What makes a plant drought tolerant?
Drought-tolerant plants often hail from Mediterranean climate zones around the world – around the Mediterranean sea, the western cape of South Africa, coastal California, central Chile and southern and southwestern Australia. They have evolved to thrive in habitats that have a very long, extremely hot and dry season – as much as six months with no rain – and poor soil.
Leaves may be small or thin, grey or glaucous, hairy, succulent or fleshy. Many have very deep or wide root systems that seek out water, or underground storage organs (bulbs). Drought-tolerant plants are often low growing and form mounds – less likely to be dried by wind on a hot day. In their native habitats, they may go dormant or lose their leaves in summer.
Are Mediterranean plants suitable for the UK?
Garden designer James
