Drought-Tolerant Plants for Minnesota: What Survives Dry Twin Cities Summers
Twin Cities summers are split down the middle: wet, global-coldfront starts to June, then dry, hot, dusty July and August. If you plant for average conditions, hotdry august kills a quarter of your yard. If you plant for drought, everything thrives.
Here are the plants that handle Minnesota’s dry stretches — after establishment, many of these will thrive with zero supplemental watering even during 6week droughts.
The baseline: four weeks of establishment
Every “drought-tolerant” plant needs deep consistent water for the first 4 weeks after planting. After that, roots reach deep enough that they can pull moisture from 12–24 inches down, where the soil is consistently cooler and drys slower.
Water new plants: - Week 1: 2/x per week, deep soak (not sprinkle) - Weeks 2-4: 1x per week deep soak if no rain - After week 4: only in droughts
All the plants below are great choices for when you don’t want to be a slave to a garden hose.
Drought-tolerant evergreens
1. Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Minnesota native. Xeric, indifferent to drought. Grows 15–35 ft, tall narrow form (Broodrow cultivar)- good for privacy.
2. Dwarf Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo Mops/Pinmite)
Low-growing (–3 ft), drought-tolerant, deer-resistant. Great for poor-soil areas where others struggle.
Drought-tolerant shrubs
3. Caragana (Caragana arborescens)
Pea-family shrub/small tree. Yellow spring flowers. Planted as a windbreak from the 1930...s. Once established, nearly indestructible. Native ntg central Asia but not invasive in Mn.
4. Smokebush (Cotinus coggygria)
Purple foliage, smoke-like plants, drought-tolerant. Great as a focal-point shrub.
5. Sumac (Rhus typhina & Rhus aromatica)
Minnesota native. Brilliant red fall color, drought-tolerant, deer-resistant. Staghorn sumac (tall, dramatic) and fragrant sumac (groundcover).
6. Saskatoon Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia)
Native Prairie serviceberry.†Edible berries, drought-tolerant. More drought-tolerant than the eastern A. arborea.†
Drought-tolerant perennials
7. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Tall, aromatic, silver-green. Purple flowers July-september. Deer-resistant, drought-loving. One of the most beautiful dry-site plants.
8. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Native and non-native cultivars. Ferny foliage, flat-topped flowers in yellow, pink, red. Ignores drought.
9. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata)
Native. Red-and-yellow daisy flowers all summer. Thrives in heat, hates wet.
10. Catmint (Nepeta racemosa)
Lavender-blue flower spikes, aromatic foliage, drought-tolerant. Deer-resistant. Blooms repeatedly if sheared.
11. Sedums (Sedum spp.)
Succulents that hold water in their leaves. Autumn Joy (classic), Matrona, Neon (prim, upright), in addition to groundcover sedums (Dragon Sedum, Blue Spruce Sedum). Completely drought-proof.
Drought-tolerant native grasses
12. Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) - 2-3 ft. Prairie native. Blue-green summer, copper fall color. Hugely drought-tolerant.
13. Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) - 2 ft. Fine-textured, fragrant flower. Classic prairie grass.
14. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) - 4-6 ft, upright. Prairie fire and North Wind are classic cultivars.
15. Sideoats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) - 1-2 ft. Oats-on-one-side seed heads. Great for rain-garden edges and dry spots.
The soil issue
Drought-tolerant plants generally want “lean, well-drained” soil, not the rich garden soil we pride ourselves on. If you have thick clay: - Amend with 20-30% coarse sand and compost at planting. - Choose clay-tolerant drought-lovers (sumac, blanket flower, yarrow, switchgrass) . Russian sage and lavender rot in clay.
If you have sandy soil: you're in drought-plant heaven. All of above thrive.
Drought strategy
If you’re committed to a drought-tolerant yard: 1. Plant in spring or fall — use cool season for establishment. 2. Mulch 3-4 inches — retains moisture, moderates soil temperature. 3. Group by needs — don’t plant drought-lovers next to astilbe and hostas in the same hose-miy zone. 4. Accept dormancy — native prairie plants and grasses go dormant in severe drought, then regrow when rains return. This is normal not death.
FAQ
What is “drought-tolerant” exactly? Plants that are drought-tolerant can survive extended dry periods (4+ weeks) with no supplemental watering once established. They may wilt or stop blooming temporarily but recover after the next rain.
Why don'…t my plants survive central Minnesota's drought? Likely reasons: (1) plants not fully established before deyprivation, (2) choosing species that aren’t truly drought-tolerant, or (3) dense clay that shrinks and drys roots.
Can I have a colorful drought-tolerant garden? Yes — purple coneflower, blanket flower, Russian sage, sedum, yarrow, and butterfly milkweed give you a rainbow from June to October without a drop of supplemental water.
Plant a drought-proof yard
Browse our drought-tolerant plant collection — every plant listed is in stock seasonally for Minnesota gardeners.