Xeriscaping
On This Page!
- Zoning Your Garden
- Watering Your Xeriscape
- Plants for the Xeriscape Garden
What is Xeriscaping? Xeriscaping is all about water conservation. Xeriscaping is creating a lush landscape using plants which are appropriate for the area in which you live. This means foregoing those water needy hybrids and planting more native plants in your landscape. Xeriscaping is not "zeroscaping." Zeroscaping is using a lot of rock and a few sparse plants to create a low-water use garden. Xeriscapes, however, look lush and colorful while achieving the same low-water use goal.
Xeriscaping: Saves Water, Saves Time, and Saves Money!
In xeriscaping, plants are grouped into specific zones based upon the
water needs of the plants and the functions you want your yard to
serve. Zoning creates a water-efficient landscape that is both
beautiful and functional.
Zone 1: Arid - this zone features the most drought-tolerant vegetation. This zone is located away from the house.
Zone 2: Transition - this zone is used to blend lush areas with drier parts of the landscape. Plant low and moderate water use plants here which need watering once a week or less.
Zone 3: Mini-Oasis - this zone includes the highest water use plants and lawn. It includes shady areas and areas that receive rainfall runoff from roof lines and downspouts. Try to place this zone near your house.
Watering Your Xeriscape
Even the most drought-tolerant native plants need supplemental water during the first year or two to get established. Once established, reduce supplemental watering or eliminate it altogether. Drip irrigation is the perfect method for watering most shrubs, perennials and trees. Drip irrigation systems save water because they deliver slow, steady amounts of water directly to plant roots. As a result, drip systems cut down on evaporation, runoff and overspray. Drip systems can be professionally installed by most landscape contractors. For do-it-yourselfers, drip irrigation kits are available at hardware stores, home centers and nurseries.
Plants for the Xeriscape
Check with your local university extension service or a reputable garden center for the best low-water use plants for your area. The following is a listing of low-water use plants for the heartland.
Tall Trees (over 45')
Black Walnut
Bur Oak
Chinkapin Oak
Common Hackberry 'Prairie Pride'
Green Ash
Honeylocust 'Skyline'
Kentucky Coffee Tree
Sawtooth Oak
Bur Oak
Chinkapin Oak
Common Hackberry 'Prairie Pride'
Green Ash
Honeylocust 'Skyline'
Kentucky Coffee Tree
Sawtooth Oak
Medium Trees (30 - 45')
Ornamental Pear
Goldenrain Tree
Lacebark Elm
Osage Orange, thornless & fruitless
White Mulberry, fruitless
Small Trees (under 30')
Amur Maackia
Amur Maple
Flowering Crabapple
Green Hawthorn 'Winter King'
Redbud
Russian Hawthorn
Russian Olive
Sandhill Plum
Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn
Washington Hawthorn
Western Soapberry
Wild Plum
Amur Maple
Flowering Crabapple
Green Hawthorn 'Winter King'
Redbud
Russian Hawthorn
Russian Olive
Sandhill Plum
Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn
Washington Hawthorn
Western Soapberry
Wild Plum
Large Shrubs (over 8')
Autumn Olive
Beauty Bush
Border Privet
Chokecherry
Common Buckthorn
Elderberry
Lilac
Mountain Ninebark
Rose of Sharon
Rough-leafed Dowood
Siberian Pea Shrub
Silver Buffaloberry
Staghorn Sumac
Wahoo
Western Sandcherry
Beauty Bush
Border Privet
Chokecherry
