Drought Tolerant Annuals and Perennials

There are things that flower gardeners can do to prepare for seasons when there is a drought.

First, be informed. Learn if your community has restricted water use.
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) maintains a Municipal Water use Restrictions Map.

Take proper steps to insure that plants get well established in the garden. If planting new plants in the garden, read the fact sheet: " Watering New Plantings".

Tips for successful gardening during a dry season

• Choose the right plant for the right place. Different plants prefer sunny, part-shade, moist or dry conditions. Many annual and perennial plants on the market are considered low- water use plants (see list below). Group together plants with similar light and water requirements and place them in areas that match these requirements. High water-use plants can be placed in low-lying drainage areas, near downspouts, or if shade tolerant, in the shade of other plants and low water-use plants in dry and sunny areas.
• Incorporate organic matter such as leaf mold, well-rotted manure or compost at a rate of about 25% of soil volume into the top 8-10 inches of the garden area. This improves moisture retention and soil structure.
• Avoid growing in raised beds. Plants in raised beds tend to dry out more quickly.
• If plants can't be planted right away, keep them in a shady area and out of the wind. Plant on cloudy days or in the early evening if possible to avoid stressing plants.
• Water early in the morning for maximum benefit and most efficient water use.
• Before transplanting, water plants in their existing containers. Immediately after planting, water flower and vegetable transplants from cell paks thoroughly with 1-1/2 quarts of water and larger annuals and perennials with 3 quarts. Annuals and perennials will need about 2 weeks of consistent moisture to develop a good root system and become established. Most plants will be able to tolerate dry spells once established with a healthy root system. Even drought-tolerant plants need regular water until they are established.
• Encourage the use of drip or soaker hoses to conserve water and assure plant survival. Apply water slowly to avoid runoff and water thoroughly. Water must penetrate deeply to establish healthy roots. Avoid frequent light sprinkling.
• Once established, most garden plants need about 1" of rain or supplemental water every 5-7 days. Applying that inch of water in one deep watering ( to a depth of 4"-6") will encourage deeper rooting, which leads to stronger, healthier plants. Shallow, frequent watering, on the other hand, will lead to shallow root systems and high water loss through evaporation. Shallow watering, such as light frequent sprinkling, can result in wasting water while not meeting the needs of your plants.
• How much water is an inch of water? One square foot (12"x12") is 144 square inches. 1 sq ft x 1 inch deep = 144 cubic inches. One gallon = 231 cubic inches. Dividing 231 by 144 = 0.62 gallons (rounded). So a plant growing in about 1 square foot of soil needs a little more than half a gallon of water a week to equal 1 inch.
• Finally, promote the use of organic mulches such as bark chips. A 2-3 inch layer of mulch applied when soil is moist will conserve soil moisture and reduce weeds.

Special Tips for Container Gardening

• Containers must be large enough to give roots room to grow. Consider the plant's mature size, when choosing container size. Avoid growing vigorous plants in small containers, which will become pot-bound and hold little moisture.
• If using unglazed clay pots, line the pot with plastic to hold moisture. Unglazed clay dries fastest and requires more frequent watering.
• Fill containers with pre-moistened potting media deep enough so new plants, root ball intact, can be set at the same depth they grew in the original containers. Fill in around each plant with additional media. Be sure all roots are covered and plants are anchored securely. The soil surface should be ½ inch below the rim of the pot to collect water.

Drought Tolerant Annuals

Common name	scientific name	common name	scientific name
Ageratum	ageratum houstonianum	Angelonia	Angelonia angustifolia
Blanket flower	Gaillardia pulchella	Calendula	Calendula officianalis
California poppy	Eschscholzia californica	Cockscomb	Celosia cristats
Coleus	Coleus	Cosmos	C. bipinnatus, C. sulphureus
Creeping zinnia	Zinnia linearis	Dusty miller	Senecio cineraria
Flowering tobacco	Nicotiana alata	Foxglove	Digitalis pupurea
Gazania	Gazania splendens	Geranium	Pelargonium x hortorum
Globe amaranth	Gomphrena globosa	Strawflower	Helichrysum bracteatum
Madegascar periwinkle	Catharanthus roseus	Marigold	T.erecta, T. patula
Melampodium	Melampodium paudosum	Moss rose	Portulaca grandiflora
Ornamental kale	Brassica oeracea	Ornamental pepper	Capsicum annuum
Pansy	Violoa x wittrockiana	Petunia	Petuna x hybrida
Salvia	S. slendens, S. facinacea	Spider flower	Cleome hassierana
Verbena	Verbena spp. and hybrids	Wax begonia	Begonia semperflorens- cultorum
Zinnia	Z. elegans, Z. angustifolia

 

Drought Tolerant Perennials

Common Name	Scientific Name	Common Name	Scientific name
Achillia	Achillia millefolium, A. Coronation Gold, A. Moonshine	Ajuga	Ajuga reptans
Artemisia	Artemisia	Aster	Aster spp.
Butterfly weed	Asclepias tuberosa	Baby's breath	Gypsophila paniculata
Baptisia	Baptisia australis	Beebalm	Monarda didyma
Black-eyed Susan	Rudbeckia hirta	Chrysanthemum, Mum	Chrysanthemum x morifolium
Candytuft, Evergreen	Iberis sempervivens	Conflower, Purple	Echinacea purpurea
Columbine	Aquilegia spp.	Coreopsis	Coreopsis lanceolata, C. verticillata, C. tinctoria
Coralbells	Heuchera americana	Daylily	Hemerocallis spp.
Echinops	Echinops ritro	Gaura	Gaura lindheimeri
Gaillardia	Gaillardia x grandiflora	Gerbera daisy	Gerbera jamesonii
Gazania	Gazania	Hardy ice plant	Delosperma cooperi
Goldenrod	Solidago spp. and hybrids	Hosta, Plantain lily	Hosta spp.
Helleborus, Lenten rose	Helleborus orientalis	Lamb's ears	Stachys byzantina
Iris	Iris spp.	Liatris	Liatris spicata
Lavandula	Lavandula angustifolia	Mexican sunflower	Tithonia rotunifolia
Lily of the Nile	Agapanthus	Papaver	Papaver orientale
Nepeta	Nepeta faassennii	Perovskia	Perovskia
Peony	Paeonia lactiflora	Red hot poker	Kniphofia uvaria
Phlox	Phlox paniculata, P. divaricata, P. subulata	Sedum	Sedum specabile
Salvia	Salvia farinacea, S. spp.	Stokes aster	Stokesia laevis
Shasta Daisy	Chrysanthemum x superbum	Verbena	Verbena spp.
Verbascum	Mullein	Yarrow	Achillea millefolium
Veronica	Veronica spicata