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Drought Tolerant Plants

Western Redbud in bloom

In the Sierra Foothills of California, summer drought is nothing new. Dry and hot are typical adjectives used to describe any July day in these regions. Those of us who live in these areas have learned to weather the low humidity and soaring temperatures that summer brings. But today, drought has taken on a new significance. With ongoing drought conditions, water becomes a more precious resource with each passing day.

Gardening Where you Are

The new way to garden is to acknowledge and plan for the place, the climate, the conditions, in which your garden exists. Living the mantra "Garden Where You Are" makes it easier on the gardener, while at the same time allowing a gentler approach to landscaping and minimizing the impacts on our environment. It recognizes that existing in harmony with our surroundings is not only useful, but essential. This time and space appropriate garden is the garden we are here to help you with. The drought tolerant plants below will add beauty and functionality to your garden while going easy on our taxed water resources and your water bill.


This page lists the drought tolerant plants in our catalog by botanical name.
To search by common name, go to our alphabetical plant listing pages
or click on your selection below to learn more about the plant.

common yarrowAchillea millefolium
Common Yarrow
dwarf catmintNepeta faasenii-Dwarf
Dwarf Catmint
Sunny Seduction YarrowAchillea millefolium "Sunny Seduction"
Sunny Seduction Yarrow
Walkers Low CatmintNepeta faasenii 'Walker's Low'
Walker's Low Catmint
Red Velvet YarrowAchillea millefolium ''Red Velvet'
Red Velvet Yarrow
Spanish CatmintNepeta tuberosa
Spanish Catmint
Terra Cotta YarrowAchillea millefolium 'Terra Cotta'
Terra Cotta Yarrow
tufted evening primroseOenothera caespitosa var. longiflora
Tufted Evening Primrose
Moonshine YarrowAchillea taygetaya 'Moonshine'
Moonshine Yarrow
Hooker's Evening PrimroseOenothera elata
Hooker's Evening Primrose
California BuckeyeAesculus californica
California Buckeye
Fireworks Southern SundropsOenothera fruticosa 'Fireworks'
Fireworks Southern Sundrops
Apricot Sunrise Anise HyssopAgastache 'Apricot Sunrise'
Apricot Sunrise Anise Hyssop
evening primroseOenothera perennis
Little Evening Primrose
bolero hyssopAgastache 'Bolero'
Bolero Hummingbird Mint
Low Prickly PearOpuntia humifusa
Low Prickly Pear
golden jubilee anise hyssopAgastache 'Golden Jubilee'
Golden Jubillee Anise Hyssop
creeping golden marjorumOriganum aurea
Creeping Golden Marjoram
Sunset HyssopAgastache rupestris
Sunset Hyssop
hopleys purple oreganoOriganum laevigatum 'Hopley's Purple'
Hopley's Purple Ornamental Oregano
garden chivesAllium schoenoprasum
Grassleaf Garden Chives
sweet marjorumOriganum marjorana
Sweet Marjorum
giant garden chives Allium schoenoprasm 'Forescate
Giant Garden Chives
roundleaf oreganoOriganum rotundifolium
Roundleaf Oregano
Corkskrew onionAllium senescens glauca
Corkskrew Onion
hopley's purple ornamental oregano Origanum rotundifolium 'Kent Beauty'
Kent Beauty Oregano
Susanna Mitchell Dyer's ChamomileAnthemis tinctora 'Susanna Mitchell'
Susanna Mitchell Dyer's Chamomile
 
Howard McMinn ManzanitaArctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn'
Howard McMinn Manzanita
Cardinal PenstemonPenstemon cardinalis
Cardinal Penstemon
emerald carpet manzanitaArctostaphylos 'Emerald Carpet'
Emerald Carpet Manzanita
firecracker penstemonPenstemon eatonii
Firecracker Penstemon
Pacific Mist ManzanitaArctostaphylos x 'Pacific Mist'
Pacific Mist Manzanita
Catherine de la Mare foothill penstemonPenstemon heterophyllus 'Catherine de la Mare'
Foothill Penstemon
White blooming sea thriftArmeria maritima 'Alba'
White Blooming Sea Thrift
Margarita BOP Foothill PenstemonPenstemon heterophyllyus
'Margarita BOP'
Margarita BOP Foothill Penstemon
David's Choice Sandhill SageArtemesia pycnocephala 'David's Choice'
David's Choice Sandhill Sage
gay penstemonPenstemon laetus
Gay Penstemon
Narrow leaf milkweedAsclepias fascicularis
Narrow Leaf Milkweed
mountain pridePenstemon newberryi
Mountain Pride
Asclepias speciosa
Showy Milkweed
saint helena mountain pridePenstemon newberryi 'St. Helena'
St. Helena Mountain Pride
pigeon pointcoyote bushBaccharis pilularis 'Pigeon Point'
Pigeon Point Coyote Bush
Penstemon palmeri
Shell Penstemon
false indigoBaptisia australis
False Indigo

