27 Best Drought-Tolerant Trees For Your Landscape

Drought-tolerant trees are more popular now than they’ve ever been! Excessive droughts, high temperatures, and annual rainfall decreases are stressing common garden ornamentals past the point of no return. Plant drought-resistant ones in their place, and you’ll avoid heartache later.

Some species are evergreen, others are deciduous, and some are palms or cacti for dry and tropical regions. They vary in degrees of water needs, although most need little water after they establish themselves in their first year.

Yew

Yew trees are perfect evergreens for shady, dry spots in the garden. They grow little by little annually underneath other trees’ canopies, spreading wide and filling empty spaces. Instead of cones, these conifers sprout red berries called arils with deadly, poisonous seeds! The red flesh is edible and sweet, but the seeds, leaves, twigs, and bark of any yew are deathly poisonous. 

The native Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia is perfect for shady gardens. Although it prefers to grow in moist, dense forests, it tolerates occasional droughts when it has a healthy rootstock.

The English yew Taxus baccata is another excellent option for sunnier spots, but check to ensure you aren’t growing it in regions of North America where it is invasive. For all-around hardiness in a compact form, look for the hybrid foundation yew (Taxus x media) and its cultivars. 

Hard Pines

Hard pines are a subsection in the pine family. They’re evergreen trees with dense wood that reach towering heights. Non-native and native species of pines tolerate droughts with their enclosed needles. Whether it’s freezing or blazing hot, their needles hold water inside as a reserve for tough times. 

Some ornamental pines stay around 50 feet, like Scotch pine Pinus sylvestris. Others reach over 125 feet in their native range, namely Ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa. Select a pine native to your ecosystem for best results, as they adapt better to North American weather than non-native ones. 

If you’re looking for a unique, stately cultivar with variegated needles, try dragon’s eye pine, or Pinus densiflora ‘Oculus-Draconis.’ It’s hardy from USDA hardiness zones 4 through 7 and stays between 20 and 40 feet in maturity. It’ll need extra water in its first year during droughts but is tolerant of dry spells every year after that.

Juniper

Like pines and yews, junipers are evergreen conifers that resist frosts, drought, and extreme weather. They have scaly foliage that smells incredibly fragrant—use cut branches in floral arrangements to bring the aroma indoors. 

Dozens of junipers are native to North America, and some originate in Europe, China, and Japan. If you live in dry regions east of the Pacific Northwest, try Rocky Mountain or western juniper. Both species, Juniperus scopulorum, and J. occidentalis, thrive with dry, windy summers and moist or frozen winters. 

East Coast gardeners should try eastern redcedar J. virginiana. It thrives in poor soils and reaches over 40 feet in maturity. If you live in the dry south-central regions of the U.S., look for alligator juniper J. deppeana. It has blue-green scaly foliage with fissured trunk bark that resembles alligator skin. 

Maidenhair Tree

Maidenhair tree, or ginkgo, is a lovely historical specimen that has lived with us for millions of years. It’s the sole survivor of its genus Ginkgo, which dates back over 150 million years! Historical records show that it’s persisted by sowing its seeds in the wild, although we humans have also grown this tree for millennia for its edible leaves and seeds. 

Every autumn, ginkgo leaves turn buttery, golden yellow before falling to the ground. Although it’s deciduous, this species is a closer relative to conifers than it is to deciduous trees like magnolias or maples.

Maidenhair trees are drought tolerant once they put down sufficient roots. Give them water at least once a week during summer their first year, then once or twice a month every year thereafter. Unique cultivars like ‘Troll’ stay small and work as bonsai material. Others like ‘Princeton Sentry’ are straight and narrow in their crown, making them perfect for streets, specimen plantings, and tall screens.

Sago Palm

Sago palms are small evergreen cycads for warm, dry regions. They, like ginkgos, are ancient plants from a family over 200 million years old. They’re native to Japan and China, although you’ll find them growing throughout California and Florida and in people’s homes as houseplants. They have long, spikey fronds and a woody trunk that reveals itself as the plants grow older.

