38 Best Drought Tolerant Plants that Grow In Lack of Water

Planting drought-tolerant plants is a great idea if you live in areas with unfavorable weather. They are less thirsty, resilient, and can survive in tough environmental conditions. Here are some Best Drought Tolerant Plants you can easily grow!

Agaves store water in their thick foliage and this makes them without it for long. Landscapers often grow them due to the unusual shape of their foliage too!

Lithops are unique, stone-like succulent plants with a very low watering requirement. This attribute makes them one of the best plants for newbie gardeners.

Known for its resistance to drought and low maintenance nature, this plant also grows well in all soil types and prefers plenty of light and sunshine.

Also known as “Desert Rose,” Adenium is a tropical succulent that requires occasional watering. It does well in full sun and can also be grown as a houseplant in colder climates.

Featuring fleshy paddle-shaped leaves, Jade is a popular succulent. It is also believed to bring good luck to the owner.

Succulents boast fleshy green leaves and require partial sun, sandy soil, and warm temperature to grow. Haworthia, Aeonium, and Echeveria are the best choices.

Cacti come in many shapes and sizes and do remarkably well in low water. Bunny Ears, Blue Flame, Claret Cup are the ones you must grow.

Bougainvillea is a champion in tolerating droughts. It’s one of the toughest shrubs that thrive on neglect in extreme and intense conditions.

Moss rose is a drought-tolerant flowering plant that thrives in dry, poor soil. Due to its thick succulent leaves, it can survive for a long time without water.

The blanket flower has no special needs. Anyone without a green thumb can make it bloom prolifically. All it really wants is a sunny spot and occasional watering spells.

Verbena is an excellent ground cover that spreads rapidly and thrives in high heat and a little water. It does well in full sun and well-drained soil.

Lantana is a hardy tropical plant grown for its fragrant, colorful flowers. The plant loves heat and drought, is less demanding, and can be grown in any soil type.

Known for the beautiful colors and sweet aroma, wallflowers are short-lived perennials and require occasional watering. Flowers appear in spring and summer in clusters.

Oleander is a tropical shrub that blooms prolifically. It produces beautiful fragrant flowers of different colors, like yellow, pink, red, white, and purple.

Grow this plant if you’re searching for the one that thrives on neglect, requires no fertilizers, and performs well in poor soil and drought-like conditions.

This drought-resistant herb is famous for its aromatic flavor. Sage has low watering requirements, and overwatering can kill the plant quickly.

Thanks to the vibrant colors, poppies are the biggest attraction in any garden or a patio. To grow poppies all you need is sufficient exposure to sun and low to moderate watering.

This mound-forming shrub has grey-green foliage and pretty button-like flowers that appear in summer. It does well in low water and thrives in full sun.

This unmistakable flowering herb is easy to grow and is quite drought-tolerant. You can also plant it in the pot indoors to enjoy its refreshing fragrance!

It is most suitable for rock gardens. These flowering plants thrive well in neglect and lack of water.

Once established, globe thistles tolerate drought and are probably one of the easiest perennials you can have in your garden.

Rose Campion is admired for its silvery-green foliage. The plant requires only supplemental watering during prolonged dry periods.

This drought-tolerant plant has fragrant round clusters of flowers that appear from late spring and complements its fleshy blue-green foliage.

Most of the plants from the Euphorbia genus tolerate the scarcity of water easily and don’t require special attention.

This tough and drought-resistant shrub is truly an admirable plant, thanks to its silvery foliage and beautiful plumes of lavender color flowers.

Yarrows are low-maintenance plants with fern-like decorative foliage. They’re suitable for borders, wildflower meadows, and rock gardens.

Pineleaf Penstemon is a herbaceous perennial and low-maintenance plant. It blooms wonderful scarlet-red flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies alike.

Boasting pink, blue, white, and orange flowers, Agastache is a drought-loving plant. It attracts hummingbirds, pollinators, and beautiful butterflies!

Botanical Name: Artemisia

This plant displays scented silver-gray or white leaves with knotty patterns. Once established the plant can handle drought and heat efficiently.

Botanical Name: Penstemon spp.

Beardtongue features clusters of tube-shaped flowers on rigid stems. These plants become drought-tolerant after maturity and require watering every couple of weeks.

Botanical Name: Echinacea

Coneflowers are quite drought-tolerant, but they need little maintenance from time to time. You can grow them in any soil type with good drainage.

Botanical Name: Eschscholzia californica

Calfornia Poppy is a fast-growing, drought-tolerant annual that thrives well in full sun and can also handle partial shade. Grow this plant in well-draining, sandy soil.

Botanical Name: Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’

‘Rubrum’ is a famous ornamental, clump-forming grass with purple-red narrow leaves. This drought-tolerant specimen can manage a couple of weeks without water.

Botanical Name: Anigozanthos spp.

Native to Australia, it grows in dry, sandy regions and can withstand long dry spells due to the sap conserved in the roots.

Botanical Name: Leptospermum scoparium

Also popular as Manuka. this evergreen shrub has fragrant, prickly, small foliage and ornamental pink, white, or red blooms. Once established they have some drought resistance.

Botanical Name: Lonicera involucrata

This deciduous shrub flowers in orange-red blooms that have trichomes (tiny hairs) that grab water and hold onto it, making the plant drought-tolerant.

Botanical Name: Echium candicans

This evergreen plant, with stunning blue flowers, has a mounding growth habit, growing naturally on rocky cliffs, and tolerates dry soil very well.

Botanical Name: Campsis radicans

This flowering vine is quite drought-tolerant and can be grown in a range of conditions. It grows fast with bright green leaves and ornamental red-orange flowers during summer.