Climate Resilient Plants

A person who is resilient is tenacious and able to withstand adversity, recover from injury, adapt to change, and carry on. Like people, some plants are tougher or more adaptable than others. A resilient cultivated landscape has plants that are appropriate for the region and habitat, can take vicissitudes of heat, cold, and drought, perhaps survive periodic inundation. With erratic temperature swings and warmer winters broken by Arctic blasts and heavy winds, we consider plants that don’t need to overwinter flower buds. Record-breaking storms cause us to appreciate trees and shrubs that vigorously regenerate after trees crash down on them.

Plant choices are important, but employing sustainable practices, and emulating tightly integrated natural systems, help us create landscapes that recover after disturbance or injury and thrive long-term.

We highlight below select plants adaptable throughout the eastern half of the continent and in temperate climates elsewhere, along with some suggestions for Southern gardens.

Adaptable Eastern Native Plants We value the native plants around us that persist in abundance, showing themselves to be adapting well. Read more

Annuals for Heat & Humidity Some annuals flag during a hot and humid stretch, while others sail right through without skipping a beat. Read more

Heat & Drought-Tolerant Plants Plants have developed many adaptations to conserve water and photosynthesize efficiently in times of drought. Read more

Plants for Damp Soils While many plants will rot in persistently damp soil, others will thrive, preferring to be consistently moist. Read more

Plants for Heat & Humidity A muggy summer in New England pales in comparison with the prolonged heat and humidity throughout the deep South. Read more

Plants for Wet/Dry Fluctuations Plants have evolved with and adapted to all sorts of individual stressors. Read more

Trees & Shrubs for Blooms on New Growth Woody plants that form flower buds in the fall and bloom in spring may cheer our hearts with their early flowering. Read more