Drought-Tolerant Native Plants
Once their roots are established — plan on regular watering through the first summer — these natives get through a typical North Texas dry spell with little or no extra water. Good drainage matters for several of them; each plant page says which.
Every plant here is native to Texas. For non-native plants that also do well here, see our well-adapted plants.
22 plants
In stock Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
A compact, drought-tolerant native shrub that blooms nearly year-round in reds, corals, pinks, and whites.
Out of stock Blackfoot Daisy
Melampodium leucanthum
A drought-proof native perennial with cheerful white, daisy-like blooms from spring through frost.
Low stock Bubba Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis 'Bubba'
A desert willow selection bred for heavier flowering, with the same orchid-like summer blooms and exceptional drought tolerance as the species.
Low stock Compact Texas Sage
Leucophyllum frutescens 'Compactum'
Compact Texas sage is a smaller, denser form of the silver-leaved native cenizo, staying about three to four feet tall. It bursts into purple bloom after rain and shrugs off drought, heat, and deer.
In stock Damianita
Chrysactinia mexicana
Damianita is a compact, evergreen native shrub covered in golden-yellow daisies from spring into fall. Its aromatic, needle-like foliage resists deer and thrives in heat, rock, and drought.
Out of stock Desert Willow
Chilopsis linearis
A fast-growing native flowering tree with orchid-like summer blooms and exceptional drought tolerance.
Low stock Dwarf Yaupon Holly
Ilex vomitoria 'Nana'
Dwarf Yaupon Holly is a compact, mounding evergreen shrub that reaches 3 to 5 feet tall with small, spineless, dark green leaves. It tolerates heat, drought, and clay soil and responds well to shearing for low hedges and borders.
In stock Flame Acanthus
Anisacanthus wrightii
A Texas native hummingbird magnet with brilliant orange-red tubular blooms from late spring through fall.
Low stock Four Nerve Daisy
Tetraneuris scaposa (syn. Hymenoxys scaposa)
Four Nerve Daisy is a compact native perennial with bright yellow blooms and a remarkably long flowering season.
In stock Gaura
Oenothera lindheimeri
A native perennial with airy, wand-like sprays of white and pink flowers that flutter like tiny butterflies all summer.
In stock Mealy Blue Sage
Salvia farinacea
A native blue-violet sage with a long bloom season and one of the best pollinator draws in North Texas.
In stock Red Yucca
Hesperaloe parviflora
A soft-leaved, drought-proof native accent plant with towering coral-red blooms that hummingbirds visit all season.
In stock Rock Penstemon
Penstemon baccharifolius
A tough, rock-garden native with brilliant red blooms that peak during the hottest part of summer.
Out of stock Side-Oats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
The Texas state grass, prized for its neat clumps and distinctive dangling seed spikes from summer through winter.
In stock Silver Ponyfoot
Dichondra argentea
Silver ponyfoot is a low, trailing groundcover with silky silver leaves. It forms a dense mat that tolerates heat, drought, and lean soil.
Low stock Texas Kidneywood
Eysenhardtia texana
Texas kidneywood is a native shrub with fine, aromatic foliage and fragrant white flower spikes that draw butterflies and bees from spring through fall. It thrives in heat, drought, and rocky soil.
In stock Texas Lantana
Lantana urticoides (syn. Lantana horrida)
A tough, long-blooming native shrub with multi-colored flower clusters that draw butterflies from May through frost.
Low stock Texas Mountain Laurel
Sophora secundiflora (syn. Dermatophyllum secundiflorum)
Texas mountain laurel is a slow-growing native evergreen with glossy leaves and violet flower clusters that smell like grape soda each spring. It is very drought tolerant and thrives in heat and rocky soil.
In stock Texas Prickly Pear
Opuntia engelmannii
Texas Prickly Pear is a sculptural native cactus with bright yellow spring blooms and edible purple-red fruit, thriving on neglect.
Low stock Texas Sage
Leucophyllum frutescens
A silver-leaved native shrub that erupts in surprise blooms after every rain — the legendary "barometer bush."
In stock Wright's Skullcap
Scutellaria wrightii
A low, mat-forming Hill Country native prized as a tough groundcover for rocky, sun-baked spots where little else thrives.
Low stock Zexmenia
Wedelia texana (syn. Zexmenia hispida)
A tough, free-blooming native subshrub that covers itself in small orange-yellow daisies from late spring clear through fall.