BLog

Life happens. You head to the cabin for the weekend. You forget to water one evening. The temperatures spike into the 90s and your container garden looks crispy by noon. It’s frustrating, especially when you’ve invested time and money into beautiful plants that wilt the moment conditions aren’t perfect.

That’s where tough, drought-tolerant annuals come in. Drought-tolerant doesn’t mean these plants don’t need water — but they can take the heat. These plants are bred to handle hot, sunny conditions and bounce back from occasional dry spells. They won’t punish you for being human. They’ll keep blooming, keep growing, and keep your containers and garden beds looking lush all summer long — even when life gets busy.

Here are eight of the best drought-tolerant annuals for Minnesota summers, plus a bonus perennial ground cover that helps everything thrive.

1. Mandevilla (Mandevilla spp.)

• Best for: Full sun, containers, trellises, vertical interest
• Why we love it: Big, tropical blooms on climbing or trailing vines
• Where to plant: Tall containers with trellises, hanging baskets (trailing varieties), patio accents

Mandevilla is a tropical vine with large, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom prolifically from late spring through fall. The glossy green foliage and vibrant blooms make it a showstopper in containers, especially when paired with a trellis or obelisk. Once established, mandevilla is surprisingly drought-tolerant and thrives in hot, sunny conditions.

Care

• Full sun (6+ hours). Plant in well-draining potting soil. Water when the top 1–2 inches of soil feel dry — mandevilla tolerates short dry spells better than overwatering.
• Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers. Feed with liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks for best blooming. Bring indoors before frost or treat as an annual.

2. Dipladenia (Mandevilla sanderi)

• Best for: Full sun, containers, compact spaces
• Why we love it: The bushy cousin of mandevilla — same beautiful blooms, less sprawl
• Where to plant: Mixed containers, border plantings, sunny patios where you want color without the climb

Dipladenia is technically a type of mandevilla, but it grows in a compact, mounding habit rather than climbing. It produces the same stunning trumpet-shaped flowers but stays tidy in containers without needing support. Like mandevilla, it’s heat-loving and drought-tolerant once established.

Care

• Full sun (6+ hours). Well-draining potting soil. Water when the top inch of soil is dry — dipladenia is forgiving if you forget occasionally.
• Deadhead spent blooms. Feed every 2 weeks with liquid fertilizer. Treat as an annual or bring indoors before frost.

3. Portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora)

• Best for: Full sun, hot, dry spots, ground cover, trailing from containers
• Why we love it: Thrives in conditions that would kill most annuals
• Where to plant: Hot, sunny spots where nothing else will grow, hanging baskets, between pavers, rock gardens

Portulaca, also known as moss rose, is a succulent annual with vibrant, ruffled flowers that close at night and open in full sun. It’s one of the most heat- and drought-tolerant annuals you can grow. In fact, it prefers hot, dry conditions and will sulk in shade or overly moist soil. The fleshy leaves store water, making it nearly indestructible during dry spells.

Care

• Full sun (6+ hours is essential — portulaca won’t bloom in shade). Well-draining soil — overwatering will kill it faster than drought. Water sparingly, only when soil is completely dry.
• No deadheading needed — flowers are self-cleaning. Requires almost no fertilizer.

4. Lantana (Lantana camara)

• Best for: Full sun, containers, pollinator gardens, heat tolerance
• Why we love it: Butterflies and hummingbirds can’t resist it — and it thrives in brutal heat
• Where to plant: Containers, hanging baskets, pollinator gardens, sunny borders

Lantana produces clusters of tiny flowers in vibrant, often multi-colored combinations that attract pollinators all summer long. It’s incredibly heat- and drought-tolerant, blooming nonstop even during the hottest weeks of summer. The foliage has a strong scent that deer and rabbits dislike, making it a great choice for areas with wildlife pressure.

Care

• Full sun (6+ hours). Well-draining soil. Water when the top inch of soil is dry — lantana tolerates dry spells well.
• Deadhead occasionally to encourage more blooms (though it’s not strictly necessary). Feed lightly once a month. Treat as an annual in Minnesota.

5. Vinca (Catharanthus roseus)

• Best for: Full sun to part shade, beds, containers, ground cover
• Why we love it: Blooms nonstop all summer without fussing
• Where to plant: Beds, borders, containers, ground cover in sunny or partly shaded areas

Vinca is a low-maintenance annual with glossy green foliage and cheerful five-petaled flowers. It blooms continuously from late spring through fall, tolerates heat and humidity, and handles occasional dry spells without wilting. Vinca is also one of the few annuals that performs well in both full sun and part shade.

