Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot — 6–12 in tall, and flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Illinois · Zones 5–7
Drought-Tolerant Native Plants in Illinois
Deep-rooted native plants that shrug off heat and dry spells and rarely need watering once they are established. For Illinois, the right natives are shaped by Central Tallgrass Prairie and a humid continental climate. Every species below, from Pasque Flower and Aromatic Aster to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Illinois and the wider flora of the Midwest and hardy through zones 5–7. 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
38 native species for Illinois
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Built for heat and dry spells — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot; it stands 1.5–2.5 ft tall and blooms Sep through Nov.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — happiest in poor, gritty rocky soil where richer plants rot, reaching 2–4 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Drought-tough once established — thriving in the lean, fast-draining rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants; it stands 2–4 ft tall and blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Drought-tough once established — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot; it stands 2–4 ft tall and flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — right at home in dry rocky ground where most perennials struggle — 2–4 ft tall, and flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
Drought-tough once established — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants; it stands 1–2 ft tall and blooms May through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle; it stands 1.5–2.5 ft tall and blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Built for heat and dry spells — right at home in dry sand ground where most perennials struggle — 1.5–3 ft tall, and blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
Drought-tough once established — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 1–2.5 ft tall, and blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — standing firm in the dry clay that defeats softer plants; it stands 2–3 ft tall and blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — thriving in the lean, fast-draining rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 3–5 ft tall and it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Built for heat and dry spells — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants; it stands 1.5–2 ft tall and blooms May through Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
Built for heat and dry spells — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot, reaching 6–16 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Built for heat and dry spells — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle; it stands 2–4 ft tall and blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
Built for heat and dry spells — rooting into sharp-drained sand soil and shrugging off dry spells — 5–8 ft tall, and blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Built for heat and dry spells — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 1.5–3 ft tall, and blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 1.5–2.5 ft tall, and flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 2–3.5 ft tall and it blooms May through Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Blue Grama
Bouteloua gracilis
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle, reaching 8–20 in tall and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 8–20 in
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Showy Milkweed
Asclepias speciosa
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — right at home in dry sand ground where most perennials struggle — 2–4 ft tall, and flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — rooting into sharp-drained sand soil and shrugging off dry spells — 3–5 ft tall, and flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — happiest in poor, gritty rocky soil where richer plants rot, reaching 30–50 ft tall and it flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Purple Prairie Clover
Dalea purpurea
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 1–3 ft tall, and flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
14 more also qualify: Stiff Goldenrod, Creeping Phlox, Rattlesnake Master, Bearberry, Ninebark, Compass Plant, Wild Lupine, Fragrant Sumac, Pennsylvania Sedge, Little Bluestem, Switchgrass, Indian Grass, Prairie Dropseed, Big Bluestem.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Illinois
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.