11 Flowers That Thrive With Little to No Water

When the heat of summer arrives, it seems like you have to water some of your plants every day or at least multiple times a week. And it’s true that many flowers and vegetables require moist soil to produce new foliage and flowers.

If you plan to travel throughout the summer or just want to enjoy your garden without worrying about constant irrigation, you can select flowers that require little to no water. These plants still require moist soil to help them establish, but they can survive moderate drought once they’ve developed a root system.

Many of these no-water flowers are native plants that have evolved in drought-prone areas and rocky soils, and others come from other dry regions around the world. Selecting a few of these plants, deadheading old flowers, and watering during extreme dry spells will allow you to enjoy lots of flowers with minimal effort.

Milkweed / Butterfly Flower

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Milkweed / Butterfly Flower Seeds

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Double Blend Portulaca

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Double Blend Portulaca (Moss Rose) Seeds

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Double Sunburst Coreopsis

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Pearly Everlasting

	botanical name Anaphalis margaritacea
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 9-36″
	hardiness zones 2-8

Pearly everlasting is a perennial native to much of the West, Upper Midwest, and Northeast United States. It thrives in poor soil, so you’ll often see it pop up in old driveways, recent construction sites, and rocky cliffs. The plants can also grow well in rich garden soil.

Light green foliage covered with small white hairs makes this perennial attractive even before it blooms. The plants produce clusters of small yellow flowers enclosed by papery white bracts. When you look at the flowers up close, they resemble tiny strawflowers.

Butterfly Weed

	botanical name Asclepias tuberosa
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2′
	hardiness zones 3-9

A type of milkweed, butterfly weed sports bright orange flowers and elongated leaves. It serves as a host plant for monarch caterpillars and also provides nectar and pollen to an array of pollinators. This perennial is native to most of the eastern half of the United States, where it can be found growing in meadows and forest edges.

Butterfly weed is one of the best milkweed species to grow in dry areas. It produces a long taproot that can reach moisture deep in the ground, eliminating the need for regular irrigation. The plants can also tolerate poor soil, so don’t worry about planting them in rocky or heavy clay areas.

Coreopsis

	botanical name Coreopsis spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-3′
	hardiness zones 3-9

You can find handfuls of different coreopsis species, and most can be grown as no-water flowers. Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) and prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) are two popular options for gardeners looking for low-maintenance plants. Both species produce bright yellow flowers that continue blooming throughout the summer.

Most coreopsis species are native to the eastern half of the United States but look at the native range of each species if you want to find a plant well-adapted to your location. Mixing these flowers with other drought-tolerant natives is an easy way to create a stunning and low-maintenance landscape.

Blazing Star

	botanical name Liatris spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-4’, varies by species
	hardiness zones 3-9, varies by species

Blazing star plants produce stunning, bright purple flower spikes. These perennials grow from corms, so you can grow blazing star from transplants, corms, or seeds.

Blazing star species vary in their required soil moisture, so pay attention to the species if you want to enjoy no-water flowers. Button blazing star (Liatris aspera), dwarf blazing star (Liatris cylindracea), and bottlebrush blazing star (Liatris mucronata) are a few species that can tolerate dry soil and drought.

Yarrow

	botanical name Achillea millefolium
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2′
	hardiness zones 3-9

Yarrow is one of my favorite garden workhorses. It can tolerate long dry spells without missing a beat and doesn’t mind a week of heavy rain. Yarrow is native to the vast majority of the United States and grows well in a variety of soils.

The plants are also beautiful with their feathery foliage and clusters of small flowers. Straight species have white blooms, but you can also find new cultivars with flowers in shades of pink, yellow, and peach.

Coneflower

	botanical name Echinacea spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-4′
	hardiness zones 3-9

When most people hear the word coneflower, they think of the common purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). But there are dozens of different coneflower species, and some of them are more drought-tolerant than the purple coneflower. Narrow-leaved coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) and pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida) are two species that can survive long periods without water.

All types of coneflower are native to portions of the eastern and central United States. Mixing them with other non-water flowers makes a beautiful and hands-off garden.

Catmint

	botanical name Nepeta spp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 18-40″
	hardiness zones 3-8

There are hundreds of different species of catmint, so you have your fair share of options when selecting one of these plants. Catmint and catnip typically refer to the same types of plants, but sometimes people use the term catnip to refer to the species Nepeta cataria. Regardless, all types of catmint can survive without much water.

When you’re choosing a catmint species, pay attention to the height and flower color. Many of these plants produce spikes covered with small purple flowers, but you can also find plants with orange and pink blooms.

Lantana

	botanical name Lantana camara
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 4-6′
	hardiness zones 8-11

Lantana is a tender perennial that produces clusters of small, trumpet-shaped flowers that attract all kinds of pollinators. The plants can grow into medium-sized shrubs in warm climates, making them a suitable option for filling a large, dry area. However, it is invasive in some parts of North America.

Although lantana will only survive the winter in zone eight and above, gardeners in lower zones can grow it as an annual. The plants won’t get quite as big if they don’t survive the winter, but they can still take up multiple feet of the garden.

Moss Rose

	botanical name Portulaca grandiflora
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-8″
	hardiness zones 2-11

A type of purslane, moss rose is characterized by its succulent leaves, which are typical of this genus. The leaves are slender and grow from low-lying stems that often carpet rock gardens and dry ground. During the warmer months, the plants produce colorful flowers that resemble small roses.

Since moss rose is a succulent, it thrives in dry soil. It’s an excellent candidate for rock gardens, but you can also plant it in areas with dry, well-draining soil.

Russian Sage

	botanical name Salvia yangii
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-5′
	hardiness zones 3-9

Russian sage is another drought-tolerant flowering plant that takes up a lot of space. The plants grow into small to medium shrubs covered with pale green foliage and light purple flowers. High heat and moderate cold aren’t a problem for Russian sage, so you can plant these perennials in many different locations.

Well-draining soil is essential for these perennials, so avoid planting in low-lying and wet areas. Sandy and rocky soil isn’t a problem, nor is clay, as long as it’s well-draining.

Sedum

	botanical name Sedum spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade, depending on the species
	height 4-18″
	hardiness zones 3-9

Sedum is a large group of plants characterized by their succulent leaves and exceptional drought tolerance. Some species trail along the ground, while others have an upright growth habit. Their fleshy leaves are stunning in their own right, but the plants also produce flowers in the summer.

Well-draining soil is a must-have for sedum. If the plants sit in moist soil, they’ll likely develop root rot and become unhealthy or die.