List of Xeriscape Plants

Drought Tolerant Ground Covers

• Most lawn grasses are water hogs, so whenever possible use drought-tolerant ground covers. Ground covers crowd out weeds, reduce erosion and add varieties of texture and color. Use Turkish speedwell (Veronica Liwanensis) for sunny areas with poor soils. It spreads rapidly and in the spring has a thick carpet of little, periwinkle blue flowers. Greek yarrow (Achillea ageratifolia) is a low-growing variety of yarrow to 4 inches tall. It grows thick and sets yellow and white clusters of flowers. White-flowered poppymallow (Callihroe alcaeoides) is an effective ground cover for hills with southerly or westerly exposures. This mallow has a continuous show of goblet-shaped flowers from June to September. It gets 6 to 18 inches tall and may be trained to grow low on trellises or fences, or to wind its way through growing beds. Ground covers for shady beds that have low water needs include sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides), and big leaf periwinkle (Vinca major).

Native Grasses

• Kentucky Blue grass requires about 48 inches of water annually, so if you don't live in an area that gets that much rain, consider choosing grasses native to your region. Buffalo grass has been around for millions of years and thrives without human intervention and needs very little water because its root system goes into the earth several feet. Check with your garden area or go online to find varieties available for your region. Buffalo grass plugs work better than seed. Grama grass is the most abundant grass in the southwest. Blue grama grass makes a pretty lawn, and grama grasses work best when planted from seed. Besides having less water requirements than most grasses, native grasses may only need to be mowed monthly during the growing season, unless you prefer a meticulously manicured look.

Xeriscape Shrubs

• Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a drought tolerant shrub that develops red, pink, white and yellow flowers. Just do not plant where children might sample it since it is poisonous. It does well in poor soil. Lantana (Lantana camara horrida), a vining shrub, grows rapidly and sets a showy little ball of colorful flowers. Bougainvilleas (Bougainvillea glabra) are drought-tolerant and add an explosion of color when in full bloom.