Drought Tolerant Plants for Oregon's Rogue Valley

The Rogue Valley has a climate perfectly suited to drought tolerant plants. With so many beautiful varieties, and with water becoming a precious commodity, there is ample reason to incorporate them into your landscape or garden. As an added bonus, many drought tolerant plants are also deer resistant.

		A selection of drought tolerant plants including Agastache 'Tutti Frutti' (left), Agave neomexicana (top right) and Cistus Purpureus (bottom right).

Caring for Drought Tolerant Plants

The main thing to remember about drought tolerant plants is that they usually require good drainage. Plant them high, incorporate ¼" gravel or compost to your planting bed, but don't add mulch too close to their crowns. A gravel mulch works well.

Ceanothus Point Reyes

Rudbeckia hybrid with Caryopteris
'Blue Mist'

Chitalpa x t. 'Pink Dawn'

The easiest way to make drought tolerant plants unhappy is to overwater them. Most drought resistant plants need adequate water their first summer, but once established a deep soak every few weeks is best. Drought tolerant plants should not be combined with other, water loving plants on an irrigation system or a lawn sprinkler. They need to be on a separate timer or emitter that delivers the correct amount of water. Try dedicating an entire area to drought tolerant plants. You will love the result.

Remember, these are general rules. Please ask if you have questions about the care of a specific plant.

