Top 9 Drought-Tolerant Plants That Thrive in Southeast Wisconsin
Gardening in Southeast Wisconsin means learning to roll with the punches. One minute, it’s a spring flood. The next, your soil is cracking under the July sun. Sound familiar? If you’re dreaming of a low-maintenance, eco-friendly garden that doesn’t throw a tantrum when the rain clouds disappear, this list is for you.
These 9 drought-tolerant plants are tough, beautiful, and made for our Midwest climate. Bonus: most are native to Wisconsin, which means they support local pollinators, birds, and wildlife—without demanding constant attention from you.
Let’s dig in.
1. BUTTERFLY WEED (asclepias tuberosa)
Bright orange blooms? Check. Monarch magnet? Double check. This showstopper is not only stunning—it’s a native milkweed, which makes it a critical food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars. Butterfly weed thrives in dry, sandy soil and full sun. Mostly grown from seed, once it’s established, it practically begs you to forget the hose exists. Issues with aphids? You can plant butterfly weed as a disctraction from the rest of your garden. You can spray the foliage with soapy water or blast the plant with high pressure water to remove them.
2. BLACK EYED SUSAN (rudbeckia hirta)
This golden ray of sunshine is a Wisconsin favorite, and for good reason. It blooms for weeks, looks great in any garden style, and shrugs off poor soil and dry spells. Bonus: it self-seeds, so it just might surprise you next year with a few free extras. These deer-resistant flowers work great in basically every enviornment: for borders, containers, cutting flowers, and landscapes.
3. COREOPSIS (coreopsis lanceolata)
A versitale flower with 80 varieties including yellow, red, orange, pink and white colors to suit every garden design. Coreopsis thrives in less-than-perfect soil, and once it’s settled in, it barely needs water. Great for borders, pollinator gardens, or naturalized meadows—this one plays well with others. They don’t have much of a scent but flower throughout the summer and deadheading them can make the blooms go througout the fall. This is a great flower for wildlife and pollinators like bees and butterflies. These plants can also be propogated easily in spring and early fall by dividing clumps (keeping the roots as in tact as possible).
4. PRAIRIE DROPSEED (sporobolus heterolepis)
If ornamental grasses were on a dating app, Prairie Dropseed would be the effortlessly cool one. It’s graceful, smells a little like cilantro when blooming, and adds soft movement to your garden beds. It’s drought-tolerant, loves sun, and is super low-maintenance. Pair it with coneflowers for a romantic prairie vibe. This desirable native grass works well to create a well-defined border and is a host plant for 6 species of butterflies and moths. Prairie Dropseed is not an agressive spreader and does not need to be divided like most grass becuase it does not die-out in the center.
5. WILD BERGAMOT (monarda fistulosa)
Also known as bee balm, this mint-family member is like a pollinator party in plant form. The lavender blooms are edible, the scent is dreamy, and the plant handles heat and drought like a pro. Just make sure it has decent air circulation—it likes to breathe! You can use the aromatic leaves as a mint tea and the plant attracts birds, insects and hummingbirds. Start from seed or divide the roots to propogate.
6. LITTLE BLUESTEM (schizachyrium scoparium)
Little Bluestem is like the friend who always shows up dressed perfectly for every season. Blue-green foliage in summer turns copper-orange in fall and sticks around through winter snow. It’s one of the best grasses for clay or sandy soils and is incredibly drought-resistant thanks to its deep roots. It offers beautiful color all summer long and pairs well with prairie flowers.
7. PURPLE CONEFLOWER (echinacea purpurea)
If you only plant one thing from this list, make it the coneflower. These classic beauties bloom for ages, look amazing in fresh or dried arrangements, and attract all the right winged visitors. Oh—and they’re famously drought-tolerant. Your garden will thank you. The flowers can be used to make echinacea tea which is a popular tea for helping your immune system. This easy to grow plant will bring butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden but be aware – growth can get aggressive.
8. YARROW (achillea millefolium)
With ferny foliage and cheerful flat-topped blooms, yarrow adds great texture to your garden. It’s nearly impossible to kill (in the best way), thrives in dry soil, and comes in a rainbow of colors. Bonus: it’s great for cutting and drying, and the leaves can even be used in homemade salves.
9. NODDING ONION (allium cernuum)
Native? Check. Edible? Check. Cute pink flowers that look like little fairy hats? Triple check. Nodding onion is a charming and hardy choice for the front of your garden beds. It handles dry soil with grace and gives your garden a soft, woodland edge. Although it won’t attract every insect, nodding onion gives bees priority as they are not deterred by hanging upside down. Use these delicious flowers in your kitchen like chives – my favorite way? Goat cheese and nodding onion dip, yum!
PRO TIPS FOR A WATER-WISE GARDEN IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN:
Mulch smart. Use leaf mulch or shredded bark to retain moisture and regulate soil temps.
Group drought-tolerant plants together. They'll thrive in similar conditions and save you watering time.
Plant in fall or early spring. Gives roots a chance to settle in before summer heat.
Don’t over-love them. These plants don’t like soggy feet. Once established, let them tough it out!
WANT AND CUSTOM GARDEN DESIGN THAT CAN HANDLE THE HEAT?
We specialize in wild, low-maintenance, native garden designs across Southeast Wisconsin—from Milwaukee to Delafield, Richfield to Cedarburg. Whether you want to turn your yard into a pollinator paradise or build a drought-proof backyard homestead, we can help.
Contact us for a free garden consult! Call (414) 403-6498 or email hello@lillyandbug.com.
