What is growing well in really dry conditions?

16 years ago

Lots of folks are having drought this year, and even those of us that are getting a little rain here and there are feeling like "human hose reels". If we want to keep an eye out for seed that will WS into plants that do OK in dry conditions, what do you recommend?

Here's a short list of what is doing OK in my beds:

Yarrow

Sedums (all kinds) - going to do MORE next year

Add yours

Thanks,

Nancy

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Comments (10)

bakemom_gw
16 years ago
gaillardia
sea holly
rudbeckia
ornamental grasses
lanceleaf malva
coreopsis
echinacea
Frances Coffill
16 years ago
My garden is new this year, and yes I am indeed starting to feel like a human hose real (good upper body workout ??)
This is what is still doing well in my parched yard

BlackEyed Susans
Lantana
Verbene
Mandevilla
Marigolds
Cleome
Canna Lilies
Sedum
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kqcrna
16 years ago
Amaranthus love lies bleeding is faring much better than the perfecta, which are pretty much fried now. The llb is 6 ft tall and one fell over yesterday, stake and all.

Rudbeckias are doing well. (Irish Eyes, Prarie Sun, Becky).
Salvia coral nymph hasn't missed a beat.
Most zinnias OK, some declining fast.
Cosmos
Coneflowers (established one OK, babies OK in shade)
Emilia
Veronica (first year)
Snapdragons OK
Cleome
Butterfly weed
Nicotiana
Potentilla (first year, not blooming)
4:00 just OK
Lobelia cardinalis (First year, not blooming, in mostly shade)

Those NOT doing well
Yvonne's salvia
Gaillardia goblin
Verbascum Southern Charm
Hydrangea
Nasties
Zinnia magellan type
Hollyhock

I need to take some pics. Too hot now, I just came in from (what else?) watering. It's supposed to be cooler tomorrow.

Karen
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
16 years ago
Doing well...

Butterfly Bush
Knock Out Rose
Meidland white Rose
Shasta Daisies
Black Beauty Lily
Lantana
Portulaca
Nirembergia

Not doing well...
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hostas
Ferns
Astilbes
diggerdee zone 6 CT
16 years ago
Portulaca was the first thing that came to my mind. Hands down the best thing in hot, dry soil, IMO. That and sedum, which you already know. :)

Dee
northforker
Original Author
16 years ago
Yes,portulaca is a good one. I had it it pots on my slate patio last year. It reseeded into the spaces between the slates on one side of the patio and it is so great! None of my sprinklers reach there, so it has just been getting rain (not much...) and is absolutely thriving, tons of flowers. I am going to try to save seeds from the plants and "seed" all the spaces next year all the way across the patio next year.
plays_in_dirt_dirt
16 years ago
ageratum, tall
Amaranthus (LLB viridis, Prince's feather, fat spike)
balloon flower
balsam impatiens
canna (the President and noID)
castor bean
celosia plumosa
cosmos
datura (Wrightii and metel)
feverfew (ready to rebloom after cutback)
gaillardia (blanket flower)
gloriosa daisy
hollyhock, Majorette
kiss me over the garden gate
marigolds, especially the petites and Queen Sophia; Crackerjack looks ragged
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia torch)
petunias
purple majesty millet
Queen Anne's lace
Ratibida columnaris, solid yellow
salvia (coral nymph, bonfire, tall red)
sedum, noID (thanks, Becky!)
sunflower, Maximilian (sp?) and annual types I succession-sowed
verbena-on-a-stick
vinca major
zinnia, various

I deep watered often early in the season and applied mulch, which has helped tremendously this year. I have been back to watering for 2-3 weeks now. We had a few day's reprieve from the excessive heat and humidity, especially at night and in the mornings, but it's now back with a vengeance. I've spent my inside jail time researching heat-loving, drought-tolerant plants and hope to sow more of those next year.
drippy
16 years ago
Gazania. Looking good in my stressed garden.
mo_girl
16 years ago
Last I heard, we've gotten an inch in the last month, and temps have been over 100 degrees 4 days this week, so I've had to do a lot more watering to keep things alive.

Doing fairly well:

zinnias
petunias
annual aster (summer sown)
snap dragons
sedum
rose shrub
lavender
tomatoes
basil

Not so good:
hollyhocks
geranium
nasturtiums
columbine
sunflowers
vera_eastern_wa
16 years ago
Our annual precip is 17 inches and we are low. I water maybe once a week if that.

Lavender
Thyme sp.
Rudbeckia
Ratibida
Echinacea
Sedum
Sempervirens
Gaillardia
Zinnia
Coreopsis (annual and perennial species)
Pelargonium
Foxglove (just started re-blooming)
Dianthus sp.
Nicotiana
Sweet Alyssum
Ascepsias
Grasses....
Sunflowers
Amaranthus

Knautia
Maltese Cross (getting some brown edged leaves at the base, but flowering
Rose Campion....hasn't stopped flowering since spring!!

I'm surprised that the Bleeding Heart I put underneath the Cherry Tree is doing so well! This is my least watered area ...maybe once every 3 weeks even when it was 90+ for several weeks! I have Columbine and Foxglove, Hosta and Bergenia, Dianthus, perennial Alyssum, sedums, Hens-n-chicks all doing very well in this drought!

What is growing well in really dry conditions?

Comments (10)

bakemom_gw

Frances Coffill

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What is growing well in really dry conditions?

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