Skip to Content

Beat the Heat: 10 Drought-Proof Plants That Thrive in Texas Yards!

If you want to add beautiful color to your yard with minimal work, check out these options! (contains affiliate links)

Texas Sage

Image Credit: Florida Foliage Store

Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens)
Silvery foliage, purple flowers, and ultra heat-tolerant. It's practically the poster child for Texas landscaping. Needs little to no watering once established.

Autumn Sage

Image Credit: amazon

Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii)
Long-lasting color in red, pink, purple, and white. Attracts pollinators and survives harsh droughts.

Turk's Cap

Image Credit: Emerald Goddess Gardens

Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)
Shade-tolerant and blooms summer to fall. Great for wildlife and very low water needs once established.

Lantana

Image Credit: Florida Foliage

Lantana (Lantana camara or Lantana urticoides)
Hardy, colorful groundcover or small shrub. Blooms nonstop and tolerates heat like a champ.

Rock Rose

Image Credit: MARS Gardens

Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)
Texas native with hibiscus-like pink flowers. Thrives in rocky, dry soil with minimal care.

Red Yucca

Image Credit: Crape Myrtle Guy Store

Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)
Evergreen succulent with red-pink flower stalks. Super tough and great for architectural interest.

Gregg's Mistflower

Image Credit: MARS Gardens

Gregg’s Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii)
Soft purple blooms that butterflies love. Tolerates drought and comes back reliably every spring.

Esperanza

Image Credit: SVI Store

Esperanza (Tecoma stans)
Big, bright yellow flowers. Heat-lover that acts like a perennial in most parts of Texas (cut back after frost).

Four-Nerve Daisy

Image Credit: MARS Gardens

Four-Nerve Daisy (Tetraneuris scaposa)
Low-growing, sunny-yellow blooms nearly year-round. Native and thrives in poor, dry soils.

Mealy Blue Sage

Image Credit: Seed Therapy

Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea)
Tough perennial with spiky blue-purple flowers. Perfect for pollinator gardens and drought-prone spots.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Family lifestyle blogger from
Tyler, TX
. For more information, check out my Media Kit and Disclosure.