Are you facing challenges in discovering shrubs and hedges that can endure dry spells in your New Zealand garden? Opting for hardy plants can lead to significant savings in irrigation setups, or worse, replacing mature plants that succumb to severe drought conditions unexpectedly.

Top Drought-Tolerant Plant Options in New Zealand

The plant selections below have undergone rigorous testing in harsh drought climates in Australia, demonstrating exceptional performance. Some of these varieties also exhibit flood tolerance, making them ideal for locations like bio swales and sunken areas that experience infrequent rainfall but excess water accumulation during rare downpours.

Understanding Drought-Tolerant Plants

Plants resistant to drought can endure water scarcity better than most species, which tend to suffer under prolonged dry conditions. This includes plant species which are well-known for their ability to thrive in drought environments, along with bred cultivars specifically bred for drought-tolerance.

Best Drought-Tolerant Plants Available in New Zealand

The below plant varieties have all been tested extensively in serious drought conditions in Australia, and they all excelled. Some of them are also flood-tolerant, making them perfect for areas like bio swales and depressed areas that rarely receive rainfall, but when they do, there’s too much to drain immediately.

Slim™ Callistemon viminalis CV01′ PVR

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/slim-callistemon/

   •     Description: An Australian Bottlebrush with a unique narrow growth habit, producing masses of classic Bottlebrush flowers throughout spring, summer, and autumn. Highly myrtle rust resistant. As well as being drought-tolerant, this variety is also tolerant to periodic flooding.

   •     Growth Habit: Slim, narrow growth suitable for hedges or screens.

   •     Size: 3m high x 1.3m wide.

   •     Planting Density: 1-3 plants per m², 1-1.5 plants per linear meter.

   •     Position: Thrives in full sun to part shade and suits most soil types. Tolerant to drought and frost.

   •     Where it Works: Suitable for use as a screen, hedge, or feature in tight planting areas. Works well in both North & South Island regions.

Slim Callistemon has a columnar growth habit and thrives in just about any situation you put it into.

Better John™ Callistemon viminalis ‘LJ1’ PVR

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/better-john-callistemon/

   •     Description: Better John™ Callistemon is a compact and hardy shrub with bright red bottlebrush flowers that attract native birds, making it a great landscape plant. As well as being drought-tolerant, this variety is also tolerant to periodic flooding.

   •     Growth Habit: Compact and bushy.

   •     Size: 30-45cm high x 30-45cm wide.

   •     Planting Density: 1-2 plants per m².

   •     Position: Prefers full sun and well-drained soils.

   •     Where it Works: Well-suited for gardens, borders, and coastal areas.

Better John Callistemon is a smaller variety, perfect for roadsides with good line of sight, border hedging, and understory.

Blush™ Nandina domestica ‘AKA’ PVR

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/blush-nandina/

• Description: Blush Nandina is an elegant evergreen shrub with delicate foliage that stays bright red for 9 months of the year, while other varieties turn green in spring and autumn.
• Growth Habit: Upright and compact.
• Size: 60-90cm high x 60-90cm wide.
• Planting Density: 1-2 plants per m².
• Position: Flourishes in full sun to part shade and adapts to various soil types.
• Where it Works: Ideal for borders, mass planting, or mixed shrubbery arrangements.

Blush Nandina displays vibrant red foliage for most of the year.

Blue Gem™ Westringia hybrid ‘WES03’ PVR

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/blue-gem-westringia/

   •     Description: Blue Gem™ Westringia is a vibrant shrub known for profuse bluish-purple flowers during spring and other seasons. It can be easily shaped through pruning and works well in flower gardens.

   •     Growth Habit: Bushy growth that responds excellently to pruning.

   •     Size: 1-1.5m high x 80cm-1.3m wide.

   •     Planting Density: 1-3 plants per m², 1-2 plants per linear metre.

   •     Position: Thrives in full sun to light shade and suits sandy to well-drained clay soils. Tolerates cold and drought but avoid wet feet or depressed planting areas.

   •     Where it Works: Ideal as a feature plant, for mass plantings, and in native gardens. Suitable for both North & South Island regions.

Blue Gem Westringia looks awesome pruned into a hedge, or you can allow it to express its natural shrubby shape.

Low Horizon™ Westringia fruticosa ‘WES06’ PVR

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/low-horizon-westringia/

   •     Description: Low Horizon™ Westringia is a ground-hugging shrub with a flat, spreading growth pattern and small white flowers. It provides excellent coverage and is suitable for low borders or cascading over walls.

   •     Growth Habit: Spreading and low-growing.

   •     Size: 30-40cm high x 70-90cm wide.

   •     Planting Density: 2-3 plants per m².

   •     Position: Prefers full sun to light shade and adapts well to various soil types.

   •     Where it Works: Ideal for low borders, cascading over walls, rockeries, or as a ground cover plant.

5. Low Horizon Westringia is a prostrate variety, perfect for a flowering ground cover in drought-tolerant gardens.

Grey Box™ Westringia ‘WES04’ PVR

https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/shrubs-and-ground-covers/grey-box-westringia/

• Description: Grey Box™ Westringia is a ground cover shrub featuring grey-green foliage and white flowers, suitable for informal hedges or as a ground cover plant. As well as being drought-tolerant, this variety is also tolerant to periodic flooding. That makes it perfect for rain gardens and bio swales that experience periodic drought and then flooding every few years.
• Growth Habit: Low growing and compact.
• Size: 20-30cm high x 1-2m wide.
• Planting Density: 2-3 plants per m².
• Position: Flourishes in full sun to part shade and prefers well-drained soils.
• Where it Works: Ideal for coastal locations and inland gardens.

Grey Box Westringia is a “buffer plant,” meaning that it tolerates both flood and drought.

Conclusion

Dealing with dry conditions isn’t easy in the garden. Whether you have sandy, free-draining soil, hydrophobicity, or you simply lack the rainfall other parts of New Zealand enjoys, the plants in this article should fit the bill nicely.