The 7 Best Drought Resistant Plants

It is our civic duty to conserve water, yes, but that does not mean that you should have dead greenery and wilting flowers surrounding your establishment. Luckily there are many beautiful drought resistant plants that are made to survive dry weather. Drought Tolerant Plants:

1. Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla)

• This gorgeous light purple shrub is native to California and basically only needs sun to thrive. After planted, this sage needs no water to grow and is an absolutely beautiful addition to any landscaped area.

1. California Wild Rose (Rose Californica)

• This flower is a native to California and Oregon and is a great addition to commercial landscape. The California Wild Rose can tolerate a drought but does need some water and thrives when placed in an area that is shaded for most of the time.

1. Hummingbird Sage (Salvia Spathacea)

• Known for the way that it is used by feeding hummingbirds, this sage is great for ground cover and does not need a lot of water to survive. In fact, in the late summer, no watering is preferable.

1. Evening Primrose (Oenothera Californica)

• These gorgeous yellow flowers, also commonly called Suncups or Sundrops, not only grow rapidly in recently cleared areas, but also grow pretty well in areas that are currently experiencing a drought much like California is currently.

1. Evergreen Currant (Ribes Viburnifolium)

• These flowers are a popular choice for gardeners that want to add a little bit of fragrance to their landscaping. The pink or white flowers are extremely drought resistant and are known for their beautiful sweet smell.

1. Wild Lilac (Ceanothus x Concha)

• The Wild lilac has a distinct, yet subtle, blue presence. It is native to California and prefers well-drained soil, a lot of sun, and doesn’t need a lot of water to survive. This flower is perfect for a time like this and is a beautiful addition.

1. California Poppy (Eschscholzia Californica)

• Last but not least, the California Poppy, or California’s state flower, is one of the best drought resistant plants out there. There are fifty different variations and they all thrive in warm climates and make a wonderful addition to any landscaping.

Now we are not saying that these types of flowers don’t need any water, but we are saying that they are able to thrive without needing a whole lot of it. Drought Statistics:

• “About 13 percent of the contiguous U.S. fell in the moderate to extreme drought categories (based on the Palmer Drought Index) at the end of January.” (National Climactic Data Center)
• “In a sign of the severity of the drought, some of the state’s reservoirs are at their lowest levels in years. The Folsom Reservoir near Sacramento is so low that the remains of a Gold Rush-era ghost town – flooded to create the lake in the 1950s – are visible for the first time in years.” (Endoftheamericandream.com)
• “Pine Flat Reservoir is a ghost of a lake in the Fresno County foothills — a puddle in a 326 billion-gallon gorge.” (Fresno Bee)
• “94.25% of the state is ensuring some level of drought conditions and that most of the prime agriculture area of the Central Valley is in extreme drought, the second-worst category.” (U.S. Drought Monitor)
• “It has been estimated that the state of California only has a 20-year supply of fresh water left. And that projection was made before this current drought began. The truth is that if current conditions persist, California might run out long before that.” (Infowars.com)
• “While the December and February storms delivered significant rainfall, California has had too few of these storms this winter to offset more than three years of drought.” (water.ca.gov/waterconditions)
• “In the first nine months of 2014, California temperatures averaged 63.7º F, or 4.1º F above the 20th-century average of 59.6 ºF. Temperatures from April to September averaged 70.0º F, breaking the old record for the period of 69.4º F set in 2013.” (water.ca.gov/waterconditions)

Western Landscape Maintenance Plus Services are committed to providing excellent commercial landscaping for businesses in the Orange County and San Diego Area. For questions about our policies and services please visit our website at westernlandscapemaintanence.com or give us a call today at 1 -888-829-8333.