Drought tolerant plants
As the world's driest continent, Australia is unsurprisingly home to an abundance of drought tolerant plant species, including many of strong architectural form and high aesthetic value, well suited to garden cultivation.
It is often overlooked that drought stimulates seed formation, thus increasing the environmental weed risks of drought tolerant exotics.
There is no shortage of home grown alternatives. With increased water restrictions, our 260+ recommended drought tolerant species are particularly appropriate. Once established, these plants should survive without supplementary watering, assuming some soil moisture at the start of summer, a mulch layer and protection from excess exposure to sun and wind.
Shade-loving and shade-tolerant species are shown in Bold
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Botanical name |
Common name |
| Acacia amblygona | Kangaroo Thorn |
| Acacia binervia (syn. A. glaucescens) | Coast Myall |
| Acacia brownii | |
| Acacia buxifolia | Box-leaf Wattle |
| Acacia decora | |
| Acacia decurrens | |
| Acacia falciformis | |
| Acacia fimbriata | Fringed Wattle |
| Acacia hispidula | |
| Acacia implexa | Hickory Wattle |
| Acacia linifolia | |
| Acacia longifolia | Sydney Golden Wattle |
| Acacia mearnsii | |
| Acacia myrtifolia | Myrtle Wattle |
| Acacia oxycedrus | Spike Wattle |
| Acacia paradoxa | |
| Acacia parramattensis | Parramatta Green Wattle |
| Acacia pubescens | |
| Acacia rubida | Red-stem Wattle |
| Acacia sophorae | |
| Acacia suaveolens | Sweet-scented Wattle |
| Acacia terminalis | Sunshine Wattle |
| Acacia ulicifolia | Prickly Moses |
| Ajuga australis | Bugle |
| Allocasuarina distyla | Scrub She-oak |
| Allocasuarina littoralis | Black She-oak |
| Allocasuarina nana | |
| Allocasuarina torulosa | Forest Oak |
| Allocasuarina verticillata | |
| Alphitonia excelsa | Red Ash, Mur-rung |
| Angophora costata | Sydney Red Gum |
| Angophora floribunda | |
| Angophora hispida | |
| Aotus ericoides | |
| Asplenium australasicum | Birds-nest Fern |
| Astroloma pinifolium | Pine Heath |
| Austromyrtus tenuifolia | |
| |
|
| Babingtonia densifolia (syn. Baecka densifolia) | Narrow-leaf Myrtle |
| Babingtonia similis (syn. Baeckea virgata) | Twiggy Heath-myrtle |
| Backhousia myrtifolia | Carrol, Grey Myrtle |
| Baeckea ramosissima | Rosy Heath-myrtle |
| Banksia ericifolia | |
| Banksia integrifolia | White Honeysuckle |
| Banksia marginata | Silver Banksia |
| Banksia oblongifolia | Fern-leaf Banksia |
| Banksia serrata | Old Man Banksia |
| Banksia spinulosa | Hairpin Banksia |
| Billardiera scandens | Appleberry |
| Blechnum cartilagineum | Gristle Fern |
| Boronia anemonifolia | Sticky Boronia |
| Boronia floribunda | Pale-pink Boronia |
| Bossiaea rhombifolia | |
| Bossiaea scolopendria | |
| Brachychiton acerifolius | Flame Tree |
| Brachyloma daphnoides | Daphne Heath |
| Brachyscome multifida (syn. Brachycome multifida) |
Cut-leaf Daisy |
| Bracteantha bracteata (syn. Helichrysum bracteatum) |
Everlasting Daisy |
| Bulbine bulbosa | |
| Bulbophyllum exiguum | Small Bulbophyllum |
| Bulbophyllum minutissimum | Tiny Bulbophyllum |
| Bulbophyllum shepherdii | Wheat-grain Bulbophyllum |
| Burchardia umbellata | Milkmaids |
| Bursaria spinosa | Blackthorn |
| |
|
| Caesia parviflora | Pale Grass Lily |
| Callistemon citrinus | Red Bottlebrush |
| Callistemon linearifolius | |
| Callistemon linearis | |
| Callistemon rigidus | Stiff Bottlebrush |
| Callistemon salignus | Willow Bottlebrush |
| Callistemon sieberi (syn. C. paludosus) |
River Bottlebrush |
| Callistemon subulatus | Dwarf Bottlebrush |
| Callitris muelleri | Muellers Cypress |
| Callitris rhomboidea | Port Jackson Cypress |
| Calytrix tetragona | Fringe Myrtle |
| Casuarina cunninghamiana | River oak |
