The secret to a xeriscape that looks lush instead of sparse is perennials that bloom long and drink little. These 15 drought-tolerant perennials have earned their places in low-water gardens across the West. All are hardy to at least zone 5, most to zone 4, and every one gives weeks to months of color once established. The table below compares them at a glance; the profiles that follow give each plant's zones, water, size, bloom, why it earns its place and one care tip. (Not sure of your zone? Look it up first.)
One rule before the list: "drought-tolerant" means after establishment. Water every plant here deeply and regularly through its first growing season so roots go deep, then taper off.
The 15 at a glance
| Plant | Zones | Water | Height | Bloom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catmint 'Walker's Low' | 4–8 | Low | 24–30 in | Late spring–fall |
| Yarrow | 3–9 | Very low | 18–36 in | Summer |
| Salvia 'May Night' | 4–8 | Low | 18–24 in | Late spring–early summer, rebloom |
| Rocky Mountain penstemon | 4–9 | Very low | 24–30 in | Late spring–early summer |
| Sunset hyssop (agastache) | 5–9 | Very low | 20–36 in | Midsummer–frost |
| Blanket flower | 3–9 | Very low | 12–24 in | Summer–fall |
| Purple coneflower | 3–9 | Low | 24–36 in | Summer–early fall |
| Russian sage | 4–9 | Very low | 36–48 in | July–fall |
| English lavender | 5–9 | Low | 18–24 in | Early–midsummer |
| Hardy ice plant | 5–9 | Very low | 3–6 in | June–September |
| Chocolate flower | 4–9 | Very low | 12–18 in | Late spring–fall |
| Mexican evening primrose | 4–9 | Very low | 10–18 in | May–July |
| Red hot poker | 5–9 | Low | 24–48 in | Late spring–summer |
| Gaura | 5–9 | Low | 24–36 in | June–frost |
| Autumn Joy sedum | 3–9 | Low | 18–24 in | Late summer–fall |
Water ratings are for established plants: "very low" means rainfall plus an occasional deep soak in drought; "low" means a deep soak every week or two in the heat of summer in a semi-arid climate.
The profiles
1. Catmint (Nepeta × faassenii 'Walker's Low')
Zones 3–8 · Water Low · Size 24–30 in tall, about 3 ft wide · Bloom Late spring to fall, lavender-blue
The workhorse of the dry garden. Catmint makes a haze of lavender-blue from May into fall, bees cover it, deer and rabbits leave it alone, and it's close to unkillable in lean soil. The Missouri Botanical Garden lists a bloom window of April to September for 'Walker's Low'. More in our catmint guide.
Care tip: Shear it back by a third to a half after the first big flush fades in early summer; it reblooms within a few weeks.
2. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Zones 3–9 · Water Very low · Size 18–36 in tall, spreading · Bloom Summer, yellow, red, pink, white
Flat-topped flower heads over ferny foliage, in colors from gold to brick red. Yarrow is native across much of North America, feeds a wide range of small pollinators, and spreads into a solid patch. See the yarrow guide for varieties.
Care tip: Keep it lean. In rich or watered soil yarrow flops open in the middle; in poor soil it stands up.
3. Salvia 'May Night' (Salvia nemorosa 'Mainacht')
Zones 4–8 · Water Low · Size 18–24 in tall, 18 in wide · Bloom Late spring to early summer, deep violet, with rebloom
Dense, deep-purple spikes that open with the penstemons and give the garden its first strong color. Salvia 'May Night' is tidy, upright and loved by bees. Our salvia guide covers the other hardy sages.
Care tip: Cut the spent spikes back to the leafy base as soon as the first flush browns, and you'll get a second, smaller bloom in midsummer.
