6 Low-Maintenance Drought-Tolerant Plants – For Plant-And-Forget Borders

Our climate is changing and learning to become water-wise is one way to respond to those changes. Selecting drought-tolerant plants for the landscape will not only help conserve water but can help you save on bills. Combine minimal watering with low-maintenance plants and you have a winning combination.

You don’t have to sacrifice flowers or lush foliage if you choose the right plants. Perennials, evergreens, bulbs, native plants, and more offer selections that will tick both boxes. There are even drought-tolerant fruit trees that will add rich pickings to your garden.

Make a checklist of your garden attributes such as well-draining soil, sun exposure, ease of access, and other factors. Even the most unfussy plant will perform best in decent soil that isn’t boggy and with some sun exposure. Amend soils where necessary and make sure the plant will have enough room for its mature size.

In addition, ensure that plants are compatible with your USDA hardiness zone before investing.

Here are our favorite low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants for you to consider.

1. Mexican Feather Grass

Many species of ornamental grass need little upkeep and water once established, but Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) is especially adaptable.

Hardy in USDA zones 7-10, the grass thrives in almost any soil and provides a sea of waving foliage capped with airy inflorescences. It will grow up to 20 inches ( 25.4 cm) with a similar spread.

Plant Mexican feather grass in well-draining soil in a full-sun location. It needs some supplemental watering when initially planted, but once it is established, it is extremely drought tolerant.

While it doesn't need maintenance, you can help it look its best by either cutting the plant back to within a few inches of the ground in late winter to early spring, or finger combing or raking out the old dead grass blades. To prevent self-seeding, remove the inflorescence before it is fully dry.

2. Abelia

Abelia (Abelia grandiflora) makes a fine specimen at the rear of a border, setting off smaller plants. It is an evergreen shrub hardy to USDA zones 4-11.

The bush has a pleasant natural form, but you may choose to shear it to shape. It has delicate leaves, arching stems, and bell-shaped flowers that appear in spring and bloom off new wood. Cultivars come in flower colors of pink, yellow, or white. There are also variegated forms.

Abelia thrives in either full sun or partial shade, in well-draining soil. It is drought tolerant once established, although supplemental watering in a rainless spring is advised to support the blooms.

3. Creeping Juniper

Give this evergreen plant some time and it will produce a blue-green carpet across a space. Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) requires no pruning unless it gets out of bounds.

This drought-tolerant ground cover plant will grow just 1.5 feet (46cm) in height but can spread up to 10 feet (3.5m) slowly over time.

Creeping juniper prefers full sun and dry soil. The plant doesn’t mind blazing summers or cold winters and is hardy down to USDA zone 3. Once the plant is established you will have to do little to it outside of occasional watering if the temperatures have been high.

Best of all, this is a North American native plant that can handle anything nature throws its way.

4. Barberry

With its vibrant berries and sharp thorns, barberry (Berberis vulgaris) brings both beauty and defense to a property. Many homeowners plant it outside bedroom windows to deter prowlers.

In spite of its prickly nature, the small oval, round leaves are brilliantly colored. There are gold versions, but the classic is a burgundy-leaved plant. There are also variegated forms where the colors swirl together. The flowers are gold and tiny but add some charm in spring.

There are many sizes of Barberry from which to choose, with dwarf forms and larger bushes that can get nearly 6 feet (1.8m) tall. Shrubs can be pruned if you wish to keep the plant smaller, or allowed to produce long, arching stems.

Depending on the cultivar, barberry bushes are hardy to USDA 4-8. A few are even hardier.

5. Hebe

Hebe (Hebe spp.) is an attractive evergreen shrub that requires almost no maintenance. The way its leaves stack upon each other so perfectly is delightful. Leaves are dense and the stems are compact and close together. There are variegated forms, green, and even pink-leaved varieties.

You may prune a hebe if you wish but they don’t need it, forming a natural roundish shape. If you choose to prune them, do it after spring bloom – they produce little bottle brush flowers in hues of purple or white.

Hebes will do best with some water as they establish and in the hottest summers; otherwise, they are drought tolerant. Hebe plants can tolerate salt spray and are unbothered by browsing creatures. Most cultivars are hardy to USDA zones 7-11.

6. Loropetalum

Featuring deeply purple-red leaves held on slender, woody stems that persist all year long, loropetalum – or the Chinese fringe shrub – is as easy-care as it gets.

The Asian-native shrub produces fringe petaled flowers in hues of pink in spring. There are many sizes and forms of this plant. Some are ground covers and others grow around 5 feet (1.5 m) tall.

Loropetalum needs little but half a day of sun, well-draining soil, and room to grow. They look amazing planted en mass – a blaze of color that needs little maintenance. They may be sheared if you wish but wait until after the spring bloom.

This is an acid-loving plant, perfect for those with a soil pH of around 5.5. Loropetalum plants are hardy in USDA zones 7-9, with some cultivars hardy to zone 10.