Sago palms need some water their first year but are drought-resistant once they establish themselves. They’re tolerant of light frosts to 15°F (-9°C) but generally appreciate warm temperatures year round. Older specimens tolerate more sun than younger ones, and sites with partial shade are best. Sago palms hate standing water, so give them free-draining soil and mulch for good drainage. 

Desert Fan Palm

Southwest gardeners are lucky to have the desert fan palm at their disposal—this North American native palm tree grows large fan-like fronds on a trunk that reaches up to 60 feet tall and is extremely drought-tolerant! The fronds turn brown when they die and decorate the trunk like a skirt. 

Some gardeners choose to cut off the old leaves for ornamental looks. The dead foliage protects trunks from frost and fire damage, providing a barrier between the elements and the water-filled trunk. If you live where winters are mild, fires aren’t prevalent, and you prefer a naked trunk, hack away! 

Desert fan palms need warm temperatures year-round, although they are cold hardy to 20°F (-7°C). Give them little water, well-draining soil, and lots of direct sunlight. If rain is absent, they may need supplemental water once a month, but they can go without irrigation if rainfall is adequate.

Saguaro

One of the most drought-tolerant plants in the world, saguaros are desert cacti that reach tree heights of 60 feet tall. They lack leaves but use their spiny, green trunks to photosynthesize and store water. They have tiny, shallow roots that suck up rainwater quickly after it falls. 

If you live in the Southwest, saguaros are perfect cacti trees for your garden. You’ll watch them reach taller and taller every year since they can take over 200 years to reach their mature size! Hardy, sun-loving, and with low water needs, saguaros are perfect for desert landscapes from California to Texas.

American Holly

All hollies are drought tolerant once they establish themselves, although they also appreciate ample moisture during winter dormancy. They’re worth the extra irrigation, as they sprout spiny, glossy-green leaves on towering trunks and branches up to 60 feet tall. Their slow-growing nature means you can plant a young specimen and watch it grow to maturity over the years.

American holly, Ilex opaca, is native to the eastern U.S. and is perfect for a large, shady space with occasional summer drought. If you lack enough space for a specimen tree, try an American holly cultivar that stays small, like ‘Clarendon Spreading’ or ‘William Hawkins.’ 

This species is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers form on separate trees. Use a female cultivar to get the characteristic red holly berries in autumn, and plant a male cultivar nearby for successful pollination. 

Madrone

Madrones are stately trees in their native range—the Pacific madrone is arguably the most beautiful native tree in the Pacific Northwest! All species have leathery, evergreen leaves, strawberry tree-like fruit, and peeling brown-gray bark. They’re large trees in the landscape and hard to establish, but they’re well worth the effort.

Madrone roots are quite sensitive; transplant specimens into your garden before they grow over a foot tall. West Coast gardeners should try the Pacific madron Arbutus menziesii in an open, well-draining location. 

Southwest gardeners have two options: Texas and Arizona madrone, A. texana and A. arizonica. Whichever species you choose, you’ll have white fragrant flowers in spring, red-orange fruits in autumn, and peeling bark with evergreen leaves all year. 

California Lilac

California lilacs are excellent drought-tolerant trees or large shrubs for dry, warm gardens. They originate from the West Coast, where they thrive on rocky, poor soils with seasonal rains. If you live in California, you’ll see them blooming from fall through spring on freeway slopes and medians. 

In the garden, this species tolerates summer droughts, and some species are frost tolerant. Try blueblossom Ceanothus thyrsiflorus from hardiness zones 5 through 9. Western U.S. growers in zones 7 through 10 can also choose from spiny or feltleaf ceanothus, C. spinosus, and C. arboreus. 

Left to grow, these three species form tall, dense shrubs. Prune smaller branches close to the ground and leave ones on top to create a tree shape. Although gardeners use them in hedges and borders, consistent trimming can shorten their lifespans. Let them grow naturally with minimal pruning so they last as long as possible. 

Arizona Walnut

Most walnut trees are drought resistant, although Arizona walnut is one of the hardiest. It’s one of the few walnuts native to North American desert ecoregions, alongside others like Texas walnut Juglans microcarpa. Arizona walnut thrives with natural rainfall, meaning you’ll only have to water it during extended dry periods.