Care

• Full sun to part shade (3-6 hours). Well-draining soil. Water when soil feels dry 1–2 inches down — vinca is forgiving of missed waterings.
• Deadheading is not necessary; flowers are self-cleaning. Feed monthly with balanced fertilizer for best blooming.

6. Scaevola (Scaevola aemula)

• Best for: Full sun, hanging baskets, containers, trailing plant
• Why we love it: Heat-loving, drought-tolerant, and covered in blooms all summer
• Where to plant: Hanging baskets, mixed containers, window boxes, spilling over edges

Scaevola, also known as fan flower, produces masses of unique fan-shaped blooms on trailing stems. It’s incredibly heat-tolerant and continues blooming even during the hottest, driest weeks of summer. Scaevola is self-cleaning (no deadheading needed) and fills out beautifully in hanging baskets and container edges.

Care

• Full sun (6+ hours). Well-draining potting soil. Water when the top inch of soil is dry — scaevola tolerates dry spells better than overwatering.
• No deadheading needed. Feed every 2–3 weeks with liquid fertilizer for continuous blooms.

7. Geranium (Pelargonium spp.)

• Best for: Full sun to part shade, containers, beds, classic appeal
• Why we love it: Reliable, classic, and tougher than people think
• Where to plant: Containers, window boxes, garden beds, mixed planters

Geraniums are a cottage garden classic for good reason — they bloom all summer, tolerate heat, and bounce back from occasional dry spells. While they prefer consistent moisture, they’re far more forgiving than many other annuals when life gets busy. The thick stems and leaves help them retain water during short dry periods.

Care

• Full sun to part shade (3-6 hours, more sun = more blooms). Well-draining soil. Water when the top 1–2 inches of soil feel dry.
• Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers. Feed every 2–3 weeks with balanced fertilizer.

8. Mezoo (Dorotheanthus bellidiformis)

• Best for: Full sun, hanging baskets, containers, trailing plant
• Why we love it: Succulent trailing plant that’s nearly indestructible
• Perfect for: Hanging baskets, container edges, hot, dry spots, filling gaps in mixed planters

Mezoo is a trailing succulent with vibrant red stems and small, fleshy leaves that store water — making it one of the most drought-tolerant annuals available. It produces small daisy-like flowers, but the real show is the colorful foliage that spills over container edges and fills in beautifully. Mezoo thrives in hot, sunny conditions and needs very little water once established.

Care

• Full sun (6+ hours). Excellent drainage essential — mezoo will rot in soggy soil. Water sparingly, only when soil is completely dry. Overwatering is more likely to kill mezoo than drought.
• No deadheading or fertilizing needed.

BONUS:

Sedum (Sedum spp.) — Perennial Ground Cover for Containers and Beds

• Best for: Full sun, containers, ground cover, drought tolerance, moisture retention
• Why we love it: Helps retain moisture in containers and beds while adding texture and color
• Where to plant: Mixed containers (especially with tropicals and annuals), ground cover in garden beds, filling gaps, adding texture

Sedum is a succulent perennial that’s technically not an annual, but it works beautifully in containers and garden beds alongside summer annuals. Its thick, water-storing leaves help retain moisture in the soil, reducing how often you need to water the entire container. Sedum also adds textural contrast to tropical and flowering annuals, and it blooms in late summer when many other plants are fading.

Care

• Full sun (6+ hours). Excellent drainage. Water sparingly — sedum prefers dry conditions. Once established, it needs almost no supplemental water.
• No deadheading or fertilizing needed. In containers, sedum can overwinter if left outdoors in a protected spot, or you can transplant it to the garden in fall.

Tips for Success with Drought-Tolerant Annuals

1. Use well-draining soil: Most drought-tolerant plants hate wet feet. Use a high-quality potting mix for containers, and amend garden beds with compost to improve drainage.
2. Water deeply, less frequently: When you do water, water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom of the pot. This encourages deep root growth, which helps plants access moisture during dry spells.
3. Mulch garden beds: A 2–3 inch layer of mulch around plants helps retain soil moisture and keeps roots cool during heat waves.
4. Group plants with similar water needs: Pair drought-tolerant annuals together in containers so you’re not overwatering some plants to keep others happy.
5. Water in the morning: Morning watering reduces evaporation and gives plants time to dry before evening, reducing the risk of fungal issues.

Build a Container That Can Handle Summer

The beauty of drought-tolerant annuals is that they give you options. You can still have lush, colorful containers and garden beds — but you’re not chained to a watering schedule. Miss a day? They’ll bounce back. Go away for the weekend? They’ll survive.

Combine a few of these tough annuals in a sunny container — mandevilla for height, scaevola or mezoo for trailing, portulaca or sedum for texture — and you have a planting that looks beautiful all summer with far less fussing.

Looking for expert hands? Contact our on-site Container Design team to get something specialized to your taste and space.