Water Use Needs

This is a list of plants categorized by level of water usage.

Drought Tolerant

• Aeonium 'Sunburst'
  Copper Pinwheel

  • Drought Tolerant
• Agave ‘Victoriae Reginae’
  Queen Victoria’s Agave

  • Drought Tolerant
• Aloe plicatilis
  Fan Aloe

  • Drought Tolerant
• Aloe striata
  Coral Aloe

  • Drought Tolerant
• Anemanthele lessoniana (Stipa arundinacea)
  New Zealand Wind Grass; Pheasant's Tail Grass

  • Drought Tolerant
• Carex divulsa (formerly c. tumicola)
  Berkeley Sedge

  • Drought Tolerant
• Carex pansa
  California Meadow Sedge

  • Drought Tolerant
• Chionochloa flavicans Zotov
  Snow Tussock, Toetoe

  • Drought Tolerant
• Dudleya ‘Britonni’
  Chalk Dudleya

  • Drought Tolerant
• Echeveria ‘Afterglow’
  • Drought Tolerant
• Echeveria ‘Perle von Nuremberg’
  Hens and Chicks

  • Drought Tolerant
• Euphorbia characias wulfenii
  Spurge

  • Drought Tolerant
• Feijoa sellowiana
  Pineapple Guava

  • Drought Tolerant
• Muhlenbergia capillaris
  Pink Muhly Grass, Pink Hair Grass, Purple Muhly

  • Drought Tolerant
• Olea europaea
  Olive,’ Majestic Beauty’

  • Drought Tolerant
• Quercus suber
  Cork Oak

  • Drought Tolerant
• Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’
  Golden Japanese Sedum, Golden Makino Sedum

  • Drought Tolerant
• Sedum spurium ‘Tricolor’
  Tricolor Two Row Stonecrop

  • Drought Tolerant
• Senecio serpens
  Blue Chalk Sticks

  • Drought Tolerant
• Stipa ichu
  Peruvian Feather Grass

  • Drought Tolerant
• Stipa ramosissima
  Pillar of Smoke

  • Drought Tolerant
• Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’
  Adam’s Needle

  • Drought Tolerant
• Achillea 'Moonshine'
  Yarrow

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Achillea millefolium 'Rosea'
  Yarrow

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Alyogyne huegelii
  Blue Hibiscus

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Antirrhinum multiflorum 'Rose Snapdragon'
  Rose Snapdragon

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn'
  Howard McMinn Manzanita

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Arctostaphylos pajaroensis 'Paradise'
  Paradise Manzanita

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Artemisia 'Powis Castle'
  Wormwood

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri
  Sprengeri Asparagus Fern

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Ceanothus 'Concha'
  California Lilac 'Concha'

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Ceanothus 'Julia Phelps'
  Julia Phelps California Lilac

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Cercis occidentalis (Shrub)
  Western Redbud

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Cercis occidentalis (Tree)
  Western Redbud

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Cistus skanbergii
  Pink Rockrose

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Cuphea llavea
  Bat-faced Cuphea

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Cupressus sempervirens 'Stricta'
  Italian Cypress

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Dendromecon harfordii
  Island Bush Poppy

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Eriogonum grande rubescens
  Red Buckwheat

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Eschscholzia californica
  California Poppy

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Fremontodendron californicum 'Pacific Sunset'
  Pacific Sunset Flannel Bush

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Hemerocallis Varieties
  Daylily

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Heteromeles arbutifolia
  Toyon/Christmas Berry

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Ilex cornuta 'Carissa'
  Holly 'Carissa'

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Iris douglasiana
  Pacific Coast Iris

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Lagerstroemia indica
  Crape Myrtle

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Lantana camara
  Lantana

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Lavandula
  Lavender

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Lavatera maritima
  Lavatera/Tree Mallow

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Limonium sinuatum
  Statice/Sea Lavender

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Lupinus albifrons
  Silver Bush Lupine

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Mahonia repens
  Creeping Mahonia

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Mimulus aurantiacus
  Sticky Monkey Flower

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Monardella villosa 'Russian River'
  Coyote Mint

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Myrsine africana
  African Boxwood

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Nepeta racemosa 'Walkers Low'
  Catmint

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Nerium oleander
  Oleander

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Penstemon heterophyllus 'Margarita BOP'
  Blue Bedder/Foothills Penstemon

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Phlomis fruticosa
  Jerusalem Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Polypodium californicum
  California Ground Fern

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Rhamnus californica
  Ca. Coffee Berry

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Salvia apiana
  White Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Salvia clevelandii 'Winifred Gilman'
  Charparral Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Salvia leucantha
  Mexican Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Salvia sclarea
  Clary/Muscatel Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Salvia spathacea
  Hummingbird Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Zauschneria californica 'Bert's Bluff'
  California Fuchsia

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Arctostaphylos manzanita 'Dr. Hurd'
  Dr. Hurd Manzanita Tree

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
  • Moderate
• Schinus molle
  California Pepper Tree