This medium-sized tree also produces edible walnuts that you can harvest and process if you’re a nut lover. They aren’t as sweet as butternuts or English walnuts, but they’re nutritious and delicious. If you don’t like walnuts, the birds and mammals that live near you do! Grow Arizona walnuts for their sake, as they produce flowers and nuts that they like to eat. 

Hickory

Hickory trees are hardy North American species that thrive in eastern states. Some like moist soils near streambanks, but two native species appreciate dry soils. Mockernut and pignut hickories, Carya tomentosa, and C. glabra are drought-tolerant hickories for gardeners with freezing winters and dry, hot summers. 

Hickories sprout edible nuts that birds, mammals, and us humans love! The commercial pecan is a variety of Carya, but it needs moist soils more than mockernut and pignut varieties. These two varieties also sprout edible nuts that you can try for yourself, like pecans. They’re hard to extract, but their nutty flavor is worth the work!

Tanoak

Tanoaks are not true oak trees, although they behave similarly. They’re hardy, drought-tolerant trees that appreciate free-draining soil. They grow bitter acorns that are a boon to wildlife. Although the California tanoak reaches over 100 feet tall in its native range, these trees rarely grow over 40 feet tall in gardens and landscapes.

Aside from the common tanoak native to California and Oregon, there are two other drought-tolerant species for dry gardens. Use Henry tanbark oak for partial shade sites; look for its scientific name Lithocarpus henryi. For a tropical flair and lush green leaves, try the Japanese stone oak, L. edulis. 

Oak

Oak trees are longtime garden favorites, partially because they’re incredibly tolerant of lengthy droughts. Hundreds of species exist worldwide, with many originating from North America. Most are deciduous, but some in warm winter zones are evergreen. They sprout flowers on catkins and delicious acorns, and some have spines on their leaves. 

Oaks have two main groups, red and white ones. The red types have spiny leaves and bitter, slow-maturing acorns, while the white ones have fewer spines on their leaves and sweet acorns. Choose a species that grows in your ecoregion for best results, as they’re often hardier than non-native species. 

Try California or Oregon white oak in the West, and the common white oak Quercus alba in the East. Up North, look for northern red oak acorns to plant, and in the South, try laurel or live oak types. Other unique varieties exist throughout the U.S.—use the ones here as a starting point since you probably have endemic species that grow better in your ecoregion.

Sweetgum

Sweetgums are hardier than most other deciduous trees! They resist fire, drought, intense heat, and poor soils. In spring, they sprout flowers that morph into spiky seed capsules, or “gumballs.” They litter the floor in autumn and hurt if you step on them! Although many growers despise these trees, they’re native to eastern North America, and they’re immensely hardy.

Some cultivars exist now that remove sweetgums’ less-than-ideal characteristics. ‘Rotundiloba’ lacks spiky seed balls and turns brilliant red or golden yellow in fall. ‘Aurea’ and ‘Variegata’ have yellow-green leaves with variegation and make perfect specimen trees in open landscapes. Grow any sweetgum away from your house, as their shallow roots sometimes invade foundations. 

Kentucky Coffeetree

Make homegrown coffee by planting a Kentucky coffeetree! This deciduous shade tree originates in the eastern and central U.S. where it survives droughts, floods, and plenty of direct sunlight. If you have the space for a 60-foot or taller specimen, try Kentucky coffeetree. It’s also on the decline in wild spaces, so when you plant one in your landscape, you help bolster the species and promote biodiversity. 

Kentucky coffeetrees, like holly plants, have male and female types. Plant a male to avoid having seed pods to clean up, but plant the female if you don’t mind the pods and want to attract wildlife with their fragrant flowers. Female trees also form nuts you can roast, grind, and brew to make a coffee-like drink.

Catclaw Acacia

Desert gardeners rejoice at the sight of catclaw acacia—it’s native to southern states in desert ecoregions and thrives with intense heat, sunlight, and a lack of proper irrigation. Catclaw acacia stays small in maturity, reaching no taller than 18 feet. Acacia-like foliage sprouts of thorny twigs that hurt if you touch them; wear gloves while pruning or handling this tree to stay safe.