mersea yellow pineleaf penstemonPenstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow'
Mersea Yellow Pineleaf Penstemon
PigsqueakBergenia cordifolia
Pigsqueak
 
quaking grassBriza media
Quaking Grass
pincushion penstemonPenstemon procerus
Pincushion Penstemon
Ithurial's SpearBrodiaea laxa 'Corrina'
Ithurial's Spear, Fool's Onion', Grass Nut
Rocky Mountain PenstemonPenstemon strictus
Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Incense CedarCalocedrus decurrens
Incense Cedar
Littleleaf Mock OrangePhiladelphus microphyllus
Littleleaf Mockorange
Texas SundropsCalylophus berlandieri
Texas Sundrops

Jerusalem SagePhlomis russeliana
Jerusalem Sage
cannaCanna x generalis
Common Canna
Cape FuchsiaPhygelius x rectus
Cape Fuchsia

berkely sedgeCarex divulsa
Berkeley Sedge

yellow trumpet cape fuchsiaPhygelius aequalis 'Yellow Trumpet'
Yellow Cape Fuchsia
Bush AnemoneCarpenteria californica
Bush Anemone
 
Autumn Blue SpireaCaryopteris incana
Autumn Blue Spirea
Turkey Tangle FrogfruitPhyla nodiflora
Turkey Tangle Frogfruit
bluebeardCaryopteris x clandonensis
Bluebeard
Golden CurrantRibes aureum
Golden Currant
Anchor Bay California lilacCeanothus gloriosus 'Anchor Bay'
Anchor Bay California Lilac
Dancing Tassels Chaparral CurrantRibes malvaceum 'Dancing Tassels'
Dancing Tassels Chaparral Currant
Dark Star CeanothusCeanothus 'Dark Star'
Dark Star California Lilac
Pink Flowering CurrantRibes sanguineum glutinosum
Pink Flowering Currant
Joyce Coulter California LilacCeanothus 'Joyce Coulter'
Joyce Coulter California Lilac
fuchsia flowered gooseberryRibes speciosum
Fuchsia-Flowered Gooseberry
white jupiters beardCentranthus ruber 'Albus'
White Jupiter's Beard


Landy Banks RoseRosa banksiae 'Lutea'
Lady Banks Climbing Rose
western redbudCercis occidentalis
Western Redbud
highveld sun roseRosa 'Highveld Sun'
Highveld Sun Groundcover Rose
Flowering QuinceChaenomeles speciosa
Flowering Quince
benenden blue rosemaryRosmarinus officinalis 'Benenden Blue'
Benenden Blue Upright Rosemary
Pink form flowering quinceChaenomeles speciosa
Flowering Quince-pink form
trailing rosemaryRosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus'
Trailing Rosemary
desert willowChilopsis linearis
Desert Willow
Renzels rosemaryRosmarinus officinalis 'Renzels'
Renzels Trailing Rosemary
Morning Clud Chitalpax Chitalpa tashketensis 'Morning Cloud'
Morning Cloud Chitalpa
rosulariaRosularia sedoides
Rosularia
Pink Dawn Chitalpax Chitalpa tashketensis 'Pink Dawn'
Pink Dawn Chitalpa
creeping brambleRubus pentalobus
Creeping Bramble
procumbent rockroseCistus x dansereaui decumbens
Decumbent Rock Rose
goldsturm black eyed susanRudbeckia fulgida ' Goldsturm'
Goldsturm Black-Eyed Susan
 
Jessamy Beauty RockroseCistus 'Jessamy Beauty'
Jessamy Beauty Rockrose
Prairie SageSalvia azurea grandiflora
Prairie Sage
 
Poplar Leaf Rock RoseCistus poplulifolius
Poplar-Leaf Rock Rose
white sageSalvia apiana
White Sage
Sageleaf rockroseCistus salvifolius prostratus
Sageleaf Rockrose
Bee's Bliss SageSalvia 'Bee's Bliss
Bee's Bliss Creeping Sage

Sunset RockroseCistus pulverulentus 'Sunset'
Sunset Rockrose
Salvia chamaedryoides
Germander Sage
pipestemsClematis lasiantha
Pipestems
cleveland sageSalvia clevelandii
Sage, Cleveland
Moonbeam CoreopsisCoreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'
Moonbeam Threadleaf Coreopsis

Pozo Blue SageSalvia clevelandii 'Pozo Blue'
Pozo Blue Sage
Tree Cholla BlossomCylindropuntia imbricata
Tree Cholla
 
