Low Water Use Plants Fact Sheet-Current

HORTICULTURE Low Water Use Plants

By Albert Sutherland, CPH and Michael Schnelle, Ph.D.

Tracey Payton, Horticulturist, Cleveland County Extension Service, 405-321-4774, http://oces.okstate.edu/cleveland

The following is a partial list of plants that will do well with average rainfall and minimal supplemental water in Oklahoma. During times of below average rainfall they can be kept alive with minimal supplemental water. While drought tolerant, they will still need some water to stay alive during an extended drought. The annuals and perennials listed will survive drought conditions, but during these dry periods they will not produce new flowers. Even drought tolerant plants need sufficient water to provide the best display of color from flowers and foliage.

During their first year in the landscape, trees and shrubs need regular watering in order to establish a good root system. Newly planted trees and shrubs need water from the hose or rainfall once a week during the summer.

To improve watering efficiency use a drip irrigation system and a plant based mulch. Drip systems are up to 95% efficient at water delivery, while sprinklers on a hot windy day may only be 50% efficient. Mulch greatly reduces soil surface evaporation and cools plant roots. The reduced evaporation maximizes the amount of moisture for plant use. Keeping the soil cooler helps improve root growth and overall plant health.

Another way to save on water is to group plants with similar water needs into beds. This arrangement makes it easier to water. You avoid over-watering plants with low water needs or under watering plants with a high water needs. Place beds with higher water use plants closer to a water source.

Most drought tolerant plants need good drainage. If over-watered or planted in tight soils with poor drainage, the roots soon rot and the plant will die. Soil drainage can be improved by tilling in organic matter and creating a raised bed.

LARGE TREES (40+ feet tall): • Eastern Red Cedar( Juniperus DWARF SHRUBS (1-3 feet tall): • Caddo Sugar Maple ( Acer Virginians • Dwarf Yaupon Holly ( Ilex saccharum Caddo) • Osage Orange ( Maclura vomitoria 'Nana') • Pecan ( Carya illinoinensis ) pomifera ) var ‘Whiteshield’ • Miniature Crape Myrtle • Ginkgo ( Ginkgo biloba ) • Chinese Pistache ( Pistacia (Lagerstroemia indica ) • Kentucky Coffeetree chinensis ) • Nandina cultivars ( Nandina (Gymnocladus dioicus ) • Ornamental Pear ( Pyrus domestica 'Moonbay', • Sawtooth Oak ( Quercus calleryana ) - includes 'Gulfstream', 'Harbour', 'Nana') acutissima ) 'Chanticleer, Aristocrat, SMALL SHRUBS (3-5 feet tall): • Bur Oak ( Quercus macrocarpa ) Redspire' • Glossy Abelia ( Abelia • Chinkapin Oak ( Quercus • Western Soapberry ( Sapindus grandiflora ) muhlenbergii ) drummondii ) • Burford Holly ( Ilex cornuta • Shumard Oak ( Quercus • Cedar Elm ( Ulmus crassifolia ) 'Burford') shumardii ) SMALL TREES (15-25 feet tall): • Deciduous Holly ( Ilex decidua ) • Live Oak ( Quercus virginiana ) • Shantung Maple ( Acer • Winter Jasmine ( Jasminum • Bald Cypress ( Taxodium truncatum ) nudiflorum ) distichum ) • Oklahoma Redbud ( Cercis • Junipers ( Juniperus species) • Lacebark Elm ( Ulmus parvifolia ) canadensis variety texensis • Dwarf Crape Myrtle • Japanese Zelkova ( Zelkova 'Oklahoma') (Lagerstroemia indica ) serrata ) • Desert Willow ( Chilopsis • Nandina ( Nandina domestica ) linearis ) • Mugo Pine ( Pinus mugo variety MEDIUM-SIZED TREES (25-40 feet • Winterberry Euonymus mugo ) tall): (Euonymus bungeanus ) • Goldflame Spirea ( Spiraea x • Arizona Cypress ( Cypressus • Pinyon Pine ( Pinus edulis ) bumalda 'Goldflame') arizonica ) • Double Reeves Spirea ( Spiraea cantoniensis )