4. Rocky Mountain penstemon (Penstemon strictus)
Zones 4–9 · Water Very low · Size 24–30 in tall, 18–24 in wide · Bloom Late spring to early summer, blue-violet
The archetypal Western xeriscape perennial. Rocky Mountain penstemon sends up spikes of tubular blue flowers that hummingbirds and native bees work all day, and its evergreen basal leaves hold through winter. There are dozens more species worth growing; see penstemon varieties.
Care tip: Plant the crown level or slightly high in gravel mulch, never buried in wood mulch; penstemons rot at the crown in wet winter soil.
5. Sunset hyssop (Agastache rupestris)
Zones 4–10 (zone 4b only with sharp drainage) · Water Very low · Size 20–36 in tall · Bloom Midsummer to frost, orange and rose
Licorice-scented foliage and spikes of sunset-orange flowers from July until frost. Agastache is one of the best hummingbird plants for the dry West. Plant Select lists USDA zones 4b–10 and "moderate to xeric" water; we treat it as a zone 5 plant unless the site drains fast.
Care tip: Leave the stems standing over winter and cut back in spring once new growth shows at the base. Fall cleanup and wet soil are what kill it.
6. Blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata)
Zones 3–8 · Water Very low · Size 12–24 in tall · Bloom Summer to fall, red and gold
Red-and-gold daisies that bloom nonstop in blazing sun and poor soil. Blanket flower is native to the Rockies and Great Plains, short-lived as individual plants, and reseeds politely to keep a drift going.
Care tip: Stop deadheading in late summer so a few seed heads ripen and drop; that's how the patch renews itself.
7. Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Zones 3–8 · Water Low · Size 24–36 in tall · Bloom Summer to early fall, purple-pink
The prairie icon. Purple coneflower draws butterflies in summer and goldfinches to the seed heads in winter. It needs a bit more water than most on this list, so plant it in the "low" zone of your drip layout rather than the driest corner.
Care tip: Leave the seed heads standing through winter for birds and structure; cut back in early spring.
8. Russian sage (Salvia yangii, syn. Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Zones 4–9 · Water Very low · Size 36–48 in tall, 3–4 ft wide · Bloom July to fall, lavender-blue over silver stems
A silver-and-lavender cloud 4 feet tall from midsummer into fall. Russian sage takes heat, wind, alkaline soil and hail without complaint, and deer ignore it.
Care tip: Cut it down to about 12 inches in early spring. Too much water or shade makes it sprawl.
9. English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Zones 5–9 · Water Low · Size 18–24 in tall · Bloom Early to midsummer, purple
'Munstead' and 'Hidcote' are the cold-hardy classics. Lavender wants full sun, lean soil and sharp drainage; given those it lives for many years. The lavender growing guide compares English lavender with the larger lavandins.
Care tip: Prune lightly right after bloom, into green growth but never into bare wood, which rarely resprouts.
10. Hardy ice plant (Delosperma cooperi)
Zones 5–9 in the dry West · Water Very low · Size 3–6 in tall, spreading 2 ft · Bloom June to September, magenta
A succulent groundcover that carpets itself in neon daisies all summer, ideal for hell strips, slopes and rock gardens. It's rated zones 5–9 and is reliable in zone 5 in dry, well-drained Western soils; the Missouri Botanical Garden rates it zones 6–10 because wet winters kill it. For zone 4, look for TABLE MOUNTAIN® ice plant instead. See hardy ice plant for more.
Care tip: Mulch it with gravel, not wood, and keep it off drip emitters in winter.
11. Chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata)
Zones 4–9 · Water Very low · Size 12–18 in tall · Bloom Late spring to fall, yellow
Yellow daisies that smell like cocoa on warm mornings. Chocolate flower is a Southwest native and a Plant Select pick, rated to zones 4–9. It blooms all season and is underused.
Care tip: Plant it where you walk past in the morning, when the scent is strongest, and cut it back hard in spring.
