These flowers, succulents, and trees look gorgeous in hot weather.
Read on for some of our favorite drought-tolerant plants that willbeautify your backyardthis summer.
Aloe
Due to their succulent status, many species of aloe are drought-resistant.
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Aloe brings some sculptural interest to landscaping thanks to their big, bright green succulent leaves.
They can survive on little water, but water plants occasionally to prolong their lifespan.
Spend a little too much time in the summer sun?
Sábila (Aloe vera).Credit: dangdumrong/Getty Images
Angelonia
This tropical native blooms all summer and loves the heat.
Angelonias aregrown as annualsin most places but are perennials in Zone 9 to 11.
They are excellent as bedding plants or in containers.
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In its initial growing season, angelonia flowers can attract aphids.
Spray an insecticidal soap twice a week to say goodbye to the little crawlers.
Cutting encourages them to rebloom late in the season.
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The 2- to 4-inch blooms have orange-red rays and a prominent purplish-black cone.
Deer usually steer clear of these plants, which are hardy in Zones 3-8.
Blanket Flower
These easygoing summer bloomers feature daisy-like flowers in warm colorsyellow, orange, and red.
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They thrive on neglect, so put away the watering can and fertilizer.
Their blooms make excellentcut flowers.
Butterfly Bush
This flowering shrub is a fast-growing plant resistant to drought.
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It produces masses of spiky blooms through the summer months that butterflies love.
These perennial bushes of blooms are fairly low-maintenance, so just sit back, and watchwhile the pollinators feast.
Catmint
Once established, this fragrant plant is tolerant of low-water conditions.
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These long-lived perennials produce pretty purple flowers alongside gray-green foliage that attractsbutterfliesand bees.
Catmint is excellent for edging plants as it has a sprawling growth pattern.
Catmint canspread very quickly, so pruning is crucial in controlling its growth.
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Chaste Tree
Purple summertime blooms are the calling cards of these beautiful trees.
They are drought-tolerant plantings that add color to the landscape in the height of summer heat.
They grow best in full sun and can also handle coastal conditions.
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Deadhead your chaste tree in late winter to promote flowering in the spring and summer months.
Coneflower
These native plants are known for their drought- and heat-tolerant qualities.
Their pinkish-purple blooms bring some vibrancy to the garden when everything else iswilting in the heat.
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You also can find a wide variety of cultivars of this plant in reds, oranges, and golds.
Hold off on pruning the dried flowers in the fall so birds can feast on the seeds.
Dianthus
These drought-tolerant anddeer-resistant plantsare known for their pretty flowers and mounding blue-green foliage.
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These sprawling perennials grow well in Zones 4-9 along borders in sunny spots in the garden.
Bloom time depends on the variety, but each flower has jagged-edged petals.
Tiny flowers in tight clusters resembling small nosegays appear continuously in warm weather.
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Plus, a lantana garden is butterfly heavenno flowers do a better job attracting them.
It is usually grown as a summer annual except in frost-free areas.
The flower was formerly known botanically asVinca rosea, and many people still call it vinca.
Credit:Diana Kirby
Try Nirvana and Cora Madagascar periwinkles.
Blooms vary from deep violet to white.
Cuplike calyxescovered with white hairsoften have a blue or violet tinge.
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Like other members of the sage family, mealycup sage is generally pest-free but attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators.
This plant is hardy in Zones 8-10.
Generally, blossoms open fully in bright light and close by mid-afternoon in hot weather.
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Portulaca thrives in high temperatures and intense sunlight and is not fussy about soil.
Remove old blooms to stimulate new bloom growth.
Sedum
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Versatile sedums, also known as stonecrop, can grow with little water.
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These flowers will produce the healthiest showing of flowers and foliage with weekly water during their blooming seasons.
Bright yellow-green sedums bloom in tiny, star-shaped flowers.
Spurge
Hardy spurge, also known asEuphorbia, produces eye-catching, saucer-shaped flowers.
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Spurge thrives in even the hottest and driest conditions.
These low-maintenance plants are excellent for containers.
Be careful when dealing with spurge, as it has a milky sap that is poisonous to humans.
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Handle the plant with gloves and do not let it come in contact with your eyes.
Coreopsis yields a profusion of yellow blooms.
Their seedsattract birdsand their colorful blooms attract butterflies, but deer tend to steer clear.
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They come in annual and perennial varieties.
Shear the plant after its first bloom and you may get another round of flowers.
It produces small, spiky flowers and thrives in full sun.
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Salvia attracts pollinators, including bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
Plant salvia in the spring.
They bloom in late spring, thrive in heat, and tolerate drought.
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Verbena grows moderately fast, reaching full size in a few weeks.
Yucca
These succulents are drought-tolerant because they store water in their trunks.
They produce big rosettes of sword-shaped leaves, and some species have big white flowers.
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you’re free to grow them as houseplants until their size exceeds your available indoor space.
Yucca plants are pretty low-maintenancejust water them about once a week in the summer.
Zinnia
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Zinnias are longtime garden favorites for colorful, round flowers.
Thetough hot-weather plantsdon’t gain from planting early and stand still until the weather warms up.
Zinnias will bloom more after cuttings.
Their bright blooms will attract many pollinators.
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This drought-resistant plant doesn’t mind hot, humid summers as long as you plant it in well-drained soil.
It may flop over with too much moisture.
Yarrow can be grown in Zones 3-9.
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The fleshy foliage spreads into a mat 2 feet wide.
Grow in Zones 6-10.
Water it regularly until established and then during hot, dry spells.
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Pinching encourages more flowers.
Globe amaranth makes great cut flowers and can be used in dried flower arrangements.
This perennial is drought tolerant and has a very long bloom time, flowering all summer long.
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Overly rich soil can reduce flowering.
Grow this charming native in Zones 5-9.
Like other milkweeds, it is a host plant for the monarch butterfly.
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Other butterflies andbees will visit plantsfor the nectar.
The foliage dies back to the ground in winter and returns in late spring.
Plant butterfly weed in Zones 3-9 in any average, well-drained soil in the sun.
Though the plants do flower occasionally, the rosette foliage looks like a bouquet of flowers.
The minty foliage is not appealing to rabbits and deer but can be used in teas.
Most species can be grown in Zones 4 to 9.
