Drought Tolerant Plants

Hello again,
We caught a glimpse of wetness coming from the sky yesterday.  It lasted a whole minute!  On Saturday of last week, we received less than an inch, but it's better than nothing.  As dry as we are in the Chicagoland area, some plant are thriving and looking great.  Most of what looks the best are native the region as well. Below are some of the best for the worst of droughts.

Dalea purpurea

I've always been a fan of Purple Prairie Clover.  My only problems have been in the years that we have wet springs. Last year, this wasn't the nicest plant in the garden.  This year, all Dalea are looking quite spectacular.  The white species, D. candida are also blooming their little hearts out.  The only other thing to note on this plant is that rabbits adore it.  So mixing it with plants like Allium and Calamintha are good ways to keep the rabbits off of it.  And they are both drought tolerant making them nice companions in the garden.

Asclepias tuberosa
Butterfly weed thrives on drought.  This is one of those plants where you want to make sure you have the best drainage possible to ensure livability.  I see these growing in Michigan frequently where the soil is mostly sand.  Asclepias in general are the host plant for monarch butterflies, so this type of plant is one that is necessary for your butterfly garden.

Ruellia humilis
Wild Petunia is late to leaf out. These usually emerge in mid to late May.  This year I started to see them in the first week of May.  This plant does reseed profusely and can even move its way into the lawn.  For me, I like that it has become the Violet for the sun in our lawn.  Others may not like it as much as I.  In some of our gardens, it climbs the stems of other perennials and blooms atop them.  This is especially effective with the Liatris aspera.

Allium senescens var glaucum with Stachys minima and Mazus reptans
This is the perfect combination for the trendy fairy gardens.  All plants in this combo are less than a foot tall and contrast very well with one another.  The pink flowers of the Stachys have been here for a couple weeks already and if the cool air persists, it could last for a couple more.  The Allium have yet to bloom but will be soon offering up tasty nectar to Painted Lady Butterflies everywhere.  The Mazus blooms earlier in spring and sometimes re-blooms in fall.

I hope everyone is still staying busy and able to keep all their plants watered.  We still are desperate for rain around here.  It's gotta come soon right?  Until next time, I hope you have a great day.