Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — rooting into sharp-drained rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 2–4 ft tall, and blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Alabama · Zones 7–9
Drought-Tolerant Native Plants in Alabama
Deep-rooted native plants that shrug off heat and dry spells and rarely need watering once they are established. Alabama sits in a landscape of Gulf Coastal Plain & Cumberland Plateau, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its hot, humid subtropical character. The list below — led by Purple Coneflower and Black-Eyed Susan — is filtered to species genuinely native to Alabama and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 7–9. Drought-tough natives earn their reputation with deep roots, so the secret is patience: water them through the first season while those roots reach down, then taper off and let them fend for themselves. Plant in fall or early spring, give them sharp drainage and full sun, and resist the urge to coddle — overwatering kills more of these than any heat wave.
The plants
29 native species for Alabama
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 7–9 · see this collection in other states.
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand soil that defeats thirstier plants — 1.5–3 ft tall, and blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Drought-tough once established — right at home in dry rocky ground where most perennials struggle, reaching 2–4 ft tall and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants — 1.5–2.5 ft tall, and blooms Sep through Nov.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Built for heat and dry spells — rooting into sharp-drained rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells; it stands 2–4 ft tall and blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Built for heat and dry spells — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 1.5–2.5 ft tall, and blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Drought-tough once established — thriving in the lean, fast-draining rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 2–5 ft tall and it blooms May through Oct.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Drought-tough once established — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants — 2–4 ft tall, and flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot; it stands 2–3 ft tall and flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — happiest in poor, gritty sand soil where richer plants rot — 4–7 ft tall, and flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — holding up in dry clay where other perennials wilt — 25–50 ft tall, and flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 25–50 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants — 1.5–2 ft tall, and blooms May through Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Built for heat and dry spells — tough enough for hard, dry clay that bakes in summer, reaching 2–3 ft tall and it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants — 1.5–3 ft tall, and blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
Drought-tough once established — thriving in the lean, fast-draining rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants — 3–5 ft tall, and flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago rigida
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — happiest in poor, gritty rocky soil where richer plants rot; it stands 3–5 ft tall and blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot; it stands 4–8 in tall and flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Wild Lupine
Lupinus perennis
Built for heat and dry spells — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 1–2 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Built for heat and dry spells — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 2–6 ft tall, and flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Drought-tough once established — thriving in the lean, fast-draining rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants; it stands 30–50 ft tall and flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Built for heat and dry spells — thriving in the lean, fast-draining rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants; it stands 5–10 ft tall and flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 3–5 ft tall and it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Rattlesnake Master
Eryngium yuccifolium
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — right at home in dry sand ground where most perennials struggle; it stands 3–5 ft tall and blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
Built for heat and dry spells — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot — 2–3.5 ft tall, and blooms May through Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
5 more also qualify: Pennsylvania Sedge, Switchgrass, Indian Grass, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Alabama
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.