Popularity, clearly labeled

The Most Popular Drought-Tolerant Plants

Among plants catalog-rated for drought tolerance, these are the genera Sow gardeners save most. Drought performance still depends on establishment, soil, climate, and the exact variety.

Ranked by gardener savesOne representative per genus
  1. Milkweed

    Milkweed

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 15 varieties. Milkweeds are essential monarch host plants as well as rich nectar sources.

  2. Coneflower

    Coneflower

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 190 varieties. Prominent cones support pollinators, then leave seed heads that feed birds.

  3. Muhly Grass

    Muhly Grass

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 13 varieties. Airy pink or cream seed heads create a luminous cloud above fine foliage.

  4. Sage

    Sage

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 176 varieties. Aromatic leaves and upright nectar-rich flowers perform through heat and lean soil.

  5. Hollyhock

    Hollyhock

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 29 varieties. Towering flower spires bring cottage-garden height without demanding much ground space.

  6. Black-eyed Susan

    Black-eyed Susan

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 31 varieties. Dark-centered gold daisies create a durable bridge from summer into fall.

  7. Butterfly Bush

    Butterfly Bush

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 80 varieties. Long, fragrant flower panicles become busy landing strips for butterflies.

  8. Catmint

    Catmint

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 27 varieties. Aromatic gray foliage and blue flower haze make an easy, billowing edge.

  9. Blanket Flower

    Blanket Flower

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 24 varieties. Warm, banded daisies keep flowering through heat that slows many perennials.

  10. Zinnia

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 17 varieties. Its representative is notable for being North American native and dry-spell tolerant.

  11. Phlox

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 132 varieties. From creeping mats to tall fragrant panicles, phlox fills several garden layers.

  12. False Indigo

    False Indigo

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 38 varieties. Shrub-like clumps carry lupine-shaped flowers, then ornamental charcoal seedpods.

  13. American Aster

    American Aster

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 24 varieties. North American asters provide essential late nectar in clouds of small daisies.

  14. Lupine

    Lupine

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 40 varieties. Palm-shaped leaves and dense flower spires bring bold meadow structure.

  15. Honeysuckle

    Honeysuckle

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 19 varieties. Tubular, often fragrant flowers turn fences into nectar-rich habitat.

  16. Beardtongue

    Beardtongue

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 49 varieties. Tubular flowers rise above tidy foliage and supply nectar in lean, sunny soil.

  17. Feather Reed Grass

    Feather Reed Grass

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 11 varieties. Early, upright plumes provide structure without the bulk of larger grasses.

  18. Blue Milkweed

    Blue Milkweed

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 3 varieties. Its representative is notable for being dry-spell tolerant and late spring flowering.

  19. Boxwood

    Boxwood

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 27 varieties. Its representative is notable for being dry-spell tolerant and usually passed over by deer.

  20. Iris

    Ranked by its most-saved matching variety; the full catalog includes 258 varieties. Sword-like leaves and intricate flowers give beds a strong architectural rhythm.

About this list

How was this the most popular drought-tolerant plants list ranked?

A plant must first match the catalog filters named in the title. Each genus is represented and ranked by its most-saved matching variety, so genera with many cultivars do not receive an automatic advantage.

Do drought-tolerant plants need any watering?

Yes — in their first season. Water deeply and infrequently while roots establish; most reach true drought tolerance in their second year.

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