Plant Wisely: 10 Favorite Drought Tolerant Plants

These days in the valley, we’re enjoying our climate sweet spot, the few months between the cold of winter and the heat of summer where everyone and everything seems content. Flowers are bursting into bloom, and new growth on trees has them looking greener than ever.

We know what’s coming though, don’t we? Oh we can ignore it for a bit longer, but even this past weekend reminded us of what’s ahead: a long, hot, dry summer. As you take time this spring to dig in the dirt, consider adding water wise plants into your garden. To help inspire you, we’re sharing 10 favorite drought tolerant plants.

Image Credit: Monrovia (1-4, 6-8) and Annie’s Annuals (5, 10)

1. Agave Parryi: The love for succulents hasn’t waned a bit, and this one is always a favorite. There are a number of different agave plants, so find one you like. This particular one is the artichoke agave, which is a fitting name for sure.
2. Rock Rose Cistus: This evergreen isn’t a rose at all, but you’ll love it anyway for its easy care and blooms.
3. Ceanothus: This is often called California Lilac, and there are a number of different shades of purple you can find. While the Coanothus ‘Concha‘ is a true favorite with its deep blue variety, this ‘Blue Jeans‘ by Monrovia is lovely, too.
4. Mexican Grass Palm: A strong structured plant that, if kept for decades, can grow quite large (anywhere from 6 to 10 feet in diameter) and develop a nice trunk. While young it does fine in a container.
5. Manzanita (Arctostaphylos): If you’ve spent any time in Three Rivers or our National Parks, you’ve seen manzanita. It has beautiful smooth red bark and muted green leaves and will bloom either white or pink flowers.
6. Palo Verde ‘Desert Museum’: A great tree that puts out a show of yellow flowers in the spring.
7. Sempervivum: You probably know this succulent by its common name of hens and chicks, so-called because of how they grow, with the large “hen” being the main rosette and baby “chicks” growing all around. I love the lime green of this particular one (‘Greenii’), but there are dozens of colors to choose from.
8. Chilopsis Linearis ‘Desert Willow’: An airy shrub (or small tree) that has pink or white trumpet-shaped flowers.
9. Heteromeles Arbutiflora ‘Toyon’: This evergreen shrub is sometimes called false California holly because of its bright red berries in the wintertime. Interesting fact: Hollywood was named for this particular plant because it was so abundant in the area!
10. Dudleya Pulverulenta: This is commonly called chalk lettuce, as well as liveforever, which may be just the plant someone claiming a black thumb may need! I love the color, a perfect succulent blue-green. Beautiful!

Thanks to Luis’ Nursery for sending us this list of their ten favorite drought tolerant plants! You’ve inspired us all to be wiser with our planting!