Want trees that can last even in dry climates? Below are good selections to help you choose the best one for your application. Planting instructions and thorough descriptions of each drought tolerant tree are given.
Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L. (Hercules’ club, Toothache)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Rosidae –
Order Sapindales –
Family Rutaceae – Rue family
Genus Zanthoxylum L. – pricklyash
Species Zanthoxylum clava-herculis L. – Hercules’ club
This drought tolerant tree gets up to 15-30 feet tall and prefers sun or partial shade. It has yellow or white flowers in mid spring. Drought tolerant, it does like moist soil for better growth. It is called “toothache” because if you chew the bark or leaves it will make your mouth go numb. BEWARE: There are spines or sharp edges on this plant.
Sabal palmetto (Walt.) Lodd. ex J.A. & J.H. Schultes (Cabbage Palmetto)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass Arecidae –
Order Arecales –
Family Arecaceae – Palm family
Genus Sabal Adans. – palmetto
Species Sabal palmetto (Walt.) Lodd. ex J.A. & J.H. Schultes – cabbage palmetto
This palm tree gets up to 30-40 feet tall with a spacing of 12-15 feet. It prefers sun or partial shade and has adapatable soil needs. There are white blooms in late spring and is a spineless evergreen. There are fan shaped fronds and an unbranching trunk. It tolerates both drought and salt.
Rhus copallinum L. (Flameleaf Sumac)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Rosidae –
Order Sapindales –
Family Anacardiaceae – Sumac family
Genus Rhus L. – sumac
Species Rhus copallinum L. – flameleaf sumac
This small tree can get to 15-20 feet tall but is usually around 6 feet with a 12-15 feet spread zone. It prefers sun to partial shade and acidic soil. Pale yellow flowers come in late summer to mid fall. It is also drought tolerant. There is no dense shade so you can plant flowers under this tree. There is brilliant red fall color. It can be invasive at times. To propagate it you can divide the rhizomes. BEWARE: It can be a skin irritant.
Quercus shumardii Buckl. (Shumard’s Oak)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Hamamelidae –
Order Fagales –
Family Fagaceae – Beech family
Genus Quercus L. – oak
Species Quercus shumardii Buckl. – Shumard’s oak
This tree gets up to 60-90 feet tall and prefers full sun with acidic soil. There are inconspicuous brown flowers in summer and acorns for fruits. There is good red/orange color in fall.This oak performs fine in poor soils and is drought tolerant. It’s a pretty fast grower.
Quercus sinuata var. sinuata (Bastard Oak)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Hamamelidae –
Order Fagales –
Family Fagaceae – Beech family
Genus Quercus L. – oak
Species Quercus sinuata Walt. – bastard oak
Variety Quercus sinuata Walt. var. sinuata – bastard oak
This tree gets up to 50-90 feet tall and 60 feet wide. It prefers full sun and rich moist acidic soil. There is deciduous foliage on this oak and it is both heat and drought tolerant. Acorns will appear for a wildlife food source.
Quercus stellata Wangenh. (Post Oak)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Hamamelidae –
Order Fagales –
Family Fagaceae – Beech family
Genus Quercus L. – oak
Species Quercus stellata Wangenh. – post oak
This oak is a slow grower that gets up to 40-50 feet tall. It prefers full sun and soil type is unimportant, although best conditions call for sandy dry well-drained soil. There is a 4-8 inch leaf and non-showy golden brown flowers. It is a good shade tree, with variable fall color and drought tolerance. This oak is a bit more susceptible to disease than others.
Quercus laevis Walt. (Turkey Oak)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Hamamelidae –
Order Fagales –
Family Fagaceae – Beech family
Genus Quercus L. – oak
Species Quercus laevis Walt. – turkey oak
An oak that gets up to 20-30 feet tall, Quercus laevis has an irregular crown and thick rough bark. This is a taproot tree that is hard to transplant. Its leaves look like a turkey foot, hence the name. Drought tolerant with a good red fall color, it will have creamy flowers in early spring. This oak provides good shelter and food for wildlife.