Cardoon BlossomCynara cardunculus
Cardoon
Coahuila SageSalvia coahuilensis
Coahuila Sage
Texas Sundrops Calylophus berlandieri
Texas Sundrops, Berlandier's Sundrops
Pink Autumn SageSalvia gregii 'Pink'
Pink Autumn Sage
Burmese PlumbagoCeratostigma griffithii
Burmese Plumbago
Red Autumn SageSalvia greggii 'Red'
Red Autumn Sage
Smoke TreeCotinus coggygria 'Atropurpurea'
Purple Smoke Tree
Hotlips SageSalvia x jamensis 'Hotlips'
Hotlips Sage
Hardy Ice PlantDelosperma cooperi
Hardy Ice Plant
Sierra de Antonio sageSalvia x jamensis 'Sierra de San Antonio'
Sierra de San Antonio Sage
vivid hardy ice plantDelospema P001s
Vivid Hardy Ice Plant
Smokey Red Little Leaf SageSalvia microphylla 'Smoky Red'
Little Leaf Sage
Blood PinksDianthus cruentus
Blood Pinks
 
crimson treasure cheddar pinksDianthus gratianopolitanus 'Crimson Treasure'
Cheddar Pinks
berggarten sageSalvia officinalis 'Berggarten'
Berggarten Garden Sage
purple coneflowerEchinacea purpurea
Purple Coneflower
Vatican White Clary SageSalvia sclarea var turkestanica alba ‘Vatican White’
Vatican White Clary Sage
Wayne Roderickseaside daisyErigeron glauca 'Wayne Roderick'
Seaside Daisy
Hummingbird sageSalvia spathaceaHummingbird Sage
santa barbara daisyErigeron karvenskianus
Santa Barbara Daisy
Transylvanian SageSalvia Transylvanica
Transylvanian Sage
Bowles mauve wallflowerErysimum 'Bowles Mauve'
Bowles Mauve Wallflower
Blue ElderberrySambucus mexicana
Western Blue Elderberry
Fawn LilyErythronium tuolumnse x californicum 'Pagoda'
Fawn Lily, Trout Lily, Dog Tooth Violet
Lemon Fizz Lavender CottonSantolina rosmarinifolia 'Lemon Fizz'
Lemon Fizz Lavender Cotton
mediterranean spurgeEuphorbia characias
Mediterranean Spurge
SoapwortSaponaria officinalis
Soapwort
red martin spurgeEuphorbia martinii 'Red Martin'
Red Martin Spurge
 
Elijah Blue FescueFestuca glauca 'Elijah Blue'
Elijah Blue Fescue
Winter SavorySatureja montana
Winter Savory
Woodland StrawberryFragaria californica
Woodland Strawberry
pink mist pincushion flowerScabiosa columbaria 'Pink Mist'
Pink Mist Pincushion Flower
flannel bushFremontodendron californicum x mexicanum‘California Glory’
California Glory Flannel Bush
Autumn Joy StonecropSedum 'Autumn Joy'
Autumn Joy Stonecrop
blanket flowerGaillardia aristata 'Burgundy'
Burgundy Blanket Flower
bertram anderson stonecropSedum 'Bertram Anderson'
Bertram Anderson Stonecrop
Whirling ButterfliesGaura lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies'
Whirling Butterflies
corsican stonecropSedum dasyphyllum 'Major'
Corsican Stonecro
p
Hardy GeraniumGeranium cantabrigiense 'Rosalina'
Rosalina Crane's Bill
frosty morn sedumSedum 'Frosty Morn'
Autumn Stonecrop
Ben Hope SunroseHelianthemum 'Ben Hope'
Ben Hope Sunrose
 
henfield brilliant sunroseHelianthemum 'Henfield Brilliant'
Sunrose
Tiny Urchin StonecropSedum humisifusum 'Tiny Urchin'
Tiny Urchin Stonecrop
lemon queen sunflowerHelianthus 'Lemon Queen'
Lemon Queen Perennial Sunflower'
Red StonecropSedum moranense
Red Stonecrop
hybrid lenten roseHelleborus hybridus
Hybrid Lenten Rose
Sierra StonecropSedum obtusatum
Sierra Stonecrop
Our Lords CandleHesperoyucca whipplei
Our Lord's Candle
Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'
Angelina Stonecrop
ToyonHeteromeles arbutifolia
Toyon
Cape Blanco StonecropSedum spathulifolium 'Cape Blanco'
Cape Blanco Stonecrop
Coral BellsHeuchera x briziodes 'Bressingham Hybrids'- Coral
Coral Bells
Matrona StonecropSedum spectabile 'Matrona'
Matrona Stonecrop

