Drought-defying beauty: Three red perennials for the water-wise garden

Photo: Contributed

Echinacea "Red Ombre" is a dramatic new red perennial that is very drought-tolerant and will be available at OXA’s spring plant sale May 10.

We all have favourite colours, even though all colours are favourites in garden flowers and they all “go together” like nowhere else.

One of my favourites is red. We will have three stunning red perennials available for purchase at the Okanagan Xeriscape Association’s upcoming annual spring plant sale—Penstemon “Riding Hood Red,” Achillea “New Vintage Red,” and Echinacea “Red Ombre.”

These perennials offer gardeners a perfect combination of drought-tolerance and vibrant colour that can transform any water-conscious landscape from ho-hum to spectacular.

Penstemon is a North American native plant often called Beardtongue, but it’s usually purple. This has been cultivated into the spectacular “Riding Hood Red” variety that brings dramatic crimson tubular blooms to the garden from late spring through summer.

Growing 24 inches to 30 inches tall with a compact habit, this cultivar produces a profusion of ruby-red flowers on sturdy stems above glossy, lance-shaped foliage.

What makes “Riding Hood Red” exceptional is its remarkable drought tolerance once established. Its deep taproot system efficiently mines soil moisture, allowing it to thrive in poor, rocky soils where many other perennials struggle.

This extensive root system also provides excellent erosion control on slopes and banks. Hummingbirds find the tubular blooms irresistible, creating a garden that’s not just water-wise but bird-friendly.

The deer-resistant quality of penstemons adds further appeal for those of us dealing with deer pressure. “Riding Hood Red” requires little maintenance beyond cutting back spent flower stalks to encourage re-blooming and a late winter trim of dead foliage.

Yarrow or Achillea has long been a staple of water-conscious gardens, but Achillea “New Vintage Red” elevates this humble plant to garden star status.

This compact yarrow reaches just 12 inches to 14 inches tall, making it perfect for front-of-border placement where its rich ruby-red flat-topped flower clusters create a striking visual statement from early to mid-summer

The “New Vintage Red” cultivar maintains the legendary drought tolerance of its species while improving upon flowering intensity and colour retention. Unlike older red yarrow varieties that quickly fade to pink, this selection holds its deep red hue throughout its blooming period.

The feathery, aromatic foliage of this Achillea serves multiple purposes in the xeric garden. Its finely divided, fernlike leaves minimize water loss through evaporation while creating an attractive silver-green ground cover that naturally suppresses weeds.

The plant’s extensive but shallow root system makes it exceptional at harvesting even minimal rainfall, while its ability to spread gradually helps maintain soil moisture by reducing exposed soil.

Pollinators, especially native bees and butterflies, flock to the umbel blooms, and as an added bonus, the flowers dry beautifully on the plant, extending visual interest well into fall.

And then there’s the Echinacea. This striking coneflower variety represents the cutting edge of Echinacea breeding. “Red Ombre” produces large, daisy-like flowers with a gradient of colour in each flower head: intense red petals that fade to softer berry tones toward their tips, creating a dimensional colour effect that appears to shift throughout the day as light conditions change.

Growing 18 inches to 24 inches tall with strong, upright stems, “Red Ombre” blooms prolifically from midsummer into early fall.

Its drought tolerance comes from the impressive taproot that characterizes all coneflowers, allowing it to access deep soil moisture even during extended dry periods. While this cultivar may require slightly more water during its establishment than the other two plants discussed, once established it displays remarkable resilience during drought.

The stiff, slightly-hairy foliage reduces water loss through transpiration, and its native prairie genetics make it well-adapted to harsh conditions found here in the Okanagan, including intense heat, cold, and poor soils.

Beyond its water-wise properties, ‘Red Ombre’ offers exceptional habitat value. Butterflies and bees visit the flowers during bloom time, while birds flock to the seed heads in fall and winter if the spent flower heads are left on the plant.

These three red-flowering perennials demonstrate that xeric gardening need not sacrifice beauty or impact.

By combining different bloom times, Penstemon in late spring, Achillea in early summer, and Echinacea in mid to late summer, gardeners can create a succession of red blooms that provide continuous colour, while using minimal water resources.

Their varied heights, textures, and forms work together to create a drought-resistant garden that’s as visually compelling as it is ecologically sound.

Visit our plant database on our website at www.okanaganxeriscape.org for information on other species that flourish in areas of hot afternoon sun and poor soil.

As in years past, OXA will represent the Make Water Work campaign at nurseries throughout the Okanagan Valley and in the coming weeks will be onsite to answer any of your gardening and xeriscaping questions.

Mark your calendar to attend OXA’s plant sale May 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 840 Old Vernon Road in Kelowna. We will hold a member’s only pre-sale on Friday, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., so consider becoming a member for this and other valuable benefits outlined on our website.

The Okanagan Xeriscape Association is grateful for the ongoing financial support of the Okanagan Basin Water Board and is proud to collaborate on the Make Water Work campaign. Check out its Make Water Work plant list at www.makewaterwork.ca.

Sigrie Kendrick is a master gardener and executive-director of the Okanagan Xeriscape Association.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.