If you live in a dry climate, keeping your plants watered is a constant battle. The easiest way to avoid the battle is to stick to perennial plants that tolerate dry conditions. Why water and water when there are so many plants that just don’t need it? Avoid the hassle and have a garden that’s happy to take care of itself by planting drought tolerant plants. Keep reading to learn more about choosing drought tolerant perennials for zone 7.
Top Zone 7 Drought Tolerant Perennials
Here are some of the best perennials tolerant of drought in zone 7: Purple Coneflower – Hardy in zone 4 and up, purple coneflower grows 2 to 4 feet tall (61 cm. to 1 m.). They like full sun to part shade. Their flowers last all summer long and are great for attracting butterflies. Yarrow – Yarrow comes in many varieties, but all are winter hardy in zone 7. These plants tend to reach between 1 and 2 feet in height (31-61 cm.) and produce white or yellow flowers that bloom best in full sun. Sun Drop – Hardy in zone 5 and above, the evening primrose plant grows to about 1 foot tall and 1.5 feet wide (31 x 46 cm.) and produces a profusion of bright yellow flowers. Lavender – A classic drought tolerant perennial, lavender has foliage that smells amazing all year long. Throughout the summer it puts up delicate flowers in purple or white that smell even better. Flax – Hardy down to zone 4, flax is a sun to part shade plant that produces beautiful flowers, usually in blue, all summer long. New Jersey Tea – New Jersey tea is a small Ceanothus shrub that tops out at 3 feet (1 m.) in height and produces loose clusters of white flowers followed by purple fruits. Virginia Sweetspire – Another drought tolerant shrub for zone 7 that produces fragrant white flowers, Virginia sweetspire's foliage turns a stunning shade of red in the fall.