Are the plants in your garden looking a little crispy these days? Delaware has had a dry growing season, and the plants in our fields and gardens are likely to struggle without a helping hand. The hot summer months are some of the most stressful times a plant can endure. But there are several drought-tolerant plants that can keep your landscape looking good in the summer.
The New Castle County Master Gardeners’ display gardens feature a variety of native plants well suited for tolerating a drought. Here’s a look at some of them:
BUTTERFLY WEED: Asclepias tuberosa, commonly known as butterfly weed, is one plant that manages to maintain its color during periods of drought while also attracting hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden. Its flower colors can be red, orange and yellow.
YARROW: Another perennial plant capable of thriving during times of drought is Achillea millefolium, or common yarrow. Yarrow is an easily grown, attractive plant with multiple flower heads, and is available in many colors including pink, yellow and white.
CONEFLOWER: Echinacea purpurea, or purple coneflower, a perennial flowering plant, is another fine choice. The flowers are, as you might have guessed, a lovely purple and hold up well in the heat. As an added benefit, the plant is an excellent source of nectar for butterflies and seeds for birds.
SUMMERSWEET CLETHRA: Summersweet clethra, or Clethra alnifolia, is a shrub with dark-green foliage, contrasted well by the white flowers it produces in July and August. It also tolerates a variety of other environmental stresses, making it an excellent all-around choice.
BLUEBERRY: Another shrub that offers multiple seasons of interest is the blueberry. Both lowbush and highbush blueberry plants (Vaccinium angustifolium or Vaccinium corymbosum, respectively) thrive in well-drained soils, and tolerate drought well. The added benefit, of course, is the fruit they will provide for both you and the birds.
OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA: Hydrangea quercifolia is a shrub that holds up well in the heat and provides interest year-round. The leaves look similar to oak leaves and the flowers grow in pyramidal bunches, hanging on through the winter with a white to pinkish-white color. The exfoliating, cinnamon-colored bark also remains interesting throughout the year.
SWEETBAY MAGNOLIA: Magnolia virginiana, sometimes called sweetbay magnolia or swamp magnolia, is a wonderful tree for both its drought tolerance and ornamental characteristics. It has vibrant, dark-green foliage with a silvery-green underside, and it flowers creamy white flowers nonstop between late May and June, followed by an interesting red fruit.
If you have a well-established landscape with no space for new plantings, here are some tips to help insure your plants succeed during a drought:
– Consider installing a rain gauge to track natural rainfall. In general, plants need 1 inch of water per week during the growing season. Supplement only when necessary.
– Water deep and slowly, and at the base of the plant. This ensures that water penetrates the soil and keeps the plant’s foliage dry to help prevent disease.
– Water early in the morning. This keeps loss of water by evaporation down and helps conserve water (as well as save on your water bill).
– Mulch! Mulching helps the soil keep moisture in, and combats weeds that compete for water.
For more information, visit the demonstration gardens at , call the Cooperative Extension’s garden line at 302-831-8862, or visit https://ag.udel.edu/nccmg for workshop schedule announcements.
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