Botanical Name	Common Name	Comments
Ferns
Polystichum munitum	Western Sword Fern	native, evergreen
Grasses and Grasslike Plants
Agave neomexicana	Hardy Agave	bold accent
Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster'	Feather Reed Grass 'Karl Foerster'	upright habit
Cortaderia selloana	Pampas Grass
Festuca gluaca 'Elijah Blue'	Blue Fescue	small evergreen, silver-blue color
Helictotrichon sempervirens	Blue Oat Grass	evergreen, easy maintenance
Hesperaloe parviflora	Red Yucca (False Yucca)	coral flowers, hummingbird magnet
Muhlenbergia capillaris	Pink Muhly Grass	haze of pink seed heads
Nasella tenuissima	Mexican feather grass	will naturalize, great erosion control
Panicum virgatum	Switch Grass	dainty seed heads, nice fall color
Pennisetum 'Hamelyn'	Fountain Grass 'Hamelyn'
Stipa gigantea	Giant Feather Grass	seed heads glow when backlit
Yucca filamentosa	Adam's Needle	curly fibers along blades
Perennials
Achillea millefolium varieties	Yarrow	fine texture, many flower colors
Agastache rupestris	Sunset Hyssop, Licorice Mint	fragrant, hummingbird magnet
Allium species and varieties	Garlic and onion relatives, ball shaped flowers
Aquilegia varieties	Columbine
Armeria maritima	Sea thrift	clumping grass, pink flowers
Artemisia varieties	Wormwood	silver foliage, fine texture
Baptisia australis	Blue False Indigo	deep blue/purple flowers
Coreopsis varieties	Tickseed varieties	long bloomers, fine texture
Crocosmia varieties	Crocosmia
Delosperma cooperi and other species	Purple Ice Plant
Dianthus varities	Carnations or Pinks
Dicentra formosa	Native Bleeding Heart	dry shade
Echinacea purpurea	Coneflower
Echinops	Globe Thistle
Epimedium varieties	Bishop Hat	dry shade
Erigeron species and varieties	Fleabane Daisy	blooms spring thru summer
Erodium varieties	Cranebill
Euphorbia varieties	Spurge	chartreuse flowers in spring
Fragraria chiloensis	Wild Strawberry	native ground cover
Gaillardia varieties	Blanket Flower	long bloom time
Geranium varieties	Geranium varieties	occasional deep soak
Helianthemum varieties	Sunrose varieties
Helleborus argutifolius	Corsican Hellebore	dry shade
Hemerocallis varieties	Daylily
Hypericum calycinum	St. John's Wort	very aggressive groundcover
Iberis	Candytuft
Ipheion uniflorum 'Wisley Blue'	Spring Star Flower	can go dormant in summer
Iris tenax	Iris (Oregon native)	lavender flowers
Kniphofia varieties	Red hot poker
Lamium maculatum	Dead nettle	dry shade groundcover
Leucanthemum varieties	Shasta Daisy
Linum lewisii	Blue Flax	native
Narcissus	Daffodils
Nepeta varieties	Catmint
Oenothera berlandieri 'Siskiyou'	'Siskiyou' Mexican Evening Primrose	aggressive low groundcover, lt.pink flws
Origanum varieties	Oreganos	herbs for cooking or groundcover
Perovskia atriplicifolia	Russian Blue Sage
Phlomis fruticosa and russeliana	Jerusalem Sage
Phlox subulata	Creeping Phlox
Rubus calycinoides	Creeping Bramble	more drought tolerant in shade
Rudbeckia 'Goldstrum'	Black Eyed Susan	occasional deep soak
Salvia officinalis	Edible Sage varieties
Salvia greggii	Autumn Sage (red)
Santolina chamaecyparissus, virens	Lavender Cotton, Green Santolina	evergreen, yellow button flowers
Sedum varieties	Sedum varieties
Sempervivum tectorum	Hen and Chicks	colonizing succulent
Teucrium chamaedrys	Trailing Germander	evergreen, pink flower spikes
Thymus species and varieties	Creeping Thyme and Upright Thyme
Verbena bonariensis	Upright Verbena
Verbena	Trailing Verbena
Vinca minor	Vinca	dry shade
Zauschneria	California Fuschia	late sum. coral flws, hummer magnet
Shrubs
Arbutus unedo	Strawberry Tree	white flowers, fuzzy red berries
Arctostaphylos columbiana	Hairy Manzanita	native, low growing
Arctostaphylos shrub varieties	Shrub Manzanita	fast growing, evergreen
Arctostaphylos uva ursi varieties	Kinnickinnick varieties	evergreen groundcover
Baccharis pilularis	Coyote bush
Berberis varieties	Barberry varieties	great purple leaves
Buddleia varieties (hybrids)	Butterfly Bush	honey scented flowers all summer
Callistemon varieties	Bottlebrush	from Australia, choose cold hardy varieties
Carpenteria californica	Tree Anenome	must have good drainage and winter protection
Caryopteris clandonensis	Blue Mist	periwinkle flowers mid- late summer
Ceanothus varieties	California Lilac	cobalt flowers in early spring
Cercocarpus ledifolius	Curl Leaf Mahogany	native, good in wilder areas
Choisya ternata 'Aztec Pearl'	Aztec Pearl Cutleaf Mexican Orange	fragrant white flowers in spring
Cistus various species and hybrids	Rockrose	early summer blooms
Cotinus 'Royal Purple'	Royal Purple Smoke bush	burgundy foliage, red fall color
Cotoneaster varieties	Cotoneaster	white flowers, red berries
Elaeagnus species	Silverberry	evergreen
Erica varieties	Mediterranean Heath varieties	late winter bloom, best with occ. deep soak
Feijoa sellowiana	Pineapple Guava	silver foliage, tropical pink flowers
Genista pilosa and lydia	Yellow Broom groundcover	deep yellow flowers in spring
