5 Container Plants That (Almost) Never Need Watering – These Gorgeous Drought-Proof Picks Will Thrive All Summer

Isn’t it glorious to slug down a glass of cold water or lemonade on a hot day? Plants may get the same thrill when their roots uptake water from the soil in warm weather. But even if they don’t get excited, extracting water from the soil is necessary to keep them alive and healthy.

When it comes to container gardening, the amount of water a plant can uptake is limited since the soil is limited. Water-hungry plants in small containers might need irrigation every day to keep that soil moist enough to meet the plant’s needs.

That’s why your best bet for containers is to use drought-tolerant plants.

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5 Drought-Resistant Container Plants

Drought-tolerant container plants are the patio favorites that will keep looking great in the summer even if they aren’t watered frequently. Pair these tough plants with containers you already own or with a gorgeous new planter from Terrain (I am obsessed with their rustic earthenware pots!) These plants can be left on their own to dry a little longer.

Here are five great container plants that (almost) never need watering.

1. Cushion Spurge

If you live in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8, you can enjoy a drought-tolerant perennial by the name of cushion spurge. It blooms spring through mid-summer, offering dense yellow blossoms with yellow or chartreuse bracts that contrast nicely with the bright green foliage. In fall, the leaves become the color show as they turn fiery shades.

Cushion spurge is a fairly large plant that can grow to 18 inches (45.72 cm) tall and wide in a large container on the deck. The herbaceous perennial has a mounding growth habit, growing into a dome-shaped mound (like a cushion!)

Site cushion spurge in a location with sun (either full sun or partial sun) and well-draining soil. If your summers are hot, put it somewhere it won’t get direct sun in the afternoon. It is known for its drought tolerance. You can find cushion spurge seeds from Sow Beautiful Seeds nursery on Etsy.

2. Hen and Chicks

Nope, “hens and chicks” is not a plant exclusively for barnyards. I have lots of these terrific succulents in pots on my back patio in San Francisco. To say they are drought tolerant is an understatement. I may actually water them once or twice a month and they look happy as can be. They are said to be hardy in USDA zones 3-8, but San Francisco is zone 10 and the hen and chick plants just never stop.

These succulents have a large central rosette of leaves, and gathered around it are smaller rosette offsets. It looks for all the world like a hen surrounded by her chicks. Like most succulents, a hen and chicks plant stores water in its thick leaves and can go a very long time without irrigation. If it rains every two weeks, you can skip watering altogether. Sometimes these plants produce small star-shaped flowers in bright colors. Find a 6-pack of of hens and chicks from Lowe's.

3. Blackfoot Daisies

Here’s a tip for selecting drought-tolerant container plants: pick perennials native to the southwest. Blackfoot daisy is one such and, despite its pretty flowers, it is a tough cookie. A friend told me it’s the plant least likely to die due to dry conditions. In the wild, these “daisies” usually grow in arid soil made largely of decomposed granite.

Some drought-tolerant container plants can’t take direct sun. Blackfoot daisies love a full sun location, and they form a mound of foliage topped by white daisy-like flowers with butter yellow centers. Hardy in USDA zones 4 - 11, these great container plants bloom all season long until the first frosts. Live in a region that doesn’t have cold winters? You may see daisies in winter too. You can purchase Blackfoot daisy seeds from Texas Native Seeds on Etsy.

4. Lavender

Few perennials are easier or more beautiful in a container on the patio than lavender, that queen of hers from the Mediterranean region. This aromatic perennial prefers sunny, dry conditions, rewarding a gardener with its charming silvery-green foliage and purple blooms. Yes, lavender thrives in containers in a full sun location, yet requires very little water once established.

Known for its drought tolerance, lavender thrives in hot climates and adds charm and color to any backyard space. Don’t even think of watering English lavender until the soil is completely dry a solid inch into the soil. Be sure to plant in a container with drain holes and use soil that drains well too. It thrives in USDA zones 5-10. Get an established 2-gallon 'Hidcote' lavender plant from Fast Growing Trees delivered right to your door.

5. Catmint

Like English lavender, catmint is a perennial ornamental herb and extremely low-maintenance. It charms with its aromatic foliage and soft blue flowers, while winning gardeners’ hearts by thriving in dry conditions and offering no objection to minimal watering. Catmint is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 5-8.

If you’ve never grown catmint, you’re in for a treat. The tough plant grows rapidly, filling your container with an abundance of green foliage plus lots of small, fragrant blooms. They may be small, but they attract beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies. Catmint plants have a growth habit that can only be called “sprawling”. This works well in a container, since, as it spreads, it cascades over the sides. Catmint seeds from Seed Needs on Amazon are easy to grow (and your cat will like it, too)!