August 2006

Plants for Dry Areas

Prepared by Karen Russ, HGIC Information Specialist, Clemson University
Photos Courtesy: Images by BA

These plants are drought tolerant once established. All plants need water while establishing their root system and during periods of extended drought. Root establishment can take from one to several years, depending on the original size of the plant. Larger plants will take longer to establish.

When selecting plants using this list, remember that many factors determine the suitability of a plant for a particular location. In addition to dry soil adaptability, consider light requirements, soil type, hardiness and heat tolerance, and other factors.

TREES

Tall Deciduous Trees
50 Feet Or More In Height at maturity

Botanical Name	Common Name
Carya illinoinensis	Pecan
Catalpa speciosa	Catalpa
Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Green Ash
Ginkgo biloba	Maidenhair Tree
Gleditsia triacanthos	Honeylocust
Liquidambar styraciflua	Sweetgum
Quercus acutissima	Sawtooth Oak
Sophora japonica	Japanese Pagodatree
Taxodium distichum	Bald Cypress
Ulmus parvifolia	Chinese Elm
Zelkova serrata	Japanese Zelkova

Medium Deciduous Trees
30 to 50 feet in height at maturity

Botanical Name	Common Name
Koelreuteria bipinnata	Chinese Flame Tree
Koelreuteria paniculata	Golden Raintree
Pistacia chinensis	Chinese Pistache
Pyrus calleryana	Callery Pear

Small Deciduous Trees
Under 30 feet in height at maturity

Botanical Name	Common Name
Amelanchier arborea	Serviceberry
Cercis canadensis	Redbud
Chionanthus virginicus	Fringe Tree
Cotinus coggygria	Smoke Tree
Diospyros species	Persimmon
Ficus carica	Fig
Eriobotrya japonica	Loquat
Hamamelis virginiana	Witch Hazel
Lagerstroemia indica	Crape Myrtle
Oxydendrum arboreum	Sourwood
Rhus species	Sumac
Vitex agnus-castus	Chaste Tree
Ziziphus jujuba	Chinese Date

Evergreen Trees

Botanical Name	Common Name
Butia capitata	Jelly Palm
Cedrus deodara	Deodar Cedar
X Cupressocyparis leylandii	Leyland Cypress
Eucalyptus species	Gum Tree
Acca sellowiana	Pineapple Guava
Ilex ‘Nellie R. Stevens’	Nellie Steven’s Holly
Ilex opaca	American Holly
Ilex vomitoria	Yaupon Holly
Ilex x attenuata	Foster’s Holly
Juniperus virginiana	Eastern Red Cedar
Pinus palustris	Longleaf Pine
Prunus caroliniana	Carolina Cherry Laurel
Quercus virginiana	Live Oak
Sabal palmetto	Cabbage Palm
Trachycarpus fortunei	Windmill Palm

SHRUBS

Evergreen shrubs

Botanical Name	Common Name
Abelia x grandiflora	Glossy Abelia
Aucuba japonica	Aucuba
Buxus species	Boxwood
Callistemon citrinus	Bottlebrush
Cycas revoluta	Sago Palm
Fatsia japonica	Fatsia
Ilex cornuta	Chinese Holly
Ilex vomitoria	Yaupon Holly
Juniperus chinensis	Chinese Juniper
Kalmia latifolia	Mountain laurel
Leucophyllum frutescens	Texas Sage
Ligustrum japonicum	Wax Ligustrum
Loropetalum chinense	Fringe Flower
Mahonia species	Grape Holly
Myrica cerifera	Wax Myrtle
Myrtus communis	Myrtle
Nandina domestica	Heavenly Bamboo
Nerium oleander	Oleander
Osmanthus heterophyllus	Holly Osmanthus
Osmanthus x fortunei	Fortune’s Osmanthus
Pittosporum tobira	Japanese Pittosporum
Podocarpus macrophyllus	Plum Yew
Pyracantha coccinea	Scarlet Firethorn
Rhaphiolepis indica	Indian Hawthorn
Rosmarinus officinalis	Rosemary
Sabal minor	Dwarf Palmetto
Ternstroemia gymnanthera	Cleyera
Viburnum suspensum	Viburnum
Yucca species	Yucca

Deciduous Shrubs

Botanical Name	Common Name
Baccharis halimifolia	Groundsel-bush
Buddleja species	Butterfly Bush
Callicarpa americana	American Beautyberry
Callicarpa dichotoma	Purple Beautyberry
Chaenomeles speciosa	Flowering Quince
Chimonanthus praecox	Wintersweet
Cytisus scoparius	Scotch Broom
Deutzia gracilis	Slender Deutzia
Euonymus alatus	Burning Bush
Exochorda racemosa	Pearlbush
Forsythia x intermedia	Forsythia
Hamamelis vernalis	Witch Hazel
Hibiscus syriacus	Rose Of Sharon
Kolkwitzia amabilis	Beautybush
Lantana camara	Lantana
Michelia figo	Banana Shrub
Poncirus trifoliata	Hardy Orange
Punica granatum	Pomegranate
Rhus species	Sumac
Rosa carolina	Carolina Rose
Rosa rugosa	Rugosa Rose
Spiraea thunbergii	Thunberg Spirea
Spiraea x vanhouttei	Van Houtte Spirea
Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum	Doublefile Viburnum

