Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — right at home in dry sand ground where most perennials struggle — 5–8 ft tall, and blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Kansas · Zones 5–7
Drought-Tolerant Native Plants in Kansas
Deep-rooted native plants that shrug off heat and dry spells and rarely need watering once they are established. For Kansas, the right natives are shaped by Flint Hills & mixedgrass prairie and a continental, windy, semi-arid west climate. Every species below, from Maximilian Sunflower and Aromatic Aster to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Kansas and the wider flora of the Great Plains 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
33 native species for Kansas
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle — 1.5–2.5 ft tall, and blooms Sep through Nov.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot; it stands 1.5–2.5 ft tall and blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
Drought-tough once established — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells, reaching 1–2 ft tall and it blooms May through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms May–Sep
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Built for heat and dry spells — happiest in poor, gritty rocky soil where richer plants rot — 2–4 ft tall, and flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Prairie Smoke
Geum triflorum
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants; it stands 6–16 in tall and flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 6–16 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Blanketflower
Gaillardia aristata
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot; it stands 1–2.5 ft tall and blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — right at home in dry rocky ground where most perennials struggle; it stands 2–4 ft tall and blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — happiest in poor, gritty rocky soil where richer plants rot; it stands 3–5 ft tall and flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
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
Anise Hyssop
Agastache foeniculum
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle, reaching 2–4 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot, reaching 2–4 ft tall and it flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
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
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Built for heat and dry spells — thriving in the lean, fast-draining rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 2–4 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Pasque Flower
Pulsatilla patens
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle; it stands 6–12 in tall and flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle — 2–6 ft tall, and flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot, reaching 2–3.5 ft tall and it blooms May through Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Drought-tough once established — right at home in dry rocky ground where most perennials struggle — 30–50 ft tall, and flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Compass Plant
Silphium laciniatum
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — standing firm in the dry clay that defeats softer plants, reaching 5–9 ft tall and it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–9 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago rigida
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — rooting into sharp-drained rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells — 3–5 ft tall, and blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Rattlesnake Master
Eryngium yuccifolium
Built for heat and dry spells — happiest in poor, gritty sand soil where richer plants rot — 3–5 ft tall, and blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
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 flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Purple Prairie Clover
Dalea purpurea
Built for heat and dry spells — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells, reaching 1–3 ft tall and it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
9 more also qualify: Blue Grama, Ninebark, Common Milkweed, Showy Milkweed, Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, Switchgrass, Prairie Dropseed, Little Bluestem.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Kansas
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.