Every plant needs water to carry nutrients from the soil up to the aerial parts, but some plants have a natural ability to temporarily shut down respiratory functions and thereby conserve water.

Look for woody stems and small leaves with a hard coating as your initial clues to drought-tolerance. Soft leaves, large leaves, and juicy herbaceous stems are usually the first to feel the effects of too little water. And remember, just because a plant is drought tolerant doesn't mean it won't respond well to an abundance of water.

Here's a listing of nearly 300 plants considered to be at least partially drought tolerant. Lots of surprises here!

   Index to drought tolerant plants (A to E)

   Index to drought tolerant plants (F to O)

   Index to drought tolerant plants (P to Z)