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Moderate

Low

• Achillea 'Moonshine'
  Yarrow

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Achillea millefolium 'Rosea'
  Yarrow

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Alyogyne huegelii
  Blue Hibiscus

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Antirrhinum multiflorum 'Rose Snapdragon'
  Rose Snapdragon

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Howard McMinn'
  Howard McMinn Manzanita

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Arctostaphylos pajaroensis 'Paradise'
  Paradise Manzanita

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Artemisia 'Powis Castle'
  Wormwood

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri
  Sprengeri Asparagus Fern

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Ceanothus 'Concha'
  California Lilac 'Concha'

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Ceanothus 'Julia Phelps'
  Julia Phelps California Lilac

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Cercis occidentalis (Shrub)
  Western Redbud

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Cercis occidentalis (Tree)
  Western Redbud

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Cistus skanbergii
  Pink Rockrose

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Cuphea llavea
  Bat-faced Cuphea

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Cupressus sempervirens 'Stricta'
  Italian Cypress

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Dendromecon harfordii
  Island Bush Poppy

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Eriogonum grande rubescens
  Red Buckwheat

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Eschscholzia californica
  California Poppy

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Fremontodendron californicum 'Pacific Sunset'
  Pacific Sunset Flannel Bush

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Hemerocallis Varieties
  Daylily

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Heteromeles arbutifolia
  Toyon/Christmas Berry

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Ilex cornuta 'Carissa'
  Holly 'Carissa'

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Iris douglasiana
  Pacific Coast Iris

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Lagerstroemia indica
  Crape Myrtle

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Lantana camara
  Lantana

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Lavandula
  Lavender

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Lavatera maritima
  Lavatera/Tree Mallow

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Limonium sinuatum
  Statice/Sea Lavender

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Lupinus albifrons
  Silver Bush Lupine

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Mahonia repens
  Creeping Mahonia

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Mimulus aurantiacus
  Sticky Monkey Flower

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Monardella villosa 'Russian River'
  Coyote Mint

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Myrsine africana
  African Boxwood

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Nepeta racemosa 'Walkers Low'
  Catmint

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Nerium oleander
  Oleander

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Penstemon heterophyllus 'Margarita BOP'
  Blue Bedder/Foothills Penstemon

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Phlomis fruticosa
  Jerusalem Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Polypodium californicum
  California Ground Fern

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Rhamnus californica
  Ca. Coffee Berry

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Salvia apiana
  White Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Salvia clevelandii 'Winifred Gilman'
  Charparral Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Salvia leucantha
  Mexican Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Salvia sclarea
  Clary/Muscatel Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Salvia spathacea
  Hummingbird Sage

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Zauschneria californica 'Bert's Bluff'
  California Fuchsia

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
• Arctostaphylos manzanita 'Dr. Hurd'
  Dr. Hurd Manzanita Tree

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
  • Moderate
• Agastache 'Apricot Sunset'
  None

  • Low
• Agastache 'Blue Fortune'
  Anise Hyssop

  • Low
• Arctostaphylos densiflora 'Emerald Carpet'
  Emerald Carpet Manzanita

  • Low
• Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
  Bearberry

  • Low
• Arctotis stoechadifolia
  African Daisy

  • Low
• Asclepias tuberosa
  Butterfly Plant

  • Low
• Berberis thunbergii-atropurpurea 'Nana'
  Dwarf Japanese Barberry

  • Low
• Bougainvillea 'Rosenka'
  Rosenka Bougainvillea

  • Low
• Carpenteria californica
  Bush Anemone

  • Low
• Caryopteris x clandonensis
  Blue Spirea/Bluebeard

  • Low
• Ceanothus griseus horizontalis 'Yankee Point'
  Yankee Pt. California Lilac

  • Low
• Ceanothus griseus horizontalis (Carmel Creeper California Lilac)
  Carmel Creeper California Lilac

  • Low
• Choisya ternate
  Mexican Orange

  • Low
• Clivia miniata
  Kaffir Lily

  • Low
• Clytostoma callistegioides
  Lavender Trumpet Vine

  • Low
• Convolvulus cneorum
  Bush Morning Glory

  • Low
• Coreopsis grandiflora 'Early Sunrise'
  Tickseed

  • Low
• Correa 'Wyn's Wonder'
  Varigated Correa 'Wyn's Wonder'

  • Low
• Correa pulchella
  Pink Australian Fuschia

  • Low
• Cotinus coggygria
  Smoke Tree, ’Royal Purple’

  • Low
• Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'
  Royal Purple Smokebush

