Shade Plants
(July 2012)
Like a lot of people, I'm losing some plants this summer. You may know that here
in Maumelle, we're restricted to once-a-week watering. Even sneaking around my back
yard with my hose isn't doing the job! You mentioned in your column today that hydrangeas
are not drought-tolerant. I have one that's in a bad spot that I think I'll just
take out after this year, so I know what you're talking about. My question is this:
Would it be possible for you to print a list of plants that are drought-tolerant in
an upcoming column? I've threatened to tear everything out and plant cacti next year
or maybe just rosemary and Black-eyed Susans, since that's all that's doing well in
my garden right now!
As mentioned above with the crape myrtles, even they are struggling with the heat!
Also, when planting even the most drought tolerant plants, the first growing season,
they will need water. I can’t imagine what my landscape would look like with once
a week watering—the soil is so incredibly rocky, and I am on a slope, so I feel for
you with water restrictions. Deep, excellent soil encourages deep roots, which makes
it easier to water less often. Some drought tolerant shrubs for sun include: abelia,
althea (rose of Sharon), forsythia, spirea, buddleia (butterfly bush), barberry, junipers,
beautyberry, nandina and ninebark. For shade, acuba, cleyera, and even camellias
once they are well established. Perennials include rosemary, thyme, lamb’s ear, butterfly
weed (milkweed), yarrow, gaura, rudbeckia (black eyed Susan), purple coneflower, liatris,
sedum and penstemon. Annuals include lantana, periwinkle, cleome (spider flower),
cockscomb, cosmos and portulaca. There are also a good number of succulents—plants
with thick fleshy leaves that are available from nurseries.
Can you tell me if I've killed my Mexican Heather? I pruned it back during the winter,
and now I see no signs of life whatsoever. Will it come back anyway this summer? Also,
can you recommend some good annuals for this area (LR) that can tolerate the extreme
hot/humid conditions we see here in the summer? I've found that most of the annuals
I can find at local discount stores are not really suitable for the Arkansas summers,
especially impatiens. I've never had any luck with them. It seems that when it starts
to get really hot, they die. I usually plant them on the north side of our house in
deep shade.
Mexican heather is really not a perennial in Arkansas. We have had some survive the
past two winters, but we haven't had much of a winter. I would consider it an annual,
and if you see signs of life in the spring, count yourself lucky. As to other heat
loving annuals, there are many. Melampodium, lantana, Mexican heather (as you know),
the new petunias, tithonia, Mexican zinnias, and begonias to name a few. Impatiens
normally do great in Arkansas, they tolerate heat fine, provided they get some water.
Other shade lovers include torenia and the wax leaf begonias, caladiums and coleus.
All links to external sites open in a new window. You may return to the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture web site by closing this window when you are finished. We do not guarantee the accuracy of the information, or the accessibility for people with disabilities listed at any external site.
Links to commercial sites are provided for information and convenience only. Inclusion of sites does not imply University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's approval of their product or service to the exclusion of others that may be similar, nor does it guarantee or warrant the standard of the products or service offered.
The mention of any commercial product in this web site does not imply its endorsement by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture over other products not named, nor does the omission imply that they are not satisfactory.
.