Drought Tolerant Plants
All plants require regular watering for at least the first growing season to establish a strong, deep root system. Watering plants deeply less often (as opposed to frequent shallow watering) encourages deep roots which can better withstand drought conditions in the long term.
Trees
Plants marked with a * are also deer resistant (not deer proof! Protect lower branches from deer browsing until canopy is out of reach).
- Acer (Maples) not all
- Albizia julibrissin (Silk Tree)
- Amelanchier alnifolia (Serviceberry)
- Aralia Carpinus (Hornbeam)
- Catalpa bignonioides (Bean Tree)
- Cornus kousa (Chinese Dogwood)
- Crataegus (Hawthorn)
- Eucalyptus gunnii (Gum Tree)
- Evodia danielii Ficus carica (Fig)
- Fraxinus (Ash)
- Ginkgo biloba
- Gleditzia triacanthos (Honey Locust)
- Juglans nigra (Black Walnut)
- Koelreuteria (Golden Rain Tree)
- Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet gum)
- Maackia amurensis
- Malus (Crabapple)
- Morus (Mulberry) Nyssa sylvatica (Tupelo)
- Parrotia persica (Ironwood)
- Pistacia chinensis (Pistachio)
- Platanus (London Place Tree)
- Pyrus calleryana (Callery Pear)
- Quercis (Oak)
- Sophora japonica (Pagoda Tree)
- Tilia (Linden)
- Zelkova serrata
CONIFERS (most, but not all, conifers are quite drought-tolerant once established), these in particular:
- Abies (Fir)
- *Calocedrus (Incense Cedar)
- *Cedrus atlantica (Blue Atlas Cedar)
- *Cedrus deodara (Himalayan Cedar)
- *Chamaecyparis lawsonii (Cypress)
- *Chamaecyparis (Threadleaf Cypress)
- *Juniperus (Juniper)
- *Picea glauca (White Spruce)
- *Picea pungens (Blue Spruce)
- *Pinus mugo (Dwarf Pine)
- *Pinus thunbergii (Black Pine)
- *Sequoiadendron (Sequoia)
- *Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar)
- Taxus baccata or x media (Yew)
Shrubs
- *Abelia x grandiflora
- Arbutus unedo (Strawberry Tree)
- *Aronia (Chokeberry)
- *Berberis (Barberry)
- *Brachyglottis (Sunshine Senecio)
- *Buxus sempervirens (Boxwood)
- *Calluna (Summer Heather)
- Camellia sasanqua (Winter Camellia)
- Caragana arborescens (Peashrub)
- *Caryopteris (Bluebeard)
- *Ceanothus (California Lilac)
- *Chaenomeles x superba (Quince)
- *Cistus (Rockrose)
- *Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet)
- *Cordyline (Cabbage Palm)
- Cornus mas (Cornelian Cherry)
- *Cotinus coggygria (Smokebush)
- Cotoneaster (*dammeri)
- Deutzia
- *Erica (Heath)
- Exorchorda racemosa (Pearlbush)
- *Forsythia Fuchsia magellanica (Hardy Fuchsia)
- Hamamelis virginiana (Witchhazel)
Heptacodium (Seven-sons Flower) - Hydrangea paniculata (PG Hydrangea)
- Ilex crenata (Japanese Holly)
- Ilex x meserveae (Blue Holly)
- Itea virginica (Sweetspire)
- *Kerria japonica (Japanese Rose)
- Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtle)
- *Lavandula (Lavender)
- *Ligustrum (Privet)
- *Mahonia (Grape Holly)
- Nandina domestica (Heavenly Bamboo) *Physocarpus opulifolius (Ninebark)
- *Phormium (New Zealand Flax)
- *Potentilla fruticosa (Cinquefoil)
- Prunus lusitanica (Portuguese Laurel) *Pyracantha (Firethorn)
- Rosa rugosa *Rosmarinus (Rosemary)
- *Santolina (Lavender Cotton)
- *Spiraea (Spirea) *Syringa (Lilac)
- *Tamarix (Tamarisk)
- Viburnum dentatum (Arrowwood)
- Viburnum opulus (Cranberry bush)
- *Vitex agnus-castus (Chaste Tree)
- *Yucca
Vines
- *Campsis radicans (Trumpet Vine)
- *Clematis montana
- *Clematis armandii (Evergreen)
- *Jasminum nudiflorum (Jasmine
- Lonicera (Honeysuckle)
*Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper) - *Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Boston Ivy) Passiflora (Passionflower)
- Vitis (Grape)
- *Wisteria
Perennials
- *Achillea (Yarrow)
