Home Gardening

Heat and drought tolerant plants
Garden Tips Newsletter - June 25, 2001

It looks like we are in for another hot summer -- but that doesn't mean we have to sacrifice our gardens -- there are several plants that will tolerate the heat and drought conditions.

Heat tolerant annuals:

Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), Celosia or cockscomb (Celosia argentea plumosa), Spider flower (Cleome hasslerana), Coreopsis (Coreopsis vericillata), Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), Morning Glory (Ipomoea tricolor), Gold medallion (Melapodium paludosum), Moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora), Zinnias.

Heat and drought tolerant perennials:

Carpet bugle (Ajuga reptans), Artemesia, Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), Beebalm (Monarda didyma), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Purple condflower (Echinacea purpurea), Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.), Blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora), Gaura (Gaura lindheimeri), Gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), Goldenrod (Solidago spp.), Lamb's ears (Stachys byszantina), Liatris (Liatris spicata), Phlox (Phlox paniculata, P. divaricata, P. subulata), Red hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), Salvia (Salvia farinacea, S. spp.), Sedum (Sedum spectabile), Shasta daisy (Chrysanthemum x superbum), Verbena (Verbena spp.), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

For more detailed information about each of these plants check out the following Web sites:

Annuals:
Annuals for Hot, Dry Summers
Drought Tolerant Annuals

Perennials:
Drought Tolerant Perennials

These archived newsletters were written by Dr. Lelia Scott Kelly. Kelly is a Horticulture Specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Her office is in the North Mississippi Research & Extension Center, Verona.