12 Drought-Tolerant Shrubs That Thrive With Minimal Watering

Choosing plants for your yard should always include careful consideration of your region's typical rainfall, your lawn's soil and drainage, and the plant's water needs. If you live in an area prone to drought or want to reduce your water usage, drought-tolerant shrubs will keep your landscape looking lush and colorful with little supplemental irrigation required. Ahead, we're sharing expert-approved drought-tolerant shrubs that will thrive in various climates, including native varieties that provide nutrients for pollinators and local wildlife.

Linda Vater, plant expert for Southern Living Plant Collection
Mary Phillips, head of native plant habitat strategy and certifications at the National Wildlife Federation
Alison O'Connor, extension professor of horticulture at Colorado State Extension in Larimer County

01 of 11

Thuja

Row of arborvitae in front of a fence. — Credit:
rlat/Getty Images

Thuja (Arborvitae) is a large genus that includes trees and shrubs. Thuja sends out deep roots that can adapt to reduced water levels, making many cultivars and species drought-tolerant. Plus, with a wide range of available types, there's one for every landscape. "Arborvitae come in various shapes and sizes, ranging from tall, narrow columns to compact, rounded shrubs," says Linda Vater of Southern Living Plant Collection. "They have a naturally dense, lush growth habit, with delicate, scale-like leaves forming unique fan-shaped sprays." Choose a classic deep green version—or a sunny-tipped Forever Goldy for contrast.

Zones: 2 to 8
Size: 10 to 60 feet tall x 3 to 15 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

02 of 11

Blackberry

Give your kitchen garden an upgrade with drought-tolerant blackberry bushes (Rubus fruticosus), which rely on a sprawling root system to pull in moisture from far-flung water sources. "Blackberries grow on canes, which are stems that can be erect, semi-erect, or trailing, and can form thickets if left unmanaged," says Vater. If you don't want to risk pricking your fingers while harvesting, choose a thornless version, like DownHome Harvest Osage.

Zones: 5 to 9
Size: 3 to 6 feet tall x 3 to 5 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; sandy to loamy soil

03 of 11

American Beautyberry

Small, dense clusters of vibrant purple berries stand out against the slim, light green leaves of the American beautyberry plant (Callicarpa americana). This native shrub provides food for robins, finches, and other birds and hosts caterpillars that grow into butterflies, says Mary Phillips, head of native plant habitat strategy and certifications at the National Wildlife Federation. "Native shrubs are naturally adapted to withstand dry spells [and have] low water needs once established," she says. An extensive root system allows the bush to thrive in soils that range from dense clay to loose and sandy.

Zones: 5 to 11
Size: 3 to 8 feet tall x 3 to 6 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; moist to dry loamy, clay, or sandy soil

04 of 11

False Indigo

Phillips recommends false indigo (Baptisia australis) for its feathery foliage, upright clusters of tiny purple blooms, and dark brownish-black seed pods that offer winter interest. In addition to being a stunner, this plant is also hardy enough to thrive in nearly any soil type—from clay to rocky—due to its long taproot.

Zones: 3 to 9
Size: 4 to 12 feet tall x 6 to 15 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; tolerates a wide variety of soil types

05 of 11

Inkberry

The neat and tidy growth habit of native inkberry (Ilex glabra) makes its emerald-colored leaves, tiny white blooms, and ebony-hued berries an elegant addition to landscapes. The shrub's hardy root system allows it to bloom in dry, moist, acidic, or sandy soils, where it also provides a home for caterpillars that turn into Henry's elfin butterfly and the holly azure butterfly, says Phillips.

Zones: 5 to 10
Size: 6 to 12 feet tall x 2 to 8 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; dry to moist acidic or sandy soil

06 of 11

Ninebark

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) is a multi-season, drought-tolerant shrub, says Alison O'Connor, extension professor of horticulture at Colorado State Extension. It features prolific flowers in spring, various leaf colors in summer, and exfoliating bark in water. There are dozens of varieties, but O'Connor especially likes Diablo, Little Devil, Amber Jubilee, and Summer Wine. "Once established, ninebark is very water-wise and would only need occasional water in times of extreme heat and drought," she says.

Zones: 3 to 7
Size: 3 to 10 feet tall x 3 to 10 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; tolerates most soil types, including clay

07 of 11

Leadplant

Leadplant (Amorpha canescens)—a cousin of false indigo—has a similar appearance, with cylinders of small purple blooms against silver-green leaves. "A native to the Intermountain West—Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico—this plant thrives on natural precipitation after establishment," says O'Connor. "A great replacement for the more aggressive Russian sage, leadplant is tolerant of most soil types (including heavy clay) and does best in full sun. Be sure to have some patience in the spring, as it's slower to wake up and leaf out."

Zones: 3 to 8
Size: 4 feet tall x 4 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun; tolerant of most soil types

08 of 11

Lilac

The unmistakable aroma of lilac (Syringa vulgaris) is well-known to gardeners in most growing zones. "An oldie-but-goodie in many home landscapes, lilac has beautiful purple, white, or bi-colored fragrant flowers in spring and green leaves in summer," says O'Connor. "Drought-tolerant once established, homestead lilacs were often planted around homes of the first settlers in many communities and have lived for decades."

Zones: 3 to 8
Size: 10 feet tall x 10 feet wide (depending on cultivar)
Care requirements: Full sun; tolerant of most soil types

09 of 11

Blue Mist Spirea

Blue mist spirea (Caryopteris × clandonensis) is a pollinator-friendly flowering shrub that produces purple flowers from summer to fall. Established plants tolerate low water levels, thriving with minimal irrigation and surviving on natural precipitation from snow and rain, says O'Connor.

Zones: 5 to 8
Size: 4 feet tall x 4 feet wide (depending on cultivar)
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; loose, well-drained soil

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Snowberry

Though you may not find snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) too impressive when you see it at your local garden center, keep an open mind. "[The] plants don't grow well in containers, so don't judge it at the nursery," says O'Connor. In-ground, these smaller shrubs put on a show, producing tiny pink flowers in spring and white berries in winter, says O'Connor. It can tolerate periods of drought but will need irrigation in extended dry and hot conditions.

Zones: 3 to 7
Size: 3 to 4 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; tolerant of most soil types

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Three-Leaf Sumac

Three-leaf sumac (Rhus trilobata) is recognizable by its yellow spring flowers and cheery red summer berries. "Fall color is red, orange, and yellow and can be very showy," says O'Connor. While the plant needs minimal moisture once rooted, it will grow much larger with regular watering, she says.