Exotic Drought Tolerant Plants
There are many popular varieties of exotic drought tolerant plants, however certain plants are better suited to specific areas. To find the most suitable for your garden, ask your local Water Saver Garden Centre.
plant in full sun
plant in full sun to part shade
plant in part shade
plant in full shade
low water use
moderate water use
Ground covers and grasses | Grasses and small shrubs | Medium shrubs | Large shrubs and trees
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Ground covers and grasses up to 50 cm - Exotic Plants |
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Aspidistra elatior |
China, 0.3m - 0.5m high, ground cover |
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Disphyma crassifolium |
0.02m – 0.3m high succulent shrub, flowers pink, purple, violet, Jan–Feb/May/Aug–Dec |
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Echinocactus gruswonii Golden Barrel Cactus |
Mexico, large rotund form, up to 0.5m wide, flowers golden yellow |
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Liriope gigantea |
Southeast Asia, 0.4m high, 0.9m wide, grass-like, border or groundcover, flowers slate blue in summer |
protect from wind |
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Sarcococca ruscifolia |
0.5m high, 0.8m wide, good ground cover, winter-flowering |
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Osteospermum species |
0.5m high, spreading white, purple, mauve |
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Phormium cultivars Flax |
New Zealand, 0.5m high, 0.5m wide, straplike leaves, varied foliage, flowers all year |
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Grasses and small shrubs up to 1 m - Exotic Plants |
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Bergenia 'Bressingham White' |
B.crassifolia naturalised in Victoria, 0.6m high, 0.6m wide, flowering in Winter - Spring |
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Clivia nobilis |
Africa, 0.6m to 0.8m high, red berries. |
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Kalanchoe thyrsiflora 'Flap Jack' |
South Africa, 0.6m high, 0.45m to 0.6m wide, flowers bright yellow in late winter/ early spring |
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Philodendron 'Xanadu' |
0.75m high, 0.75m wide |
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Zamia furfuracea |
Central/South America, 1m high, 2m wide, cycad |
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Dietes bicolor & grandiflora |
South Africa, 0.8m high, 0.8m wide, flowers yellow, white/mauve |
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Nandina domestica 'Nana' |
Asia, 0.5m high, 0.5m wide, red/ yellow and green foliage |
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Aeonium arboreum |
Morocco, 0.5m high, 0.5m wide, succulent, dark maroon foliage all year |
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Agave attenuata |
Mexico, 0.6m high, 0.6m wide, succulent |
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Medium shrubs up to 2 m - Exotic Plants |
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Cycas revoluta |
Japan, can grow to 2+ metres depending on the growing conditions, low growing cycad |
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Loropetalum chinense 'Pink' |
Japan, southern China, to 1.8m high, 1.5m wide, evergreen shrub, pink flowers, blooms repeatedly |
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Strelitzia reginae & S. nicolia |
Southern Africa, 2m high, 1m wide |
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Encephalartos species (several) |
Southern Africa, non invasive, variable height to 2 m |
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Salvia leucantha |
Nth America, 1.2m high, 1.5m wide, purple/white flowers |
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Lavandula dentata |
Europe, 1.4m high, 1.5m wide, purple bracts |
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Nandina domestica |
Asia, 1.8m high, 1.5m wide |
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Euryops pectinnatus Bright Eyes |
South Africa, 2m high, 2m wide, bright yellow daisy |
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Cistus sp. |
Europe, 1.5m high, 1.8m wide, varied mainly pink & white flowers |
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Choisya ternata |
Nth America, 1.5m high, 3m wide |
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large shrubs and trees - Exotic Plants |
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Dracaena draco |
Canary Islands, 12m high |
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Magnolia 'Little Gem' |
originally Asia, 4m high and 2.5m wide, creamy white, perfumed flowers in spring and summer |
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Michelia yunnanensis |
China, 1.8m to 3.6m high, 1.8m wide, cream flowers with yellow stamens, cinnamon fragrance |
protect from strong winds |
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Osmanthus x burkwoodii |
1.8 to 3m high, 1.8 to 3m wide evergreen shrub, small white, fragrant flowers in spring |
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Waterhousia floribunda Weeping Myrtle |
Northern Australian rainforests, 15m to 20 m |
protect from wind |
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Largerstroemia indica |
China/Japan, 5m high, 3m wide pink/white flowers |
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Hibiscus syriacus |
Europe/Asia, 3m high, 2m wide white/pink flowers |
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