I don’t think there was a single gardener in Alabama in 2007 who did not have to deal with some type of watering restrictions—whether it was an outright ban on outside watering or restricting water use to specific days of the week. This year, a lot of the gardeners I have talked to are hopeful for more normal rainfall this summer, but they are not betting on it. Most of these folks are choosing more annuals that tolerate dryer conditions.
When Dr. Raymond Kessler visited with us on Backyard Wisdom recently, he said that as a general rule plants with small, leathery, grassy or succulent leaves as well as those with grey or hairy leaves will tolerate dryer conditions. He shared a number of his favorites that type of conditions.
Good drought tolerant annuals for Alabama include:
• Marguerite daisy
• Ornamental peppers
• Spiderflower (Cleome)
• Blanket flower (Gaillardia)
• Treasure flower (Gazania)
• Strawflower
• Medallion flower (Melampodium)
• Portulaca
• Purslane
• Mealy cup sage
• Dusty miller
• Verbena
• Creeping zinnia (Zinnia angustifolia)
• Mexican creeping zinnia (Sanvitalia procumbens)
• Zinnia—Profusion series (Zinnia elegans Profusion)