DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS Drought tolerant plants are beautiful and diverse as are the xeriscapes they can create. They are also valuable in helping to conserve water, lower your bills, and are often lower maintenance than other plants since they can usually take care of themselves. One caveat: many drought tolerant plants become drought tolerant once established. They will often require some irrigation through their first one or two summers to develop a strong, self-sufficient root system. Once they settle in, your water wise garden is good to go!