27 of the Best Xerophytes to Plant in a Water-Wise Garden

When you think about xerophytic or drought-adapted plants, you might immediately picture a saguaro cactus and other similar species, and you’re not wrong – but there are so many more, and a lot of them are colorful flowers, useful herbs, and beautiful trees.

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Even if you don’t live in an arid environment, you can still choose species that naturally conserve water, and do your part to protect precious and dwindling resources.

There’s no need to sacrifice aesthetics with so many choices available – I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Many of the different species included on our list can adapt to a range of climates, so you’re sure to find many new favorites for your landscape or garden.

Here’s a sneak peak of the more than two dozen options we’ll cover in our roundup, up ahead:

If you’re not sure where to start with planning a water-wise garden or landscape for your particular space, be sure to read our guide to designing with xerophytes.

There are so many potential species to choose from that we’d be here for ages if we listed all of them.

Instead, here are some of the best and most lovely plants that are known to make great additions to a xerophytic garden or landscape according to your hardiness zone.

If you’ve read our guide to growing and caring for agave, then you know what an amazing genus it is. Almost all agaves make perfect choices for the xerophytic garden, as they store water for long periods, and enjoy hot temperatures and lots of sunlight.

American agave, or Agave americana, makes a