House Beautiful identified several garden plants for drought tolerance in full sun, pointing readers to options that can handle hot temperatures and constant sun exposure. The guidance also draws a line between surviving heat and going without care: new plants still need regular watering before they settle in.
House Beautiful and the heat list
The list includes lantana, described as a shrubby, low-growing annual in hot pink, coral, and bright yellow, and canna lily, which has big, flashy blooms and dramatic green, chocolate, striped, or burgundy foliage. House Beautiful also names coneflower, a drought-tolerant plant once established, and dichondra, a sturdy trailing plant with silvery leaves that looks good throughout the heat of summer.
Catmint appears on the list as a perennial that thrives on neglect once established, with silvery-green foliage and spikes of purple flowers that last all summer long. Pentas blooms all summer in red, pink, and white, and works well in beds, window boxes, and hanging baskets. Caladium is included for its large, flashy, heart-shaped leaves in shades of pink, green, and white.
Watering canna lily in drought
The practical warning is narrower than the headline suggests. House Beautiful says canna lily should be watered two to three times a week during droughts, and it also says new plants still need regular watering before they are established. For canna lily, that care shifts with climate: it is a perennial in warmer climates, but in USDA zones 6 or colder, the rhizomes should be dug up in the fall after the first frost and saved for planting next spring.
That leaves gardeners with a simple rule: pick the plants that match the space, then keep watering until roots are established. Which of the listed plants is the most drought-tolerant after establishment is not answered, so the safer choice is to follow the specific watering instruction given for canna lily and treat the rest as heat-hardy, not water-free.