Common Buckthorn
Elderberry
Lilac
Mountain Ninebark
Rose of Sharon
Rough-leafed Dowood
Siberian Pea Shrub
Silver Buffaloberry
Staghorn Sumac
Wahoo
Western Sandcherry
Medium Shrubs (4 - 8')
Butterfly Bush
Cherry Prinsepia
Dwarf Ninebark
Flowering Quince
Forsythia
Fragrant Sumac
Japanese Barberry
Korean Lilac
Mentor Barberry
Mockorange
Serviceberry
Shining Sumac
Spirea, Vanhoutte
Spreading Cotoneaster
Three Leaf Sumac
Cherry Prinsepia
Dwarf Ninebark
Flowering Quince
Forsythia
Fragrant Sumac
Japanese Barberry
Korean Lilac
Mentor Barberry
Mockorange
Serviceberry
Shining Sumac
Spirea, Vanhoutte
Spreading Cotoneaster
Three Leaf Sumac
Small Shrubs (under 4')
Alpine Currant
Bluemist Spirea
Common Bladder Senna
Common Sea Buckthorn
Coralberry, Buckbrush
False Indigo
Golden Current
Gooseberry
Hardy Potentilla
Leadplant
New Jersey Tea
Prairie Rose
Pygmy Pea Shrub
Russian Sage
Bluemist Spirea
Common Bladder Senna
Common Sea Buckthorn
Coralberry, Buckbrush
False Indigo
Golden Current
Gooseberry
Hardy Potentilla
Leadplant
New Jersey Tea
Prairie Rose
Pygmy Pea Shrub
Russian Sage
Evergreen Trees/Shrubs
Austrian Pine
Juniper
Limber Pine
Pinyon Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Mugho Pine
Mahonia
Manhattan Euonymus
Pyracantha
Soapweed
Yucca
Juniper
Limber Pine
Pinyon Pine
Ponderosa Pine
Mugho Pine
Mahonia
Manhattan Euonymus
Pyracantha
Soapweed
Yucca
Shade Groundcovers
Bergenia
Bishop's Weed
Lily-of-the-valley
Creeping Mahonia
Periwinkle
Potentilla
Sweet Woodruff
Bishop's Weed
Lily-of-the-valley
Creeping Mahonia
Periwinkle
Potentilla
Sweet Woodruff
Sun Groundcovers
Catmint
Creeping Junipers
Daylily
Candytuft
Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac
Hen & Chicks
Liriope
Creeping Phlox
Rock Soapwort
Sedum
Thyme
Veronica
Wintercreeper
Creeping Junipers
Daylily
Candytuft
Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac
Hen & Chicks
Liriope
Creeping Phlox
Rock Soapwort
Sedum
Thyme
Veronica
Wintercreeper
Ornamental Grasses
Big Bluestem
Blue Fescue
Blue Oat Grass
Feather Reed Grass
Fountain Grass
Indiangrass
Little Bluestem
Oat Grass
Ravenna Grass
Ribbon Grass
Sideoats Grama
Weeping Lovegrass
Information Provided by the Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service
and
The New Mexico State Engineer Office Water Conservation Program
Blue Fescue
Blue Oat Grass
Feather Reed Grass
Fountain Grass
Indiangrass
Little Bluestem
Oat Grass
Ravenna Grass
Ribbon Grass
Sideoats Grama
Weeping Lovegrass
Information Provided by the Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service
and
The New Mexico State Engineer Office Water Conservation Program
Sun/Part Sun Perennials
Artemesia
Basket of Gold
Gaillardia
Amsonia
Rudbeckia
Butterfly Weed
Candytuft
Coreopsis
Euphorbia
Missouri Primrose
False Indigo
Guara
Goldenrod
Liatris
Lambs' Ears
Lavender
Verbascum
Pitcher's Salvia
Poppy Mallow
Prickly Pear Cactus
Coneflower
Red Hot Poker
Yarrow
Basket of Gold
Gaillardia
Amsonia
Rudbeckia
Butterfly Weed
Candytuft
Coreopsis
Euphorbia
Missouri Primrose
False Indigo
Guara
Goldenrod
Liatris
Lambs' Ears
Lavender
Verbascum
Pitcher's Salvia
Poppy Mallow
Prickly Pear Cactus
Coneflower
Red Hot Poker
Yarrow
Annuals
Cleome
Coreopsis
Cosmos
Dusty Miller
Gomphrena
Marigold
Nicotiana
Portulaca
Sanvitalia
Verbena rigida
Vinca
Zinnia
Visit our Wildflower and Natives page for more information about native plants for xeriscape gardens!
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