Another solution to the problem of lack of
water is the use of drought-tolerant plants such
as annuals that are able to survive with little
water. Annuals are different from perennials
when it comes to drought tolerance. Perennials
can become drought tolerant or resistant after
they become well established, but with annuals
the growing season is short. There are annuals
that will tolerate drier conditions, but you need
to give the plants a good start and maintain
that good start with good gardening practices
throughout the relatively short annual growing
season.
The following are some examples of annuals
that are drought tolerant:
• Angel’s Trumpet (Datura spp.) — 1–120 cm
tall with large white to yellow fragrant,
trumpet-like blooms; the plant is poisonous,
so exercise care
• Bachelor’s Buttons (Centaurea cyanus) —
30–60 cm with blooms ranging from blues to
pinks and purples
• Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella) — 30–60
cm with orange, red, and yellow blooms
• Calendula (Calendula officinalis) — 30–60 cm
with flowers in shades of yellows and oranges
• Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) — 30 cm–120 cm
with blossoms in a variety of colours
• Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria) — 30–60 cm;
grown for its silvery foliage that contrasts well
with many colours
• Gazania (Gazania ringens) — 30–60 cm with
white, orange, yellow, and pink blooms
• Ice Plant (Mesembryanthemum crytallinum)
— under 30 cm; variegated foliage with
yellow flowers
• Marigold (Tagetes) — 30–60 cm with blooms
in shades of yellow and orange and bi-colours
• Petunia
(Petunia x
hybrida) — 30–60
cm in a myriad of bloom colours
• Portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora) — under
30 cm; very well suited for hot and dry areas;
jewel-like coloured flowers ranging from white
to fuchsia to red and orange
• Strawflower (Helichrysum bracteatum) —
30–60 cm with flowers in yellows and oranges;
a tough flower that dries very well
• Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) — 30– 300
cm large flowered plant in yellows, oranges
and reds
• Tickseed (Coreopsis spp.) — 30cm–100 cm;
airy flowers in yellow, pink, and red
These plants are tolerant of low water regimes;
however, it should be noted that they would still
require some moisture — they are only drought
tolerant, not drought hardy. How little water they
will tolerate will depend on individual growing
conditions such as the number of hours of direct
sunlight, wind, and the use of mulch.
I have grown some of the examples on this list
in the hottest and driest of locations with great
success. They are certainly worthy of trial in any
low water container garden. During the busy
summer months when the weather is hot and dry,
I find that having container plants that don’t have
to be watered twice a day or even every day is a
bonus that frees me up to do other things. ●
Gerald Filipski is a member of the Garden Writers
Association of America.
news&views SPRING 2019 | 17