Grevillea varieties	Grevillea	Australian plant, choose cold hardy varieties
Holodiscus discolor	Oceanspray	native
Ilex crenata convexa	Japanese Holly	can do sun or shade
Ilex meserveae 'Blue Girl'	Blue Girl Holly and other Holly varieties	red berries
Juniperus species and varieties	Juniper
Lavandula species and varieties	Lavender	fragrant purple flowers
Leptospermum varieties	Tea Tree	from Australia, choose cold hardy varieties
Mahonia aquifolium	Oregon Grape	native, yellow flowers in late winter
Mahonia repens	Creeping Oregon Grape	native, yellow flowers in late winter
Myrtus communis compacta	Myrtle	formal looking evergreen, starry white flowers
Nerium oleander	Oleander	blooms all summer, marginally hardy
Osmanthus varieties	Hollyleaf Osmanthus
Osmarea burkwoodii	Osmarea burkwoodii	fragrant white flowers in spring
Philadelphus lewisii	Native Mock Orange	native, fragrant
Physocarpus capitatus	Native Ninebark	native variety is most drought tolerant
Picea abies nidiformis	Birds Nest Spruce	does best with afternoon shade
Pinus mugo pumilo	Dwarf Mugo Pine
Potentilla varieties	Potentilla	regular water until established
Prunus lusitanica	Portuegese Laurel	attractive red stems
Rhamnus californica	Coffeeberry	native, evergreen
Rhus typhina 'Bailtiger'	Tiger Eyes Staghorn Sumac	chartreuse foliage, red fall color
Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low'	Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac	erosion control, red fall color
Ribes aureum	Golden Currant	native, prefers afternoon shade
Ribes sangunineum	Red Flowering Currant	native, prefers afternoon shade
Rosa rugosa	Rugosa Rose	tough, disease resistant
Rosemarinus officianalis varieties	Rosemary	fragrant, attracts beneficial insects
Rubus calycinoides	Bramble	vigorous, salmon colored berries
Symphoricarpos alba	Snow Berry	native, white berries, dry shade is best
Teucrium fruticans	Bushy germander
Viburnum davidii	Viburnum davidii	dry shade
Viburnum t. 'Spring Bouquet'	Viburnum tinus 'Spring Bouquet'
Vitex agnus-castus	Chaste tree or bush	interesting leaves and lavender flowers
Trees
Acer buergerianum	Trident Maple	orange-red fall color
Acer circinatum	Vine Maple	*only with afternoon shade
Acer freemanii 'Autumn Blaze'	Autumn Blaze Maple	red fall color
Calocedrus decurrens	Incense Cedar	native
Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata'	Pyramidal European Hornbeam	narrow-oval form
Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca'	Blue Atlas Cedar	nice contrasting foliage color(silver blue)
Cedrus deodar	Deodar Cedar
Cercis occidentalis	Western Redbud	dark pink flowers in spring, must have good drainage
Chamaecyparis 'Boulevard'	Boulevard Cypress	part shade is best
Chamaerops humilis	Mediterranean Fan Palm	tropical look
Chilopsis linearis	Desert Willow	blooms all summer
Chitalpa 'Pink Dawn'	Pink Dawn Chitalpa (cross of Catalpa and Chilopsis)	lt. pink blooms all summer
Cotinus coggygria varieties	Smoke tree	small tree, great fall color
Crataegus laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet'	Paul's Scarlet Hawthorn	dark pink flowers in spring
Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Ice'	Arizona Cypress	bright silver-blue foliage
Cupressus s. 'Glauca'	Blue Italian Cypress
Cupressocyparis leylandii	Leylandi Cypress
Eucalyptus species and varieties	Snow gum, Cider gum, Black Sally, willowleaf Peppermint	evergreen, showy bark, colorful stems
Ficus varieties	Fig tree	fruiting, big leaves
Fraxinus oxycarpa 'Raywood'	Raywood Ash	burgundy fall color
Gleditsia triacanthos	Honeylocust	yellowish fall color
Juniperus varieties	Juniper	tough as nails
Lagerstoemia varieties	Crape Myrtle varieties	late summer bloom, fall color
Morus alba	Fruitless Mulberry	fast growing shade tree
Olea europea varieties	Olive, fruiting and fruitless	evergreen, fast growing
Picea pungens glauca	Colorado Blue Spruce	silvery-blue needles
Pinus species	Pine species
Pistacia chinensis	Chinese Pistache	orange-red fall color
Pseudotsuga menziesii	Douglas Fir	native
Quercus coccinea	Scarlet Oak	deep red fall color
Quercus rubra	Red Oak
Sequoiadendron giganteum	Giant Sequoia	fast growing conifer, occ. deep soaks
Syringa reticulata 'Ivory Silk'	Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac	white flowers in summer,showy bark
Thuja plicata	Western Red Cedar	native, needs afternoon shade
Trachycarpus fortunei	Windmill Fan Palm	tropical look
Vitex agnes-castus	Chaste Tree	purple flowers in summer
Zelkova serrata	Zelkova	fast growing shade tree, rusty fall color
Vines
Campsis radicans	Trumpet Vine	vigorous, orange-red flowers
Humulus lupulus	Hops	used in beer making
Lonicera japonica 'Halliana'	Honeysuckle vine	vigorous, fragrant yellowish flowers
Rosa (climbing)	Climbing Rose varieties	vigorous, long bloom
Vitis varieties	Grape vine, fruiting and ornamental	very vigorous, red fall color
Wisteria varieties	Wisteria	fragrant purple flowers