I've left out the obvious choices: Cactus and Agaves. Yes, we appreciate these guys and their hardiness, but sometimes you need a little color when everything is brown and crispy. My front yard is 100% sun. It bakes. So, it is truly survival of the fittest. Lantana and Salvia are obvious contenders, but even they are struggling to bloom this year. On this years honorable mention list are: Lantana, Salvia, Knockout Rose, and Crepe Myrtle.
So, drumroll please... My Top 5 Champions of the Drought 2011 are:
#5 Yellow Bells/Esperanza: Given just a little bit of water, the Yellow Bells will continue to provide showy blooms throughout the summer. I also love the bright green foliage of the Yellow Bells. Many desert plants tend to have minimal or muted foliage to conserve water in the heat, but the Yellow Bells have nice broad leaves and plenty of them. They are a wonderful choice for any landscape, as the cheery yellow looks beautiful against the reds, pinks, and purples of the Mexican Bush Sage, Plumbago, Knockout Rose, and next 4 Drought Champs.
#4 Firebush: The hardy Firebush seems to bloom even when weeds are keeling over in the heat. Once established, this plant is extremely drought and heat tolerant. My Firebush are struggling a tiny bit because they were planted in the summer of 2009 and since then we've had a drought, a wet and unusually cold winter, followed by a somewhat normal year, followed by a dry and unusually cold winter, followed by another drought. That's pretty tough for a new plant, but mine come back every year and continue to make a go at being permanent residents. However, I have clients with established Firebush in their landscapes that do wonderfully in these tough Texas summers.
#3 Flame Acanthus: These guys just grow and grow and grow. Even in the heat, when most plants are conserving under stress, my flame acanthus just continues to spread. It looks very similar to salvia, but with more slender and slightly pointed leaves. The tubular blooms are small and fiery red. It is extremely adaptable to most soil conditions and just seems to thrive no matter what you throw at it.
#2 Guara: These delicate beauties have understated foliage and pink or white blooms at the top of long stems that gently sway, top heavy, in the summer breeze. They will generally bloom from spring to fall. Group these in the garden for nice movement and a spot of subtle, yet vibrant, color.
#1 Pride of Barbados: This tropical plant and a member of the pea (!) family seems to do it's best when the going gets tough. It's brilliant red, orange, and yellow blooms are spectacular when just about everything else in our landscape has given up. I see these plants in full bloom in areas that clearly are not getting watered. Truly a champ, even this plant's species name, Caesalpinia pulcherrima, recognizes it's appeal, with pulcherrima meaning "very pretty". The P.O.B's foliage is very interesting and almost fern-like. In tropical climates, the Pride of Barbados will grow up to 15'-20' tall with the same measure in width. In our climate, however, it functions as a herbaceous perennial, returning in the late spring from roots. As of late, when I drive by one of these fellas in full bloom, I can't help but giving a small fist pump with a knowing nod. I try take some inspiration from the Pride of Barbados -- not just surviving, but thriving -- as I go from lawn to lawn in the brutal August heat.