MEDIUM-SIZED SHRUBS (6-9 feet • Japanese Silver Grass • Mexican Heather ( Cuphea tall): (Miscanthus sinensis hyssopifolia ) • Althea or Rose of Sharon ‘Variegatus’) • Blue Daze ( Evolvulus (Hibiscus syriacus ) • Zebra Grass ( Miscanthus glomeratus ) • Crape Myrtle ( Lagerstroemia sinensis ‘Zebrinus’) • Gazania ( Gazania splendens ) indica ) • Muhly Grass ( Muehlenbergia • Gomphrena or Globe • Shrub roses ( Rosa species) lindheimeri ) Amaranth ( Gomphrena globosa ) • Sumac ( Rhus species) • Switch Grass ( Panicum • Firebush ( Hamelia patens ) • Vanhoutte Spirea ( Spiraea x virgatum ) • Sunflower ( Helianthus annus ) vanhouttei ) • Fountain grasses ( Pennisetum • Ornamental Sweet Potatoes species) (Ipomea batatas ) LARGE SHRUBS (10-25 feet tall): • Moonflower ( Ipomea alba ) • Smoke Tree ( Cotinus species) PERENNIALS: • Lantana ( Lantana camara ) • • Crape Myrtle ( Lagerstroemia Yarrow ( Achillea species) • Melampodium or Medallion indica ) • Wormwood ( Artemesia species) Plant (M elampodium paludosum ) • Silverberry Elaeagnus • Blue Mist Spirea ( Caryopteris x • Pentas or Starflower ( Pentas (Elaeagnus pungens ) clandonensis 'Blue Mist') lanceolata ) 'Fruitlandii' • Plumbago ( Ceratostigma • Portulaca ( Portulaca grandiflora ) • Yaupon Holly ( Ilex vomitoria ) plumbaginoides ) • Purslane ( Portulaca species) • • Eastern Arborvitae ( Thuja Shasta Daisy ( Chrysanthemum x • Mexican Bush Sage ( Salvia occidentalis ) superbum ) leucantha ) • • Vitex or Chaste Tree ( Vitex Coreopsis ( Coreopsis species) • Dusty Miller ( Senecio cineraria ) • angus-castus ) Coneflower ( Echinacea • Purple Heart ( Setcresea pallida ) purpurea ) • Marigolds ( Tagetes species) CLIMBERS: • Gaillardia or Blanket Flower • Mexican Sunflower ( Tithonia • Crossvine ( Bignonia capreolata ) (Gaillardia grandiflora ) rotundifolia ) • • Trumpet Vine ( Campsis Gaura ( Gaura lindheimeri ) • Zinnia ( Zinnia elegans ) radicans ) • Daylily ( Hemerocallis species • Mexican Zinnia ( Zinnia • English Ivy ( Hedera helix) and hybrids) haageana syn . Z. angustifolia and • • Virginia Creeper Bearded Iris ( Iris species and Z. linearis ) (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) hybrids) • Boston Ivy ( Parthenocissus • Ornamental Oregano tricuspidata ) (Origanum laevigatum ) • Climbing roses ( Rosa species) • Russian Sage ( Perovskia Oklahoma State University, U.S. atriplicifolia ) GOUNDCOVERS: • Department of Agriculture, State Rosemary ( Rosmarinus and Local Governments Cooperating. • Hardy Ice Plant ( Delosperma officinalis ) The Oklahoma cooperative Extension copperi ) • Black-Eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia Service offers its programs to all • English Ivy ( Hedera helix ) fulgida ) eligible persons regardless of race, • Junipers ( Juniperus species) • Autumn Sage ( Salvia greggii ) color, national origin, religion, sex, • Liriope or Monkey grass • Verbena ( Verbena Canadensis, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer. (Liriope muscari ) bonariensis )

• Creeping Phlox ( Phlox subulata ) Cleveland County Oklahoma • Stonecrop ( Sedum species) ANNUALS: Cooperative Extension Service • • Santolina ( Santolina species) Joseph’s Coat ( Alternanthera 601 East Robinson species) Norman, OK 73071 ORNAMENTAL GRASSES • Summer Snapdragon 405-321-4774 (Perennial): (Angelonia angustifolia ) Fax: 405-360-0319 • Pampas Grass ( Cortaderia • Ornamental Peppers ( Capsicum [email protected] http://oces.okstate.edu/cleveland selloana ) species) • Plume Grass ( Erianthus • Madagascar Periwinkle ravennae ) (Catharanthus rosea ) Tracey Payton, • Cleveland County Horticulturist Maiden Grass ( Miscanthus • Cockscomb ( Celeosia species) sinensis ‘Gracillimus’) • Cosmos ( Cosmos species)