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Many Californians may remember the severe drought that hit us back in 2014.
[Image source: https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/bigpicture/2017/04/25/california-drought-then-and-now/P68dkjy91cG9NOWZTXTFBN/story.html ]
While the rainfall last year did greatly help with California drought problems, California is still currently in a drought.
[Image source: https://www.drought.gov/drought/states/california ]
With the sudden record high heat wave behind us, many of our plants may not have fared very well with the heat. In response to the weather many people have started switching to drought-resistant plants. But what are drought-resistant plants? What kinda plants are we talking about? And what do they look like? Drought-resistant, sometimes called drought tolerance, are plants adapted to drier weather conditions and don’t need a lot of water for maintenance. Below we have accumulated some examples available in California.
Let’s start with one you may have noticed before – Agave deserti. These easy to grow plants not only thrive in drought conditions, but have been used for many years for variety of purposes. For example, Agave have strong fibrous tissue in their leaves which can be useful for ropes, nets, and other similar items.
[Image source: https://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=4281]
We also can’t mention drought tolerant plants without including the many different types of succulents. These plants come in many different sizes, appearances and can thrive with minimal water use.
For something a little more on the colorful side, there are the California Lilacs (Ceanothus). This easy to cultivate and beautiful color plant is a delight to many California locals.
[Image source: https://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/183–ceanothus-concha ]
Salvia apiana, or more commoning known as white sage, is a drought tolerant plant that is used in Native American ceremonies. This plants flowers are known to attract bees.
[Image source: https://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/604–salvia-apiana ]
Switching it up a little bit we have our first tree on the list – Chitalpa. This tree is a inter-generic cross between Chilopsis linearis and Catalpa bignonioides. Flowering in spring, summer, and fall, the Chitalpa grows somewhere between 25 to 35 feet.
[Image source: http://www.public.asu.edu/~camartin/plants/Plant%20html%20files/chitalpa.html ]
Quercus agrifolia, the California live oak is the biggest plant on our list. Growing to a mature height of up to 82 feet! This oak tree can be commonly seen in western landscaping.
[Image source: https://selectree.calpoly.edu/tree-detail/quercus-agrifolia ]
If looking for turf plants, we have Zoysia. Commonly seen on golf course, this grass grows well in almost any warm climate, with high tolerance to temperature, sunlight and drought conditions.
[Image: https://www.naturehills.com/zenith-zoysia-grass-plugs ]
Another strong tolerant grass is Cynodon dactylon, aka hybrid bermuda grass. While not native to California it is a popular choice for fields with high activity due to its tough and fast-growing properties.
[Image source: http://parkavenueturf.com/sod-varieties/bermuda-grass/attachment/bermuda-grass-lawn/ ]
Did anything on this list surprise you? Is there something that you believe should be added to a future list? Or do you have any ideas on keeping your current plants hydrated in this drought? Please share with us below.
information sources
https://www.drought.gov/drought/states/california
http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Data/DataDownload.aspx
http://balconygardenweb.com/24-best-drought-tolerant-plants/
https://www.scpr.org/news/2015/05/13/51644/go-native-a-list-of-drought-friendly-california-pl/
https://www.calwater.com/conservation/low-water-drought-resistant-plants/
https://calscape.org/Salvia-apiana-(White-Sage)?srchcr=sc568b84829b162
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/xeriscape/drought-tolerant-lawn-grass.htm