- *Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle)
- *Anemone japonica
- *Artemisia (Wormwood)
- *Aster hybrids (Michaelmas Daisy)
- *Aubrieta (Rockcress)
- Bergenia cordifolia
- *Centaurea montana (Bachelors Button) Centranthus ruber (Red Valerian)
- *Cerastium (Snow-in-Summer)
- *Ceratostigma (Plumbago)
- *Coreopsis (Tickseed)
- *Crocosmia *Dianthus (Pinks)
- *Digitalis (Foxglove)
- *Echinacea (Purple Coneflower)
- *Echinops (Globe Thistle)
- *Epimedium (Barrenwort)
- *Eryngium (Sea Holly)
- *Erysimum (Perennial Wallflower)
- *Euphorbia (Spurge)
- *Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
- Geranium (Cranesbill)
- *Gypsophila paniculata (Baby’s breath) *Helianthemum (Sun Rose)
- *Helleborus (Christmas Rose)
- Hemerocallis (Daylily)
Heuchera (Coralbells) - *Hypericum (St. Johns Wort)
- *Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft)
- *Kniphofia uvaria (Red Hot Poker)
- Liatris (Gayfeather)
- *Liriope (Lilyturf)
- *Lupinus (Lupine)
- Maianthemum (False lily-of-the-valley)
- *Nepeta (Catmint)
- *Oenothera (Evening Primrose)
- *Oreganum (Oregano)
- *Papaver orientale (Oriental Poppy)
- *Perovskia (Russian Sage)
- *Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox)
- *Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)
- *Salvia (Sage) Sedum (Stonecrop)
- *Sempervivum (Hens & Chicks)
- *Sisyrinchium (Blue-eyed grass)
- *Solidago (Goldenrod)
- *Stachys (Lamb’s Ears)
- *Tanacetum parthenium
- *Thymus (Thyme)
- *Verbascum (Mullein)
- *Verbena
- *Veronica (Speedwell)
Ornamental Grasses
- Calamagrostis (Featherreed grass)
- Carex (Sedge) – some
- Cortaderia selloana (Pampas Grass)
- Deschampsia (Tufted Hair Grass)
- Festuca glauca (Blue Fescue)
- Helictotrichon (Blue Oat Grass)
- Koeleria macrantha (Junegrass)
- Miscanthus (Maidengrass)
- Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass)
- Pennisetum (Fountain Grass)
- Phalaris arundinacea (Ribbongrass)
- Stipa (Feathergrass)
Annuals
- Alyssum
- *Brachycombe (Swan River Daisy)
- *Calendula
- *Cosmos
- *Dianthus (Carnation)
- *Felicia (Marguerite)
- *Gazania
- *Helichrysum (Strawflower) Mesembryanthemum (Ice plant)
- *Osteospermum (African Daisy)
- Portulaca
- *Salvia (Sage)
- *Senecio cineraria (Dusty Miller)
- *Tagetes (Marigold)
- Tropaeolum majus (Nasturtium)
- *Verbena
- *Zinnia
Native Plants
- *Achillea millifolium (Yarrow)
- *Allium cernuum (Nodding Onion)
- Anaphalis (Pearly Everlasting)
- Antennaria (Rosy pussy toes)
- *Aquilegia formosa (Red Columbine) *Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Kinnikinnick) Dodecatheon (Shooting Star)
- *Mahonia nervosa (Dull Oregon Grape) *Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape) Philadelphus lewisii (Mock Orange) *Polystichum munitum (Sword Fern)
- Fragaria chiloensis (Strawberry)
- *Fritillaria camschatcensis (Rice Root) *Gaultheria shallon (Salal)
- *Ribes sanguineum (Flowering Currant) Rosa gymnocarpa (Wood Rose)
- *Sedum spathulifolium (Stonecrop)
- *Solidago canadensis (Goldenrod) *Symphoricarpus (Snowberry)
- Vaccinium ovatum (EG Huckleberry)
- *Vaccinium parvifolium (Red Huckleberry)
Notes on DEER RESISTANCE
Deer will eat anything, especially when it’s first planted. Protect new plantings until they are established and large enough to withstand a little browsing.
Plants along their regular paths should be as deer-resistant as possible, as they will get picked on. Browsing may occur more severely in winter when there is less for them to eat. Seasonal protection may be needed.
Young deer will eat plants they are not supposed to – they can’t read the deer lists!
Protection = sprays or netting
