compound leaves, red fall foliage, red fruit clusters
- Varieties: Rhus typhina, Rhus glabra
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
- Description: Fragrant, colorful flower spikes
- Varieties: Buddleia davidii, Buddleia alternifolia
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
- Description: Blue flowers, aromatic leaves
- Varieties: Caryopteris x clandonensis
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
- Description: Clusters of small flowers, various colors
- Varieties: Spiraea japonica, Spiraea x bumalda
- Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade, well-drained soil
Trees
Quercus (Oak)
- Description: Large, sturdy trees, lobed leaves
- Varieties: Quercus macrocarpa (Bur Oak), Quercus alba (White Oak)
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, well-drained soil
Gleditsia triacanthos (Honeylocust)
- Description: Fine, feathery foliage, thornless varieties available
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, adaptable to various soils
Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple)
- Description: Classic shade tree, vibrant fall color
- Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade, moist to dry soils
Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Redcedar)
- Description: Evergreen foliage, adaptable and hardy
- Growing Conditions: Full sun, tolerant of poor soils
Using drought-tolerant plants in your landscape offers numerous benefits, including reduced water usage and enhanced garden resilience. Additionally, these plants generally require less maintenance. Always use proper soil preparation at planting time by adding no more than 20% organic matter. Mulch using good organic matter-based materials to conserve soil moisture. Treat all of these varieties of plants like intensive care patients during the establishment period of the first 8 weeks, and then monitor them regularly for the first two growing seasons.
Jennifer Brennan
Chalet Horticulturist
Share