Drought-Tolerant Native Plants

These species handle the dry stretches of a Northeast summer without supplemental water once established — on a sunny slope, a strip along a driveway, a bed above a ledge, or anywhere a hose does not easily reach. "Once established" is the important qualifier. Even the toughest of these needs regular water through its first growing season while it builds the deep root system that later carries it through drought. Plan on watering through the first summer, then tapering off. Many of these plants are also poorly served by rich, moist soil and fertilizer, which pushes soft growth that flops and rots. Lean, sharply drained ground suits them better than a pampered bed.