Alum RootHeuchera micrantha
Alum Root
Pale StonecropSedum sediforme
Pale Stonecrop
cream bushHolodiscus discolor
Cream Bush
vera jameson stonecropSedum 'Vera Jameson'
Vera Jameson Stonecrop

Owl's ClawsHymenoxys hoopesii
Owl's Claws
Cobweb HouseleekSempervivum arachnoideum
Cobwb Houseleek
hyssopHyssopus officinalis
Hyssop
Calcaruem Hens and ChicksSempervivum calcareum
Calcareum Hens and Chicks

Douglas IrisIris douglasiana
Douglas Iris
Jade Rose Hens and ChicksSempervivum 'Jade Rose'
Jade Rose Hens and Chicks
German Bearded IrisIris germanica
German Bearded Iris
Kismet Hens and ChicksSempervivum 'Pileosum'
Pileosum Hens and Chicks
Canyon Snow Pacific Coast IrisIris -Pacific Coast Hybrids-'Canyon Snow'
Canyon Snow Pacific Coast Iris

Ruby Heart Hens and ChicksSempervivum 'Ruby Heart'
Ruby Heart Hens and Chicks
Pacific coast iris-darkIris -Pacific Coast Hybrids-'Nearly Black'
Nearly Black Pacific Coast Iris
hens and chicksSempervivum tectorum 'Rubrum'
Hens and Chicks
primrose jasmineJasminum mesnyi
Primrose Jasmine
twillight blues hens and chicksSempervivum ' Twillight Blues'
Twillight Blues Hens and Chicks
heart leaf penstemonKeckiella cordifolia
Heart Leaf Penstemon
blue eyed grass Sisyrinchium bellum 'Rocky Point'
Rocky Point Blue Eyed Grass
KnautiaKnautia macedonica
Knautia
canada goldenrodSolidago canadensis
Canada Goldenrod
border ballet torch lilyKniphofia 'Border Ballet'
Border Ballet Torch Lily

Mexican Feather GrassStipa tenuissima
Mexican Feather Grass
Natchez Crape MyrtleLagerstroemia indica x faurei 'Natchez'
Natchez Crape Myrtle
Silver GermanderTeucrium x Ackermanii
Silver Germander
sweet bay laurelLaurus nobilis
Sweet Bay Laurel
Yellow GermanderTeucrium flavum
Yellow Germander
Hidcote LavenderLavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote'
Hidcote English Lavender
creeping germanderTeucrium cossoni-majoricum
Creeping Germander
Purple Bouquet English LavenderLavandula angustifolia 'Purple Bouquet'
Purple Bouquet English Lavender
silver bush germanderTeucrium fruticans
Bush Germander
Lisa Marie Dwarf English LavenderLavandula x chaytorae 'Lisa Marie'
Lisa Marie Dwarf English Lavender
Caucasian GermanderTeucrium hyrcanicum 'Purple Tails'
Caucasian Germander
Goodwin Creek LavenderLavandula ginginsii 'Goodwin Creek Gray'
Goodwin Creek Lavender
Lemon ThymeThymus citriodora
Lemon Thyme
White flowered grosso lavendinLavandula x intermedia 'Alba'
White Grosso Lavendin
Turbo ThymeThymus longicaulis
Turbo Thyme
grosso lavendinLavandula x intermedia 'Grosso'
Grosso Lavandin
 
Slender Bush CloverLespedeza virginica
Slender Bush Clover
English ThymeThymus vulgaris
English Thyme
Sea LavenderLimonium latifolium
Sea Lavender, Perennial Sea Statice
Ithurial's SpearTriteleia laxa 'Corrina'
Ithurial's Spear, Fool's Onion', Grass Nut
blue flaxLinum perenne lewisii
Blue Flax
purple top vervainVerbena bonariensis
Purple Top Vervain
Chaparral HoneysuckleLonicera interrupta
Chaparral Honeysuckle
chaste treeVitex agnus-castus
Chaste Tree
Sticky Monkey FlowerMimulus aurantiacus
Sticky Monkey Flower
California FuchsiaZauschneria californica
California fuchsia
Adagio Dwarf Maiden GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Adagio'
Adagio Maiden Grass
California FuchsiaZauschneria californica 'Catalina'
Catalina California Fuchsia
Scarlet MonadellaMonardella macrantha
Scarlet Monardella
Solidarity Pink California FuchsiaZauschneria californica 'Solidarity Pink'
Solidarity Pink California Fuchsia
Mountain PennyroyalMonardella odoratissima
Mountain Pennyroyal
california fuchsiaZauschneria latifolia
(Epilobium latifolium)
California Fuchsia
coyote mintMonardella villosa
Coyote Mint
 
pink muhlyMuhlenbergia capillaris
Pink Muhly
 
Deer GrassMuhlenbergia rigens
Deer Grass