Plants That Will Suck Your Yard Dry

Plants That Will Suck Your Yard Dry
By Tasha Eichenseher
May 20, 2009

http://www.thegreenguide.com/greenguide/home-garden/garden/drought-resistant-plants?source=email_gg_20090520&email=gg

Nearly 2 billion people already live in water-stressed regions, where subtle shifts in average annual temperatures could mean inadequate water supplies for people and the environment, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

When water is scarce in sub-Saharan Africa, people spend hours searching for and collecting drinking water. When drought hits Nevada, people have to change the way they wash their cars and tend to their yards.

In urban areas of arid Texas, about 25 percent of treated water goes toward landscaping, according to experts at the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences.

Even small steps can make a difference, so when planting this spring and summer, consider using native species already adapted to the environment you live in. They will require little more than natural rainfall. You can also make soil improvements that help absorb and hold water, and use mulch to prevent water loss through evaporation. “Mulch is your greatest ally in drought conditions,” according to Organic Gardening magazine editor Ethne Clarke.

But most importantly, avoid these thirsty varieties:

Tropical and exotic plants:

Species such as hibiscus and banana, commonly used in landscaping, come from tropical regions that get a lot of rain. These plants tend to have fairly high water requirements.

"Foliage structure tells you a lot about water needs," said David Ellis,
 editor of The American Gardener, the magazine of the American Horticultural Society. Plants with large glossy dark leaves tend to absorb more heat and require a lot of water, and a larger leaf surface area equals greater water loss. If hydrating is a concern, stick with hairy, smaller, and lighter-colored or silvery leaves that retain water and diffuse light, such as lambs ear, rosemary, or lavender, Ellis advises.

Exotics in general will probably need more water than native species, Ellis adds. Try to avoid rapidly growing tropical plants with soft, pithy, and fleshy trunks—these are usually plants with large water contents. The banana tree, for example, is 90 percent water.

To read the full article: http://www.thegreenguide.com/greenguide/home-garden/garden/drought-resistant-plants?source=email_gg_20090520&email=gg