  • Low
• Dryopteris arguta
  Wood Fern

  • Low
• Gaura lindheimeri
  Wand Flower/ Butterfly Gaura

  • Low
• Geranium incanum
  Cranesbill Geranium

  • Low
• Geranium sanguineum
  Bloody Cranesbill

  • Low
• Hardenbergia comptoniana
  Lilac Vine

  • Low
• Hardenbergia violacea rosea
  Coral Pea Vine

  • Low
• Helleborus x hybridus
  Christmas/Lenten Rose

  • Low
• Hypericum moserianum
  St John's Wort/Gold Flower

  • Low
• Juniperus procumbens 'Nana'
  Dwarf Japanese Garden Juniper

  • Low
• Lantana montevidensis 'New Gold'
  New Gold Trailing Lantana

  • Low
• Microbiota decussata
  Siberian Carpet Cypress

  • Low
• Origanum rotundifolium 'Kent Beauty'
  Ornamental oregano

  • Low
• Perovskia atriplicifolia
  Russian Sage

  • Low
• Phormium 'Wings of Gold'
  New Zealand Flax

  • Low
• Picea pungens 'Glauca Globosa'
  Dwarf Colorado Blue Spruce

  • Low
• Pittosporum crassifolium 'Nana'
  Karo Pittosporum

  • Low
• Rhamnus alaternus 'Variegata'
  Varigated Italian Buckthorn

  • Low
• Ribes sanguineum glutinosum
  Pink - Flowered Current

  • Low
• Rosa banksiae
  Lady Banks Rose

  • Low
• Rosmarinus officinalis 'Huntington Carpet'
  Huntington Carpet Rosemary

  • Low
• Rubus calycinoides 'Emerald Carpet'
  Creeping Rasberry

  • Low
• Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'
  Black-Eyed Susan

  • Low
• Salvia greggii
  Autumn Sage

  • Low
• Salvia nemorosa 'May Night'
  Meadow Sage

  • Low
• Tagetes lemmonii
  Mexican Bush Marigold/Lemon scented marigold

  • Low
• Teucrium fruticans 'Azurea'
  Bush Germander 'Azurea'

  • Low
• Verbena tenuisecta 'Edith'
  Edith Verbenan

  • Low
• Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers'
  Myer's Asparagus Fern

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Carex Testacea
  Orange New Zealand Sedge

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Daphne odora 'Aureo-marginata'
  Winter Daphne

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Echinacea purpurea 'Big Sky Series'
  Coneflower

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Fragaria chiloensis
  Ornamental Strawberry

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Garrya elliptica 'James Roof'
  Coast Silk Tassel

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Gazania rigens 'Gold Sun'
  Creeping Gazania/Treasure Flower

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Juniperus sabina 'Arcadia'
  Arcadia Juniper

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Melinus nerviglumis or Rhynchelytrum nerviglume
  Ruby Grass

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Osteospermum 'Sparkler'
  African Daisy

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Prunus cerasifera
  Cherry Plum, Flowering Plum

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Rosa 'Cecile Brunner'
  Cecile Brunner Rose/Sweetheart Rose/Mignon

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Teucrium chamaedrys
  Wall Germander

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Thymus praecox arcticus
  Creeping Thyme

  • Low
  • Moderate

Moderate

• Arctostaphylos manzanita 'Dr. Hurd'
  Dr. Hurd Manzanita Tree

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Low
  • Moderate
• Schinus molle
  California Pepper Tree

  • Drought Tolerant
  • Moderate
• Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers'
  Myer's Asparagus Fern

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Carex Testacea
  Orange New Zealand Sedge

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Daphne odora 'Aureo-marginata'
  Winter Daphne

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Echinacea purpurea 'Big Sky Series'
  Coneflower

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Fragaria chiloensis
  Ornamental Strawberry

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Garrya elliptica 'James Roof'
  Coast Silk Tassel

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Gazania rigens 'Gold Sun'
  Creeping Gazania/Treasure Flower

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Juniperus sabina 'Arcadia'
  Arcadia Juniper

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Melinus nerviglumis or Rhynchelytrum nerviglume
  Ruby Grass

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Osteospermum 'Sparkler'
  African Daisy

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Prunus cerasifera
  Cherry Plum, Flowering Plum

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Rosa 'Cecile Brunner'
  Cecile Brunner Rose/Sweetheart Rose/Mignon

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Teucrium chamaedrys
  Wall Germander

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Thymus praecox arcticus
  Creeping Thyme

  • Low
  • Moderate
• Acer palmatum 'Crimson Queen'
  Crimson Queen Red Japanese Maple

  • Moderate
• Chondropetalum tectorum
  Cape Rush

  • Moderate
• Coleonema pulchrum 'Sunset Gold'
  Golden Breath of Heaven

  • Moderate
• Datura metel 'Belle Blanche'
  Devil's Trumpet

  • Moderate
• Leptospermum scoparium
  Tea Tree, ‘Ruby Glow’

  • Moderate
• Polystichum munitum
  Western Sward Fern

  • Moderate
• Polystichum setuosum
  Japanese Lace Fern

  • Moderate
• Pyrus calleryana
  Bradford Pear Tree

  • Moderate
• Stipa gigantea
  Giant Feather grass, Golden Oats

  • Moderate
• Vitex agnus-castus
  Lilac Chaste Tree

  • Moderate
• Wisteria sinensis
  Chinese wisteria

  • Moderate