This list is a good representation of low-water consuming plants that are easily available. Please check with your local nursery for their suggestions about what is best suited to your area.
Flowering Plants
- Achillea (yarrow)
- Aloe
- Callistemon citrinus (lemon bottlebrush)
- Cassia artemisioides (feathery cassia)
- Centranthus Tuber (red valerian)
- Cistus (rockrose)
- Convolvulus cneorum (bush morning glory)
- Cortaderia selloana (pampas grass)
- Coreopsis verticillata
- Cotinus coggygria (smoke tree)
- Cytisus and spartium (broom)
- Echium fastuosum(pride of Madeira)
- Escallonia
- Eriogonum (buckwheat)
- Fremontodendrom (fremontia)
- Garrya elliptica
- Kniphofia uvaria (red-hot poker)
- Lantana
- Lavandula (lavender)
- Lemonium perezii (sea lavender)
- Nerium oleander (oleander)
- Ochna serrulata (Mickey Mouse plant)
- Pennisetum setaceum (fountain grass)
- Plumbago auriculatta (cape plumbago)
- Poinciana gilliesii (bird of paradise bush)
- Romneya coulteri (Matilija poppy)
- Satureja montana (winter savory)
- Teucrium fruticans (bush germander)
Foliage Plants
- Agave
- Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree)
- Artemisia (wormwood)
- Atriplex (saltbush)
- Centaurea gymnocarpa
- Dodonaea viscosa (hopseed bush)
- Elaeagnus
- Pittosporum (some species)
- Portulacaria afra (elephant’s food)
- Prunus lyoni, P. ilicifolia, P. caroliniana
- Rhamnus alaternus, R. crocea ilicifolia
- Rhus ovata (sugar bush)
- Senecio cineraria (dusty miller)
- Xylosma congestum
- Yucca
Trees
- Acacia (certain species)
- Casaurina (Beefwood)
- Cedrus deodara
- Certonia siliqua (carob)
- Cercis occidentalis (western redbud)
- Cercidium (palo verde)
- Cupressus glabra (Arizona cypress)
- Eriobotrya japonica (loquat)
- Eucalyptus
- Geijera parvifolia
- Hakea (tree types)
- Heteromeles arbutifolia (toyon)
- Juglans hindsii (California black walnut)
- Lyonothamnus floribundus asplenifolius (Catalina ironwood)
- Melaleuca linarifolia, M. styphelioides
- Olea europaea (olive)
- Palms
- Parkinsonia aculeata (Mexican palo verde)
- Pinus (pines)
- Pistacia chinensis (Chinese pistache)
- Quercus (oaks)
- Rhusiancea
- Robinia (locust)
- Schinus molle (California pepper)
- Sequoiadendron gigantrum (big tree)
- Tamarix apliylla (salt cedar)
Vines
- Bougainvillea
- Campsis (trumpet creeper)
- Solanum hartwegii (cup-of-gold vine)
- Solanum jasminoides (potato vine)
- Tecomaria capensis (cape honeysuckle)
- Vitis vinifera (wine grape)
- Wisteria
Ground Cover
- Baccharis pilularis (dwarf coyote brush)
- Gazania
- Hypericum calycinum (creeping St. Johnswort)
- Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary)
- Santolina chamaecyparissus
Many Forms
- Ceanothus
- Cotoneaster
- Grevillea
- Juniperus (juniper)