With temperatures on the rise, lower annual rainfall and water restrictions in place (and the cost of water), it makes sense to transition landscaped areas to plants that can withstand drought and have lower water needs. In our semiarid Colorado climate, there are a surprising number of interesting and beautiful plants that meet this description.
An established plant that can withstand periods of drought is drought-tolerant. The operative word here is “established”; all plants require additional water while their root systems establish in the landscape.
Following the establishment phase, drought-tolerant plants have various mechanisms that allow them to survive during periods of decreased or no moisture. These characteristics help minimize the amount of moisture that escapes from the plant and maximize moisture intake from their roots. Plant characteristics that help with this are:
• Small, thin leaves that minimize water loss due to the reduced surface area of the leaf (pine, lavender).
• Thick, leathery leaves with waxy cuticles that reflect heat away from the plant and reduce water loss (white fir, wax currant).
• Silver leaves that reflect the sun and minimize water loss from the leaves (lamb’s ear, lavender and gray santolina).
• Sunken stomata (the small pores on leaves that regulate moisture, gas exchange and temperature) that trap moist air and reduce water loss (pine, yucca).
• Hairy leaves that protect the plant from temperature extremes and trap moisture at the leaf surface (lamb’s ear, silver sage).
• Deep roots that allow the plant to seek moisture further down in the soil (false blue indigo, poppy mallow).
Because they are naturally adapted to survive in our semi-arid climate, native plants typically require less water and are naturally drought-tolerant. They are also more resistant to pests and disease if planted in their native habitat.
When adding drought-tolerant plants to your landscape, make sure to group plants with similar light and water needs together, to give them the best chance at survival. Consider siting these low-water and drought-tolerant plants on a south- or west-facing site, since these plants are better adapted to survival in locations where plants experience the greatest water loss.
By substituting drought-tolerant plants for thirstier plants in your landscaping, you can reduce the amount of water for landscape maintenance and enjoy the beautiful results of a landscape that is suited to lower-water conditions.
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