Zone 5 Xeriscape Plants

Trees

• Colorado State University Extension Service provides a list of large shade and smaller ornamental trees that do not need excessive irrigation to grow well. Western catalpa (Catalpa speciosa), Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus), golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata), burr oak (Quercus macrocarpa), Ussurian pear (Pyrus ussuriensis) and apricot (Prunus armeniaca) are examples that, once established, handle drier soil conditions across USDA zone 5. The Ohio State University's list of trees also includes Amur maple (Acer ginnala), Jack pine (Pinus banksiana), Washington hawthorn (Crategus phaenopyrum), gray birch (Betula populifolia), honey locust (Gleditsia tricanthos var. inermis) and any juniper tree (Juniperus spp.).

Shrubs

• These universities also populate a list of recommended shrubs for water-conserving landscapes. Sumac (Rhus spp.), ninebark (Physocarpus spp.), cinquefoil (Potentilla spp.), peashrub (Caranga spp.), silver butterfly bush (Buddleja alternifolia), common lilac (Syringa vulgaris), wormwood (Artemesia spp.) and barberry (Berberis spp.) tend to handle dry soil conditions well. Evergreen shrubs for USDA zone 5 include any species of juniper as well as mugo pine (Pinus mugho). Also investigate native plants in your state to learn which species are drought-tolerant, attractive and commercially available for purchase.

Herbaceous Plants

• Plants lacking any woody stems are dubbed herbaceous by horticulturists. They include both flowering perennials and ornamental grasses. Hedge rose (Rosa rugosa), yarrow (Achillea spp.), false indigo (Baptisia australis), chamomile (Anthemis spp.), tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata), purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), spurge (Euphorbia spp.), gay feather (Liatris spicata), blanket flower (Gaillardia pulchella), Adam's needles (Yucca spp.), prickly pears (Opuntia) and Russian sage (Perovskia spp.) are a few flowering perennials recommended by The Ohio State University. Ornamental grasses suggested for low water-use garden sites by Colorado State University are big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), grama grasses (Bouteloua spp.), blue fescue (Festuca glauca), Arizona fescue (Festuca arizonica), sand love grass (Eragrostis trichodes), silky thread grass (Nassella tenuissima) and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ). Daffodils (Narcissus spp.) also tolerate dry conditions, especially in summer when dormant.