12. Mexican evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa)
Zones 5–8 · Water Very low · Size 10–18 in tall, spreading · Bloom May to July, pale pink and white
Big, silky, pale-pink cups on a tough plant that spreads by runners. The Missouri Botanical Garden calls Oenothera speciosa "somewhat aggressive," and that's fair: give Mexican evening primrose a hell strip or a slope it can fill, not a small mixed bed.
Care tip: Contain it with a buried edging or a hardscape border; don't water it, because water speeds the spread.
13. Red hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria)
Zones 5–9 · Water Low · Size 24–48 in tall · Bloom Late spring to summer, red, orange and yellow
Torch-shaped blooms over grassy, evergreen foliage. Red hot poker is architectural, hummingbird-approved and more water-thrifty than it looks.
Care tip: In cold climates, tie the leaves up loosely over the crown in late fall instead of cutting them; it helps keep water out of the crown through winter.
14. Gaura, whirling butterflies (Oenothera lindheimeri)
Zones 5–9 · Water Low · Size 24–36 in tall · Bloom June to frost, white to pink
White-to-pink flowers dancing on wiry stems from June until frost. Gaura adds movement and a light, airy texture between heavier plants.
Care tip: It's often short-lived in heavy clay; plant it in the best-drained spot you have and let a few seedlings replace the parents.
15. Autumn Joy sedum (Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude', syn. Sedum 'Autumn Joy')
Zones 3–9 · Water Low · Size 18–24 in tall · Bloom Late summer to fall, pink aging to rust
Succulent blue-green foliage all season, dusty-pink flower heads in late summer that age to bronze, and seed heads that stand through winter. Autumn Joy sedum is the season-closer every bed needs.
Care tip: If it flops open in the middle, pinch the stems back by half in late May for shorter, sturdier plants.
Designing with them
- Plant in drifts of 3 to 7, not singles. Masses read as intentional; dots read as sparse.
- Sequence the bloom. Salvia and penstemon open early; catmint, blanket flower and gaura carry midsummer; agastache, Russian sage and sedum close the season.
- Group by water need. Coneflower and red hot poker go in the "low" zone; penstemon, agastache, chocolate flower and ice plant in the driest. The full method is in 10 steps to xeriscaping.
- Skip the fertilizer. Nearly everything here blooms harder in lean soil.
CSU Extension's native perennials for Colorado landscapes has more natives to add once these are established. For deer country, see deer-resistant xeriscape plants; for layouts that use them, see backyard xeriscape ideas.
From our installs
On Front Range clay, these perennials fail for three reasons, in this order: too much water after the first year, wood mulch piled against the crown, and compost-rich soil. We plant from quart or 1-gallon pots, water deeply once or twice a week the first summer, and taper off in September so plants harden before winter. Penstemon, agastache and ice plant get gravel mulch; catmint, coneflower and salvia do fine in wood chips. Hail shreds broad leaves every few years; catmint, Russian sage and yarrow recover within weeks, while coneflower and red hot poker look beaten up longer. (Xeris Landscaping is owned by Xeriscaping.com's founder.)
Frequently asked questions
What is the longest-blooming drought-tolerant perennial?
Catmint and blanket flower both bloom from late spring into fall, especially with a midsummer shear or deadheading. Sunset hyssop and gaura bloom from midsummer until frost.
How often should I water new drought-tolerant perennials?
Deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season, more in extreme heat. From the second year, most need only occasional deep soaks in drought.
Which of these perennials are hardy in zone 4?
Catmint, yarrow, salvia 'May Night', Rocky Mountain penstemon, blanket flower, coneflower, Russian sage, chocolate flower, Mexican evening primrose and Autumn Joy sedum. Sunset hyssop may survive in zone 4b with excellent drainage.
Do drought-tolerant perennials need fertilizer?
Rarely. Most bloom better and live longer in lean soil. Too much fertilizer produces floppy growth and fewer flowers.
Which plants on this list attract hummingbirds?
Rocky Mountain penstemon, sunset hyssop and red hot poker are the strongest. See our pollinator plants guide for more.
