Plants for a Thirsty State

Public interest in plants with relatively low water requirements has come and gone several times over the past few decades. Each new dry cycle seems to bring a new awakening, a new missionary movement, and the “learning” of new approaches to gardening. All of these seem to be quickly forgotten soon after the wet years return. In the long run, however, it is clear that with a growing population and (at least in our lifetimes) declining rainfall averages over much of the state, Californians will be gardening with less water, like it or not, even in the best of years. Fortunately, there is already a large body of information on which to draw, some of it–like new developments in drip and spitter irrigation–being compiled continuously in the interest of more economical garden maintenance. Some of the best information on particular plants comes simply from observing neglected or abandoned gardens, regardless of current weather patterns.

Partly by design, partly by pursuing other fancies with plant groups from California, the Southwest, Mexico, temperate South America, Australia and South Africa, we at Suncrest have gradually accumulated a collection of several hundred plants with a record of at least moderate tolerance of summer drought. This means simply that they can be maintained in good condition with substantially less summer irrigation than the average popular garden plant (and vastly less than the lawns that still fill major portions of many California landscapes). The fact that many of these plants are also beautiful, fill nearly every possible garden niche, and collectively provide year-round seasonal interest, would make them desirable garden candidates even if water were not an issue.

You can use the alphabetical listings below (with page divisions for the larger groups) to easily access informational displays on these plants. More detailed descriptions and information on how to use them are now available in our new publication, Plants for a Thirsty State, in PDF format. Click here to download the complete publication, with color covers, in PDF format. A separate, smaller file with just the main body text is available here.

Select A Letter Below
Plant Name Capsule Description
Arctostaphylos silvicola Silverleaf manzanita. 5 feet. Blue grey leaves, white flowers spring.
Arctostaphylos silvicola 'Grey Eagle' Silverleaf manzanita. Chalky grey leaves, white fls, spring.
Arctostaphylos 'Sunset' 4-5 feet high and wide. Bronze new leaves; pinkish white flowers.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Green Supreme' Fast and dense, with dark green leaves. Pinkish white flowers in spring.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Massachusetts' Red small berries. Pink-white flowers. Green leaves, bronze in winter.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Pt. Reyes' Dark green leaves, 8 inches high by 10 feet wide. Red fruit. Disease resistant.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Radiant' Fast. Light green leaves, 10 inches high by 10 feet wide. White flowers.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'San Bruno Mountain' Cultivar with thick leaves, pink flowers, large berries.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Tom's Point' Dense, broad, low shiny dark green mat, with new copper leaves. Bright red fruits.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Wood's Compact' 3-6 inches high by 6 feet wide. Dense, lush. White flowers, deep red berries.
Arctostaphylos viridissima 'White Cloud' Tilden Botanic Garden introduction. Sturdy trunks, furry stems, broad leaves,white flowers.
Arctostaphylos 'Winterglow' 2 feet+. New leaves bronzy red, pink flowers.
Arctotis 'Pink Sugar' PPAF Mats of silver leaves. Pink flower with orange centers are abundant spring to fall.
Arctotis 'Pumpkin Pie' PP#14732 Low growing groundcover has silvery grey leaves. Dark orange daisy flowers spring to fall.
Arctotis 'Sun Spot Orange' PP#14667 Mats of silver leaves. Tangerine orange flowers appear from spring to fall.
Aristida purpurea Clumps with narrow blue-green leaves, airy purplish flowers.
Armeria maritima 'Rubrifolia' Low cushion with burgundy leaves all year, pink spring flowers.
Armeria 'Pink Lusitanica' 6-10 inches, compact. Balls of deep pink flowers atop 6 inch stems.
Aronia melanocarpa 'Viking' Black chokecherry. Fragrant white flowers in spring, fat black fruits in summer. Good fall color.
Artemisia absinthium 'Huntington' To 4 feet+, large silvery, dissected leaves are aromatic.
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