What perennials are the most drought-resistant?

I'm in Zone 4, I have mostly sunny exposure for plants and trees with little shade coverage for any other perennials. So, any suggestions? I do have and love the Yucca plant aka Adam's Needle...and they are reasonable if not cheap. Any others? I have a huge yard I need to landscape myself...

What perennials are the most drought-resistant?
...well, how dry is dry? I probably only water my perennial beds a few times in high summer and a lot of stuff does just fine. I live in Michigan which gets pretty decent rain most of the time so I don't worry about it much. Most people overwater their landscapes around here anyway and basically drown things. Watch and supplementally water them for a half season after planting to make sure you get a good root in and then it gets easier. Mother Nature doesn't rain for 20 minutes twice a day anywhere but Costa Rica.





I grow perennials for a living (I am in Zone 5) and some of the ones we have found to require minimal watering for good production include the following:





Russian Sage (Perovskia)


Lavender


Candytuft (Iberis)


Lamb's Ears (Stachys)


Woolly Thyme


Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium)


Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) these are the big ones: there is a nice variegated form also (Iris pallida)


Silver Mound (Artemisia)


Baby's Breath (Gypsophila)


Sea-Holly (Eryngium)


Sedum in many, many forms


Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum)





Most dry plants are those with waxy or furry leaves as those are the leaf structures that best resist evaporative water loss. Another good clue: leaves that are relatively small, or white or silver in appearance. Most of the conifers, like spruce, or pine, or junipers are really good in more dry areas too for that reason.





If it is only slightly wetter, one can easily grow Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea); Peonies, Nepetas, Balloonflowers (Platycodon); Stokesia, True Geraniums, Baptisia, Euphorbias, Salvia, Sisrynchium, and Dianthus. In shadier areas Hostas are surprisingly drought-tolerant, as is Lamium.





I think Panicum grass is pretty drought tolerant -- and cold hardy as far as ornamental grasses may be concerned. We do water them a lot though in the pot to get maximum growth. It is native to the U.S. prairie so I would think it would probably live fine in a dry spot in Zone 4. Check with a local garden center to see what is available in your area.





Happy planting!
Reply:Cacti for starters, but that's obvious. Daylilies are great. Sedum is good and comes in different colors; Coneflower; Lambs Ear; Daisies-just to name a few you would be familiar with. Try this website: http://muextension.missouri.edu/extensio...





Have fun gardening!
Reply:cone flowers and daisy's ( which include black eyed Susan's) do pretty good, i have a lot of varieties in my yard.,from white to pinks and blue
Reply:yes the yuccas are good try some '' corn plants' there also good