Drought Tolerant Plants

Choose native or adaptable plants that are good with drought conditions. Below are 10 popular waterwise plants:

• Bat-Faced Cuphea: Its red and purple flowers resemble the winged animal this plant gets its name from. It needs full to part sun and is heat tolerant. Bat-Faced Cuphea grows about 1 foot tall and wide.
• Black-Eyed Susan: This perennial has large, yellow blooms and does well in Central Texas to Houston. It needs to be cut back during the winter and has a height and spread of 1 to 2 feet.
• Desert Willow: It grows quickly and has flowers spring through summer. This plant grows 15 to 25 feet tall with a 15- to 25-foot spread. The desert willow does best in full-sun areas.
• Gulf Muhly: This ornamental grass has pink, feathery seed heads during the fall that add color. They can reach 2 to 2 1/2 feet high with a 2- to 3-foot spread.
• Purple Heart: With purple leaves and small, dark pink flowers, this plant will die back during the winter and return in spring. It’s ideal for low-maintenance areas like rock gardens and mixed borders. Purple Heart can grow 12 to 18 inches in height and spread.
• Red Yucca: It will bring a pop of color to your landscape and grows 6 feet high with a 4-foot spread. They aren’t suited for pedestrian spaces, however.
• Sedum: There are several different types of sedum, including ones that work well with rock gardens. They can range in height from just 2 inches to more than 2 feet — making the smaller varieties a good groundcover option.
• Texas Sage: This shrub provides plenty of purple flowers throughout the year, and it has a height and spread of 4 to 5 feet. It’s best for Central Texas, although it can be used in Houston, as well.
• Texas Redbud: This tree can grow 10 to 20 tall and blooms white (rarest of the colors), pink or purple.
• Trailing Lantana: Good for all regions of Texas, it blooms summer to fall with orange and yellow flowers. It reaches 3 to 5 feet high with a 4- to 6-foot spread.
  Pair native and adaptive plants with other low-maintenance varieties so you can water and maintain them at the same intervals.

Some of the most popular ways to have a xeriscape landscape include reducing your amount of turf space, installing drought-tolerant plants, and adding more shade elements to reduce the amount of water needed. You can also make your landscape more sustainable with mulches, an updated irrigation system and using organic materials when possible. The xeriscape idea is all about helping your landscape thrive without much outside help, like supplemental water or maintenance. Be sure to check with your POA’s architectural committee before starting any new landscaping project.

Xeriscaping can work on pretty much any area of your landscape, but there are certain spots that will be more efficient than others. Some prime real estate for xeriscaping includes low-traffic areas, plant beds, around water features, surrounding patios or large turf areas. Avoid xeriscaping near walkways or streets since these areas need more maintenance to avoid overgrown plants that could block traffic.