All plants require a fair amount of water until their roots are safely established, but at that point, drought-tolerant plants are those that can get by with very little moisture. Plants that tolerate drought are available for every plant hardiness zone, and low water plants for zone 8 gardens are no exception. If you’re interested in zone 8 drought-tolerant plants, read on for a few suggestions to get you started on your quest.
Drought-Tolerant Plants for Zone 8
Growing zone 8 plants in dry gardens is easy when you know the best types to choose. Below you will find some of the more commonly grown zone 8 drought tolerant plants.
Perennials
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.) – Black-eyed Susan have bright, golden yellow blooms with black centers contrast with deep green foliage. Yarrow (Achillea spp.) – Yarrow is a showy native plant with fern-like leaves and clusters of tightly-packed blooms in a huge range of intense colors. Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) – Mexican bush sage's intense blue or white blooms attract hordes of butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds all summer. Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) – Daylily is an easy to grow perennial available in a diverse variety of colors and forms. Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) – Purple coneflower is a super-tough prairie plant available with pinkish purple, rosy-red, or white flowers. Coreopsis/tickseed (Coreopsis spp.) – Coreopsis is a long-blooming, sun-loving plant with bright yellow, daisy-like flowers on tall stems Globe thistle (Echinops) – Globe thistle have large, grayish green leaves and huge globes of steely blue flowers.
Annuals
Cosmos (Cosmos spp.) – Cosmos is a tall plant with big, delicate-looking blooms in a wide range of colors. Gazania/treasure flower (Gazania spp.) – Gazania have vibrant, daisy-like flowers of yellow and orange that appear all summer. Purslane/moss rose (Portulaca spp.) – Purslane is a low-growing plant with small, vibrant blooms and succulent foliage. Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa) – Globe amaranth is a sun-loving, non-stop summer bloomer with fuzzy leaves and pom-pom flowers of pink, white, or red. Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia) – Mexican sunflower is a super-tall, velvety-leaved plant that produces orange blooms in summer and autumn.
Vines and Groundcovers
Cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) – Cast-iron plant is an extremely tough, zone 8 drought-tolerant plant that thrives in partial or full shade. Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) – A fast spreader, creeping phlox creates a colorful carpet of purple, white, red, lavender, or rose blooms. Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontatalis) – Creeping juniper is a shrubby, low-growing evergreen in shades of bright green or blue green. Yellow Lady Banks rose (Rosa banksias) – Yellow lady banks rose is a vigorous climbing rose that produces masses of small, double yellow roses.