Gardeners within zones 9 and 10 in North American deserts can use this native species as a border, backdrop, or to fill in space in the landscape. Water it if you’d like it to grow extra this year. Otherwise, let it thrive off of natural rainfall. When happy, it’ll sprout creamy yellow flowers in spring that attract native pollinators.

Mesquite

Like catclaw acacia, mesquite trees arm themselves with prickly thorns! These thorns protect the young saplings from hungry grazers, and they mean you’ll want to wear gloves while you prune or transplant. Mesquite trees love hot, dry climates throughout the South and Southwest. Give them well-draining soil and direct sunlight, and they’ll grant you green-white fragrant flowers that morph into seed pods.

Mesquites are very drought-tolerant trees that survive desert conditions alongside other species like saguaros and catclaw acacia. They bolster biodiversity in their natural range by providing valuable seed pods, pollen and nectar-rich flowers, and habitat for small mammals and birds. However, they will grow aggressively in some areas, even in their native range. If you live in the ever-disappearing prairie, opt for a native prairie grass or forb instead.

These desert growers are immensely drought-tolerant once they establish themselves but may need additional irrigation their first year in your landscape. Water them when their soil dries, then cut back all extra water their second year unless rainfall is lower than normal.

Redbud

Everyone must witness a redbud bloom at least once—these deciduous trees sprout purple-pink flower clusters on bare twigs and branches from late winter through early spring. They provide valuable nectar and pollen to hungry pollinators early in the growing season.

Two valuable redbuds originate on the continent, the American redbud Cercis canadensis and western redbud C. occidentalis. The American redbud loves growing from zones 4 through 9, while the western one is cold hardy down to zone 6. 

Try American redbud in the eastern regions and the western one along the West Coast. Other cultivars of these two species exist with special attributes; ‘Ruby Falls’ is a drooping, cascading variety with a gorgeous fall color, while ‘Forest Pansy’ sprouts red new sprouts while mature leaves are green. Look to your local nursery to see what redbuds are new and popular!

Thornless Honeylocust

Honeylocusts are stellar trees, but they have prickly thorns like mesquite and catclaw acacia. Thornless honeylocust takes the graceful elements of normal honeylocusts, but they lack the thorny stems that make pruning, transplanting, and spring cleanup dangerous tasks! This native species may reach well over 60 feet, so grow it where it has space to spread up and out.

Another naturally occurring honeylocust hybrid that lacks spines is the Texas honeylocust Gleditsia x texana. Try either in southern ecoregions with warm, dry growing seasons. Texas honeylocusts may need more water than the thornless ones in maturity, but they’re drought-resistant once they root in your garden. Texas honeylocust is one of those trees that will proliferate aggressively on prairie land. Instead of planting one of these, opt for grasses and forbs.

Chinese Pistache

Chinese pistache is a common street tree because it grows despite harsh conditions found in urban environments. They’re drought, pollution, and heat resistant, with strong roots that anchor onto loose soils. If most other trees tucker out and die, Chinese pistache may be the next option for you to try. But if you’re in Texas, opt for a native soapberry, as Chinese pistache is invasive there.

This species offers four seasons of interest, with red fall color, peeling bark in the winter, flowers in spring, and red berries with green leaves in summer. Birds love the berries, and some pollinators appreciate the nectar their flowers offer. Grow Chinese pistache alongside other sun-loving trees, as a specimen, or near an entryway for seasonal shade.

Staghorn Sumac

Sumacs are lovely trees or thicket-forming shrubs, depending on how you train them. Staghorn sumac forms a medium tree if you pull its suckers annually. Leave a central trunk and it’ll form a dense crown up to 25 feet tall. The green leaves turn red in fall, and flowers bloom into bright red clusters of berries in late spring. 

Staghorn sumac spreads naturally throughout the eastern U.S., although it’ll also grow in other states from zones 3 through 9. Ensure they get lots of sunlight, good draining soil, and some water their first year. They’ll thrive with little care or maintenance, save for plucking suckers as you see them. 

