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Here in Southern California we have been in a drought for the past several years, and even in a good year we do not get much rain. If you own a home in a drought prone area an easy way to reduce your consumption is to replace water hogging plants with plants that are healthy and look beautiful with little water. These plants should do well over most of the Southwest, but might not work in areas that get any more than a very light frost or significant rainfall. 1. Ice Plant (Carpobrotus edulis) is an amazing groundcover that you see all over Southern California. While many take this plant for granted it is excellent at growing in the toughest areas such as hillsides that get no irrigation in the summer. The plants have either a pink or yellow flower, so be sure to get a plant with the color flower you like. While you can buy flats of this plant it makes more sense to start your own patch from cuttings that you can probably get from a neighbor. 2. Red Apple (Aptenia cordifolia) is another amazing groundcover prevelant in Southern California. It has a smaller leaf than iceplant, and covers more thickly. Red apple will have small pinkish red flowers year round, which is where it gets it's name. Note that the flowers will attract bees, so you might not want to plant this where you would need to often walk through it. Once established these plants should survive with little irrigation. As with ice plant, this is an excellent choice to start from cuttings. 3. Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia) are a family of beautiful clumping plants with a distinctive tropical looking yellow orange or blue flower. The smaller varieties have the yellow orange, while the larger varieties have the blue. Once established these plants should survive with little irrigation. Propogate by dividing these plants which is some work (they do form a very dense clump) or by purchasig a small plant at a garden center. 4. Gazania (Gazania) are a family of spreading daisy like plants. This is a beautiful ground cover, but is not quite as tough as Ice Plant or Red Apple. To look healthy throughout the summer they will need some irrigation. The flowers come in a varitey of yellows, reds, white or purple. Propogate by dividing existing plants, from seed, or purchase a small plant at a garden center and watch it spread. 5. Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos) are a few beautiful clumping plants with distinctive red or yellow flowers. The flowers have a slightly fuzzy appearance, giving them the name Kangaroo Paw. To look healthy throughout the summer they will need some irrigation. The habit is reminiscent of hemerocalis, and you can either propogate this plant by division or purchase a small plant from a garden center. Here are my gardening resources for California. Most nurseries and garden centers on this list would carry these magnificent five plants.
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