| Caustis flexuosa | Curly Wigs |
| Ceratopetalum apetalum | Coachwood |
| Clematis aristata | Travellers Joy |
| Clematis glycinoides | Forest Clematis |
| Convolvulus erubescsens | Pink Bindweed |
| Cordyline stricta | Slender Palm Lily |
| Correa alba | White Correa |
| Correa reflexa | Native Fuchsia |
| Corymbia eximia (syn. Eucalyptus eximia) |
Yellow Bloodwood |
| Corymbia maculata (syn. Eucalyptus maculata) |
Spotted Gum |
| Crowea exalata | Small Crowea |
| Crowea saligna | |
| Cryptandra amara | Bitter Cryptandra |
| Dampiera purpurea | Purple Dampiera |
| Dampiera stricta | Blue Dampiera |
| Darwinia grandiflora | |
| Darwinia taxifolia ssp. macrolaena |
|
| Dendrobium speciosum | Rock Orchid |
| Dendrobium striolatum | Streaked Rock Orchid |
| Dianella caerulea | Blue Flax Lily |
| Dianella longifolia | |
| Dianella revoluta | Tinsel Lily |
| Dichondra repens | Kidney Creeper |
| Dichopogon fimbriatus | Nodding Chocolate Lily |
| Dillwynia floribunda | |
| Dillwynia retorta | Eggs and Bacon |
| Dodonaea viscosa | Sticky Hop Bush |
| Doodia aspera | Prickly Rasp Fern |
| Doryanthes excelsa | Gymea Lily |
| |
|
| Einadia nutans | Native Seaberry |
| Epacris pulchell | NSW Coral Heath |
| Eremophila debilis (syn. Myoporum debile) |
Winter Apple |
| Eucalyptus botryoides | Bangalay |
| Eucalyptus cinerea | Argyle Apple |
| Eucalyptus luehmanniana | Yellow-top Ash |
| Eucalyptus mannifera | Brittle Gum |
| Eucalyptus multicaulis | Whip-stick Ash |
| Eucalyptus piperita | Sydney Peppermint |
| Eupomatia laurina | Native Guava |
| Eustrephus latifolius | Wombat Berry |
| Exocarpos cupressiformis | Cherry Ballart |
| |
|
| Ficus rubiginosa | Port Jackson Fig |
| |
|
| Gahnia microstachya | Slender Saw-sedge |
| Gahnia sieberiana | Red-fruited Saw-sedge |
| Glycine clandestina | Twining Glycine |
| Gompholobium grandiflorum | |
| Gompholobium latifolium | Golden Glory Pea |
| Goodenia hederacea | Violet-leaf Goodenia |
| Goodenia ovata | Hop Goodenia |
| Goodia lotifolia | Clover Tree |
| Grevillea acanthifolia | |
| Grevillea arenaria | |
| Grevillea aspleniifolia | |
| Grevillea buxifolia | Grey Spider Flower |
| Grevillea diffusa | Nodding Spider Flower |
| Grevillea juniperina | Prickly Spider Flower |
| Grevillea linearifolia | White Spider Flower |
| Grevillea longifolia | Fern-leaf Grevillea |
| Grevillea mucronulata | Green Spider Flower |
| Grevillea oleoides | Red Spider Flower |
| Grevillea sericea | Pink Spider Flower |
| Grevillea shiressii | Mullet Creek Grevillea |
| Grevillea speciosa | Red Spider Flower |
| |
|
| Hakea bakeriana | |
| Hakea dactyloides | Broad-leaf Hakea |
| Hakea gibbosa | |
| Hakea propinqua | |
| Hakea salicifolia | Willow-leaf Hakea |
| Hakea sericea | Silky Hakea |
| Hakea teretifolia | Dagger Hakea |
| Hardenbergia violacea | False Sarsaparilla |
| Helichrysum scorpioides | Button Everlasting |
| Hibbertia aspera | Rough Guinea Flower |
| Hibbertia dentata | Toothed Guinea Flower |
| Hibbertia diffusa | |
| Hibbertia empetrifolia | Trailing Guinea Flower |
| Hibbertia scandens | Snake Vine |
| Hibiscus heterophyllus | Native Rosella |
| Howittia trilocularis | Blue Howittia |
| Hymenosporum flavum | Native Frangipani |
| |
|
| Indigofera australis | Austral Indigo |
| Isolepis nodosa | Knobby Club Rush |
| Isopogon anethifolius | Narrow-leaf Drumsticks |
| Isotoma axillaris | |
| |
back to top |
| Jacksonia scoparia | Dogwood |
| |
|
| Kennedia prostrata | Running Postman |
| Kennedia rubicunda | Dusky Coral Pea |
| Kunzea ambigua | Tick Bush |
| Kunzea capitata | Pink Buttons |
| Kunzea parvilolia | |
| |
|
| Lambertia formosa | Mountain Devil |
| Lasiopetalum ferrugineum | |
| Lepidosperma laterale | |
| Leptospermum grandifolium (syn. Leptospermum lanigerum) |
Woolly Tea-tree |
| Leptospermum juniperinum | Prickly Tea-tree |