GROUNDCOVERS AND VINES

Botanical Name	Common Name
Akebia quinata	Five-Leaf Akebia
Aspidistra elatior	Cast Iron Plant
Bignonia capreolata	Cross vine
Campsis radicans	Trumpet Vine
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides	Dwarf Plumbago
Clematis paniculata	Autumn Clematis
Euonymus fortunei	Wintercreeper
x Fatshedera lizei	Tree Ivy
Ficus pumila	Creeping Fig
Gelsemium sempervirens	Carolina Jessamine
Hedera species	Ivy
Hypericum species	St. Johnswort
Jasminum nudiflorum	Winter Jasmine
Juniperus rigida ssp. conferta	Shore Juniper
Juniperus horizontalis	Creeping Juniper
Liriope species	Lilyturf
Lonicera sempervirens	Coral Honeysuckle
Ophiopogon species	Mondo Grass
Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus tricuspidata	Boston Ivy
Passiflora incarnata	Maypops
Rosa banksiae	Lady Banks’ Rose
Rosmarinus officinalis	Spreading Rosemary
Rubus pentalobus	Creeping Raspberry
Sarcococca hookeriana v. humilis	Sweet Box
Solanum laxum	Potato Vine
Thymus serpyllum	Creeping Thyme
Trachelospermum asiaticum	Asiatic Jasmine
Vinca species	Periwinkle
Wisteria species	Wisteria

PERENNIALS AND SHRUBS

Botanical Name	Common Name
Acanthus species	Bear’s Breeches
Achillea species	Yarrow
Agapanthus africanus	Lily Of The Nile
Agave parryi	Hardy Century Plant
Artemisia species	Wormwood
Asclepias tuberosa	Butterfly Weed
Aspidistra elatior	Cast Iron Plant
Baptista species	False Indigo
Belamcanda chinensis	Blackberry Lily
Caryopteris x clandonensis	Blue Mist Shrub
Chrysanthemum species	Daisies
Conradina species	Cumberland Rosemary
Coreopsis species	Tickseed
Crocosmia hybrids	Montbretia
Delosperma cooperi	Hardy Ice Plant
Echinacea angustifolia	Narrow Leaf Coneflower
Echinops species	Globe Thistle
Epimedium species	Barrenwort
Erythrina herbacea	Coral Bean
Gaillardia species	Indian Blanket
Gaura lindheimeri	Gaura
Helianthus species	Perennial Sunflower
Helleborus species	Hellebore
Hemerocallis cultivars	Daylily
Hesperaloe parviflora	False Red Yucca
Iberis sempervirens	Candytuft
Iris hybrids	Bearded Iris
Kniphofia uvaria	Red Hot Poker

Lantana camara	Lantana
Lavandula species	Lavender
Liatris spicata	Blazing Star
Limonium platyphyllum	Sea Lavender
Nepeta species	Catmint
Oenothera species	Evening Primrose
Opuntia species	Prickly Pear Cactus
Perovskia atriplicifolia	Russian Sage
Phlomis species	Jerusalem Sage
Phlox subulata	Creeping Phlox
Rosmarinus officinalis	Rosemary
Rudbeckia species	Black Eyed Susan
Ruellia brittoniana	Mexican Petunia
Salvia greggii	Texas Sage
Salvia leucantha	Mexican Bush Sage
Santolina species	Lavender Cotton
Sedum species	Stonecrop
Sempervivum tectorum	Hens & Chicks
Tradescantia pallida	Purple Heart
Solidago species	Goldenrod
Stachys byzantina	Lamb’s Ear
Teucrium fruticans	Bush Germander
Thymus species	Thyme
Tulbaghia violacea	Society Garlic
Verbena species	Verbena
Yucca species	Yucca
Zephyranthes candida	Rain Lily

ORNAMENTAL GRASSES

Botanical Name	Common Name
Andropogon species	Bluestem Grass
Arundo donax	Giant Reed
Cortaderia selloana	Pampas Grass
Eragrostis curvula	Weeping Love Grass
Miscanthus sinensis cultivars	Miscanthus
Panicum amarum	Beach Grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides	Fountaingrass
Uniola paniculata	Giant Sea Oats

FERNS

Botanical Name	Common Name
Cyrtomium species	Holly Fern
Dennstaedtia punctilobula	Hay-Scented Fern
Dryopteris erythrosora	Autumn Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides	Christmas Fern

ANNUALS

Botanical Name	Common Name
Ageratum houstonianum	Floss Flower
Amaranthus tricolor	Joseph’s Coat
Calendula species	Pot Marigold
Catharanthus roseus	Annual Vinca
Cleome hassleriana	Spider Flower
Coreopsis tinctoria	Golden Tickseed
Cosmos species	Cosmos
Osteospermum species	African Daisy
Thymophylla tenuiloba	Dahlberg Daisy
Eschscholzia californica	California Poppy
Euphorbia marginata	Snow-on-the-Mountain
Evolvulus glomeratus	Blue Daze
Gaillardia pulchella	Blanketflower
Gazania species	Treasure Flower
Gomphrena globosa	Globe Amaranth
Lantana camara	Lantana
Lantana montevidensis	Trailing Lantana
Melampodium paludosum	Gold Medallion
Portulaca grandiflora	Moss Rose
Rudbeckia hirta	Gloriosa Daisy
Sanvitalia procumbens	Creeping Zinnia
Senecio cineraria	Dusty Miller
Tagetes species	Marigold
Tithonia rotundifolia	Mexican Sunflower
Verbena species	Verbena
Zinnia species	Zinnia

The South Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association has many experts who can assist you. A list of these individuals who reside nearest to you can be found in the membership section on this web site. You may also view past articles here. For an extensive list of consumer related gardening topics visit the: Clemson Extension Service Home and Garden Information Center.

Prepared by Karen Russ, HGIC Information Specialist, Clemson University

This information is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service is implied. All recommendations are for South Carolina conditions and may not apply to other areas. All recommendations for pesticide use are for South Carolina only and were legal at the time of publication, but the status of registration and use patterns are subject to change by action of state and federal regulatory agencies. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed. (New 10/04)

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