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, the following 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

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*
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*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
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*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
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*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
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*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
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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*
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*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
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*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
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*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
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*Zieria cytisoides*	Downy Zieria

Drought tolerant plants

Botanical name

Common name