| Leptospermum laevigatum | Coastal Tee-tree |
| Leptospermum rotundifolium | Round-leaf Tea-tree |
| Leptospermum squarrosum | Peach Tea-tree |
| Linum marginale | Native Flax |
| Lobelia gibbosa | |
| Logania albiflora (syn. Logania floribunda) |
|
| Lomandra confertifolia | |
| Lomandra longifolia | Spiny Mat Rush |
| Lomandra obliqua | Fish Bones |
| Lomatia myricoides | River Lomatia |
| Lomatia silaifolia | Crinkle Bush |
| |
back to top |
| Macrozamia communis | Burrawang |
| Macrozamia spiralis | |
| Melaleuca armillaris | Bracelet Honey-myrtle |
| Melaleuca ericifolia | Swamp Paperbark |
| Melaleuca hypericifolia | Hillock Bush |
| Melaleuca linariifolia | Snow-in-Summer |
| Melaleuca nodosa | Ball Honey-myrtle |
| Melaleuca squarrosa | Scented Paperbark |
| Melaleuca thymifolia | Thyme Honey-myrtle |
| Micrantheum hexandrum | |
| Microlaena stipoides | Weeping Grass |
| Micromyrtus ciliata | Fringed Heath-myrtle |
| Muehlenbeckia adpressa | Climbing Lignum |
| |
|
| Olearia tomentosa | |
| Oxylobium scandens | |
| Ozothamnus diosmifolium (syn. Helichrysum diosmifolium) |
Everlasting Paper Daisy |
| |
|
| Pandorea pandorana | Wonga Wonga Vine |
| Passiflora cinnabarina | Red Passion Flower |
| Patersonia fragilis | Short Purple Flag |
| Patersonia glabrata | Leafy Purple Flag |
| Patersonia sericea | Purple Flag Iris |
| Pelargonium australe | Coastal Geranium |
| Persoonia linearis | Narrow-leaf Geebung |
| Persoonia pinifolia | Pine-leaf Geebung |
| Phebalium squamulosum | Scaly Phebalium |
| Philotheca myoporoides (syn. Eriostemon myoporoides) |
Native Daphne |
| Philotheca salsolifolia | Philotheca |
| Pimelea glauca | |
| Pimelea linifolia | Slender Rice Flower |
| Pittosporum undulatum | Sweet Pittosporum |
| Platycerium bifurcatum | Elkhorn Fern |
| Platylobium formosum | Handsome Flat-pea |
| Plectranthus parviflorus | Cockspur |
| Poa labillardieri | Tussock Grass |
| Podolepis jaceoides | |
| Pomaderris ferruginea | Rusty Pomaderris |
| Pomaderris lanigera | Woolly Pomaderris |
| Prostanthera lasianthos | Victorian Christmas Bush |
| Prostanthera rotundifolia | Round-leaf Mint Bush |
| Pseudanthus pimeleoides | |
| Pseuderanthemum variabile | Pastel Flower |
| Pultenaea daphnoides | Large-leaf Bush Pea |
| Pultenaea flexilis | Graceful Bush Pea |
| Pultenaea scabra | |
| Pultenaea stipularis | |
| Pultenaea villosa | Bronze Bush Pea |
| |
back to top |
| Ricinocarpos pinifolius | Wedding Bush |
| Rulingia dasyphylla (syn. Rulingia pannosa) |
Kerrawang |
| |
|
| Scaevola aemula | Fairy Fan Flower |
| Scaevola albida | |
| Scaevola calendulacea | Scented Fan Flower |
| Scaevola ramosissima | Snake Flower |
| Selliera radicans | |
| Senna aciphylla | Sprawling Cassia |
| Senna odorata | Southern Cassia |
| Smilax australis | |
| Solanum aviculare | Kangaroo Apple |
| Stackhousia spathulata | |
| Stylidium graminifolium | Trigger Plant |
| Stenocarpus salignus | Scrub Beefwood |
| Stypandra glauca | Nodding Blue Lily |
| Styphelia triflora | |
| Swainsonia galegifolia | Darling Pea |
| Syncarpia glomulifera | Turpentine |
| |
|
| Telopea speciosissima | NSW Waratah |
| Tetratheca ericifolia | |
| Tetratheca shiressii | |
| Tetratheca thymifolia | |
| Thelionema ) caespitosa (syn. Stypandra caespitosa) |
Tufted Blue Lily |
| Themeda triandra | Kangeroo Grass |
| Thysanotus tuberosus | Common Fringe Lily |
| |
|
| Viola betonicifolia | Purple Violet |
| Viola hederacea | Native Violet |
| |
|
| Wahlenbergia stricta | Tall Bluebell |
| Westringia fruticosa | Coastal Rosemary |
| Westringia longifolia | Winged Westringia |
| |
|
| Xanthorrhoea australis | Grass Tree |
| Xanthorrhoea minor | |
| Xanthosia pilosa | Woolly Xanthosia |
| Xylomelum pyriforme | Woody Pear |
| |
back to top |
| Zieria cytisoides | Downy Zieria |
