Dry weather is not necessarily dry for all plants. Some tolerate it and, in fact, others even enjoy it. It always pays to have a few of these flowers in our garden when droughts come along. Drought-tolerant plants can save your water bill and keep your garden looking fresh during dry times—here are a few that thrive in Mississippi!

Lantana 

This beautiful flower is grown as annuals in northern climates but is right at home as a perennial in Mississippi. Although technically a shrub, it remains compact and produces brilliant, multicolored clusters of yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple flowers. It thrives in hot, humid conditions but can withstand drought.

Lavender 

Needing little introduction, this drought-tolerant Mediterranean plant is well-known for its soothing fragrance and light purple blossoms. Its airy, silver foliage brings unique accents and texture to your garden, stunning scent, and potential for cuisine. Consider adding lavender to your lattes, cocktails, or sun tea!

Guara

This low-maintenance perennial is known for its abundance of long-lasting blossoms. They bloom with a riot of pink or white flowers in early summer, with repeat flushes throughout the rest of the season. When drought turns your lawn brown, they not only stay green but keep blooming. Also called “whirling butterflies,” they’re very attractive to butterflies and other pollinators.

Milkweed

This native North American perennial brings spherical clusters of bright pink flowers to your garden. It’s an essential plant for the life cycle of monarch butterflies that migrate from Mexico to Canada. They’re ideal for naturalized or wildflower gardens and easily self-seed once planted.

Salvia

This heat-loving perennial is prized as much for its scent as its indigo or violet flowers. The pleasing aroma is irresistible, especially for the bees. Like sage, it blooms with an abundance of lance-like flowers and is right at home when moisture is scarce.

Coreopsis 

To round out your wildflower garden, add coreopsis alongside your coneflowers and milkweed. This drought-tolerant native blooms with a blanket of sun-yellow flowers throughout the summer. The delicate green foliage also brings a light texture to the garden. Overall, it is a very low-maintenance plant that will blend in perfectly with your other perennials.

Purslane 

Here’s a plant that thrives in dry conditions and poor soil, but that doesn’t mean it’s a poor-looking plant. On the contrary, it maintains lush green foliage throughout the whole growing season and blooms with yellow or red flowers from summer to fall. Purslane’s secret is in its succulent leaves that hold the moisture and keep their beautiful shape even through a drought or a long, hot summer.

Coneflower

Another American wildflower, coneflowers are prized for their bright daisy-like petals. You’ll find them in brilliant shades of purple, pink, orange, red, yellow, and white. The prominent cone-like centers are heavily laden with pollen, making them a pollinator favorite. Plus, coneflowers give off a soothing scent and are excellent therapeutic tea; nothing soothes a sore throat like coneflower tea!

Rosemary 

Another native of the Mediterranean, this popular plant is mainly known as a savory herb, but it also makes a beautiful addition to your perennial garden. If you want a fragrant evergreen that stays green throughout a drought, rosemary is the answer. It also attracts lots of bees with its small sky blue flowers that bloom in spring and summer.

Butterfly Bush

Gardeners love this compact shrub for its cylindrical clusters of pink and purple flowers. They bloom in early or mid-summer like fireworks coming out of the green foliage. Resistant to drought and pests, butterfly bush is as tough as it is beautiful. Plus, it’s another butterfly favorite to compliment your guara and milkweed. 

With all of these drought-tolerant plants, your garden will be well-prepared to withstand a heatwave this summer. When other plants desperately need water, these will keep flowering and remain green without much fuss. Plus, they’ll keep your gardening easy with their low-maintenance and resilient style during the rest of the year. Visit Pine Hills Nursery to check out our selection today!