Drought Tolerant Shrubs for Dry Ground

How Drought Tolerance Works

Drought tolerance is mostly about roots. These shrubs send roots well below the top few inches of soil, reaching moisture that stays available long after the surface has dried. Many also carry physical adaptations that slow water loss: a waxy coating on the leaf, fine hairs that trap humidity near the surface, or smaller leaves with less area to lose moisture through.

The important caveat is that no shrub is drought tolerant on the day you plant it. Roots have to reach depth first, which takes one full growing season. Water deeply through that first year and the shrub will largely look after itself afterward.

Drought Tolerant Flowering Shrubs

Crepe myrtle is the standout. It blooms for two months through the hottest, driest part of summer and needs very little water once rooted. Spirea holds up well in lean soil. Forsythia takes dry ground and still delivers heavy spring bloom. Sumac thrives on poor dry banks and turns brilliant scarlet in fall. See flowering shrubs and crepe myrtle.

Evergreen Choices for Dry Sites

Boxwood handles dry ground better than most evergreen shrubs once established and keeps structure through winter. Eastern red cedar takes the driest, poorest sites of anything and makes a dense screen. For broader low-water planting, see drought tolerant plants.

Getting Them Established

Water deeply and infrequently rather than lightly and often. A long soak once a week sends roots downward chasing the moisture; a daily sprinkle keeps roots near the surface where they stay vulnerable. Mulch two to three inches deep to slow evaporation and keep the root zone cool.

Skip the fertilizer on these. Drought tolerant shrubs grow sturdiest in lean soil, and rich feeding produces soft growth that needs more water, not less. Plant in fall or early spring while dormant. See our planting instructions.

Drought Tolerant Shrub Questions

What is the most drought tolerant flowering shrub?
Crepe myrtle. It blooms for roughly two months in peak summer heat and needs almost no water once established.

How long until a shrub is drought tolerant?
One full growing season. Water deeply once a week through that first year while roots reach depth.

Should I fertilize drought tolerant shrubs?
Generally no. They perform best in lean soil, and heavy feeding produces soft growth that needs more water.

What evergreen shrub handles dry soil?
Boxwood for formal plantings, eastern red cedar for screening on the driest sites.

How often should I water once established?
Only during extended drought. Most drought tolerant shrubs get by on rainfall after their first year.

Three generations of growers in Altamont, Tennessee stand behind every shrub. Plants are guaranteed to arrive alive.