Omeo Eucalyptus

Omeo eucalyptus, or Omeo gum, tolerates drought and hard frosts! It’s one of the hardiest eucalyptus species alive, tolerating temperatures as low as 0°F, with some reports of it surviving in zone 5. It’s an evergreen tree with fragrant leaves you can use in your shower or bathroom for a relaxing aroma. 

Native to Australia, Omeo eucalyptus grows on rocky crags and cliffs near streams. It appreciates some moisture but is drought-resistant as an adult after its first year. For a smaller specimen, grow this tree in a large container with lots of free-draining soil. Transplant it into a larger pot every three to five years as it reaches up and out. 

This eucalyptus is a stately tree in the landscape. It needs well-draining soil but appreciates some organic matter. Give it a layer of compost or mulch each year to help it survive droughts, freezes, and excess water. Omeo gum is susceptible to root rot in wet soils, so start it off right by incorporating compost, sand, or an amendment like perlite at planting.

Fringetree

Fringetree is so ornamental it’s a common landscaping tree throughout North America. It’s a medium deciduous tree with bright green leaves that turn sunflower yellow in fall. In spring, white fringe flowers emerge below freshly sprouting leaves on all the branches. 

Fringetree makes a statement wherever it grows, and it attracts pollinators and wildlife. It originates in the eastern and central regions of the U.S. but thrives in many ecoregions outside its native range from zones 3 through 9. This North American species tolerates clay soils and long periods of low rainfall, making it an ideal drought-tolerant tree.

Fringetrees naturally create multi-stem structures over time, with many branches extending from their root zone. Prune extraneous sprouts if you want a single-trunk tree, or let them grow for a more natural multi-stem structure.

Crepe Myrtle

Crepe myrtles are a favorite flowering tree worldwide, and for good reason! They bloom giant flower panicles of many hues, from purple, pink, red, white, and deep velvet. Some have dark green almost black leaves that contrast beautifully with red flowers. Crepe myrtles originate in China, the Philippines, and Nepal but are common throughout eastern, southern, and western U.S landscapes.

Dozens of crepe myrtle cultivars exist with various attributes, and there are plenty of options for us gardeners. ‘Tuscarora’ sprouts bright pink clusters with lush green foliage, and ‘Natchez’ has pure white flowers. ‘Dallas Red’ is red, as the name suggests, but is also more cold-hardy than most others. 

Crepe myrtles need well-draining soil, full sun conditions, and some water their first year to establish themselves. Water them when the soil dries from spring through fall, then cut back on irrigation when they lose their leaves and enter dormancy in winter.

Jacaranda

If you live in California, you know to appreciate a jacaranda tree. Although this variety originates in Argentina and Bolivia, it’s a common street and landscaping species for California and Florida gardeners. Grow it for its dry soil tolerance, low water needs, and easy maintenance.

A jacaranda blooms hundreds of purple flowers in bunches throughout its canopy—they morph into seed pods with seeds inside. Start the seeds for new saplings, or let the squirrels and birds get to them. The leaves are sometimes evergreen, although they typically fall to the ground in fall or winter. The purple flowers emerge on bare branches and twigs after leaf drop, making a spectacular show for anyone walking by.

Although jacarandas appreciate moist soils, they tolerate the dry ground that is common throughout Southern California. Water them while they put down roots their first few years, then cut back to once a month or more if needed during the growing season. Mature trees may not need any additional irrigation, especially in coastal regions.

Olive

Olive trees are the same species that give us olive oil, green and black canned olives, and delicious kalamata olives. They originate in Mediterranean regions from Europe to Africa and China. Olives spread on slopes, hillsides, and valleys, gracing landscapes with their gray-green foliage and black fruits.

These fruiting trees, especially the species type Olea europaea, may prove invasive in warm winter regions. They’re extremely tolerant of droughts, though, and so breeders now have types that lack flowers or fruit and aren’t invasive. Try ‘Wilsoni’ for no flowers or fruit, or ‘Bonita’ for a few small fruits. If you’re growing olives for fruit, you’ll need two trees so they can cross-pollinate.