Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Built for heat and dry spells — rooting into sharp-drained rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells, reaching 2–4 ft tall and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Maryland · Zones 6–8
Drought-Tolerant Native Plants in Maryland
Deep-rooted native plants that shrug off heat and dry spells and rarely need watering once they are established. Every species here is genuinely native to Maryland and the wider flora of the Mid-Atlantic and hardy through zones 6–8 — proven performers for Maryland's humid, four-season climate across Piedmont & Chesapeake Coastal Plain, not a generic list. Local standouts include Foxglove Beardtongue and American Beautyberry. 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
30 native species for Maryland
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–8 · see this collection in other states.
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — right at home in dry sand ground where most perennials struggle — 4–7 ft tall, and flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Built for heat and dry spells — 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
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Built for heat and dry spells — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle, reaching 1.5–2 ft tall and it blooms May through Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
Built for heat and dry spells — holding up in dry clay where other perennials wilt, reaching 25–50 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 25–50 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — happiest in poor, gritty sand soil where richer plants rot, reaching 1.5–3 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Turk's Cap
Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — right at home in dry rocky ground where most perennials struggle — 2–5 ft tall, and blooms May through Oct.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 2–5 ft
- Blooms May–Oct
Prairie Blazing Star
Liatris pycnostachya
Drought-tough once established — right at home in dry rocky ground where most perennials struggle, reaching 3–5 ft tall and it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Built for heat and dry spells — right at home in dry rocky ground where most perennials struggle — 2–4 ft tall, and blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — 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
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot — 1.5–2.5 ft tall, and blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — 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
Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 2–3 ft tall and it flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — right at home in dry sand and rocky ground where most perennials struggle — 1.5–3 ft tall, and blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand and rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 2–4 ft tall and it flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — thriving in the lean, fast-draining rocky soil that defeats thirstier plants — 5–10 ft tall, and flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Unfazed by drought once its roots are down — happiest in poor, gritty rocky soil where richer plants rot — 30–50 ft tall, and flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — happiest in poor, gritty sand and rocky soil where richer plants rot, reaching 4–8 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Drought-tough once established — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells; it stands 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
A water-wise pick for xeriscapes — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells, reaching 2–3.5 ft tall and it blooms May through Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Drought-tough once established — 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
Wild Lupine
Lupinus perennis
Deep-rooted and dry-adapted — rooting into sharp-drained sand and rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells, reaching 1–2 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Rattlesnake Master
Eryngium yuccifolium
Drought-tough once established — thriving in the lean, fast-draining sand soil that defeats thirstier plants, reaching 3–5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago rigida
Built for heat and dry spells — rooting into sharp-drained rocky soil and shrugging off dry spells; it stands 3–5 ft tall and blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
6 more also qualify: Prairie Dropseed, Pennsylvania Sedge, Switchgrass, Little Bluestem, Big Bluestem, Indian Grass.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Maryland
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.