5 Drought Resistant Shrubs You Can Plant Right Now!

Even if you are lucky enough to live in a part of the country that isn't currently being affected by drought conditions, you still may want to find ways to conserve water. Rising utility costs make maintaining a water-intensive landscape prohibitively expensive for many homeowners. Planting drought-resistant shrubs is one way to reduce household water usage no matter what your reasons. Following are just five of the many shrubs that thrive on little water and are easily grown in most parts of the country. 

Mapleleaf Viburnum

Mapleleaf viburnum is an old-fashioned favorite that grows up to six feet tall, four feet wide, and provides pretty white clusters of flowers in summer followed by red berries and vibrant multicolored foliage in autumn. Plant them in a shady spot to ensure they'll thrive through summer's hottest days. 

Lewisia Cotyledon

Those who are looking for a small shrub for a rock garden or container that doesn't need much water should look no further than the gorgeous Lewisia cotyledon. Growing only about 12 inches high and 10 inches wide, it's a shoe-in for small spaces. As an added bonus, it's evergreen for year-round greenery. 

Russian Sage

Russian sage provides fragrant foliage, silvery stems, and small lavender flowers that bloom throughout the summer. It can grow up to four feet in height, although dwarf varieties are available for those with smaller outdoor spaces. As an added bonus, Russian sage is deer and rabbit resistant. Russian sage is also versatile, performing well at the backs of mixed borders, as a specimen plant, or massed together to form a hedge. 

Lantana

Lantana's bright blooms add vibrant notes to any landscape. It can grow up to six feet tall and four feet wide, and it's versatile enough so that it will perform well in containers -- its trailing habit makes it an excellent choice for filling hanging baskets. If you've got a hot spot in your yard with relentless sun, Lantana's the shrub for you. The flowers last all summer long and attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees, and it's deer and rabbit resistant. 

Heavenly Bamboo

Homeowners can count on Heavenly Bamboo to perform well even in hot and dry conditions. Growing up to six feet tall and five feet wide, this shrub features vibrant foliage all year round with delicate white flowers appearing in spring and bright red berries enhancing its branches during winter. Heavenly bamboo is an excellent choice for areas with full sun to those with partial shade. Contact a landscaping business for more information.