Best Dry Climate Plants for Your Household

If you live somewhere where drier climates are the norm, or you simply want indoor plants that will do well inside your home despite dry air, you definitely want to look for plants equipped to handle it. 🌿🌿🌿

What are Dry Climate Plants?

Dry climate plants––sometimes dubbed drought-tolerant or drought-resistant––are plants that can handle long periods of time with little to no water for weeks at a time yet still thrive. Keep reading for our list of 18 of the best dry climate plants for your home. 

Areca Palm

Areca Palm also called the Cane, Yellow Butterfly, or Feather Palm is a palm tree. The Areca Palm is known for being one of the best drought-tolerant plants partially because they are heat resistant. Palm trees are great because they don’t require much maintenance, as long as they get ample sunlight and enough water. Not only are these palm trees hardy and grow well even in dry air, when placed indoors, but they can also increase the room’s humidity levels. This plant is also ideal for apartments and condos because they are one of the best purifying house plants.

However, always strive to maintain moistness, especially during the spring and summer growing season. Areca Palms can grow up to 20 feet tall in the ground––6 to 7 feet potted––and require regular repotting to increase space. 

Photo by Erl

2. Wax Plant 

Wax plants (AKA Hoya Carnosa) are characterized by their thick leaves that have a waxy appearance and texture. They’re ideal for growing in dry climates because they don’t require a lot of water. They can grow to be quite tall, with rope-like stems that survive easily, storing water when needed for times of drought. But considering its origins, it’s surprising that it is not one of those plants that like full sun and heat. Instead, it thrives on dappled light. The Hoya Carnosa Jade, in particular, is one of the best plants for beginners because it thrives in normal household temperatures. To thrive, this plant needs to be planted in well-circulated and well drained soil.

3. Jade Plant

Jade plants are another plant known to increase indoor humidity levels. Not only that, but most of its evapotranspiration––the process of transferring water from soil to environment––takes place while it’s dark. This quality makes it an excellent plant to use during the darker months of the year to help increase indoor humidity. The Jade Plant is originally from Africa, so it is also one of the best drought tolerant plants. 

To promote the growth of a Jade plant, be sure to place it in a bright spot. Water it heavily during the summer and spring season, and it can go long stretches between watering in the fall and winter months. 

Photo by Girlboss

4. Clivia 

Clivia is a native plant of South Africa and is distinguished by its bell-shaped flowers. It is a flowering plant with stunning orange flowers that brighten up any room they’re placed in. They are relatively low maintenance and can thrive even if you forget to water them on occasion. That’s a win for dry and arid locales! 

5. Spineless Yucca 

One of the most well-known tropical plants in Mexico, the Spineless Yucca is a unique plant that thrives in neutral and dry conditions. It loves indirect sunlight too, and nice, even-keeled temps of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the topsoil dries out, that usually means it’s time to water. However, be sure to check our app if you aren’t sure! Our goal is to remove all the guesswork when it comes to watering and caring for your plants.

Photo by Chapps88

6. English Ivy 

English Ivy is a very fast-growing plant with comparatively low maintenance and more drought-tolerant than you might expect once it’s been established. However, one of the best qualities of English Ivy is its remarkably high transpiration rates. It can also survive and cold low light conditions, making it one of the most resilient houseplants.

These transpiration rates significantly increase humidity levels in a room and also help to lower the carbon monoxide content in the air. 

The beauty of English Ivy is that it can grow in the shade equally as well as full sun. For best results, consider using a hanging container as a home for your English Ivy and prune as needed.  

7. Arrowhead Vine

The Arrowhead Vine is a classic indoor plant that has been a popular choice for years now. It is perfectly suited to dry weather and is considered a climbing vine. Arrowhead vines are characterized by arrowhead-shaped leaves and do well in both direct and indirect sun.

Looking for detailed, step-by-step instructions on watering your plants? By using physics and machine learning to predict the water needs of any plant in any environment, the Greg plant care app will help you grow healthy plants with confidence. Download the app today! 🌵🌵🌵

8. Lady Palm 

Like most other palm trees, Lady Palms are a low-maintenance plant ideal for dry conditions. They do, however, require bright light to thrive. Don’t despair though, they can still adjust to low-light situations, albeit slowly. Be sure to water your Lady Palm whenever the soil’s surface feels dry to the touch in order to prevent overwatering and rotting. 

9. Aloe

Aloe is a plant that grows and thrives in almost any situation, even if you forget to water it for days. This is because Aloe is also a desert plant, similar to a cactus, with a high transpiration rate. Needless to say, this compact plant knows how to adjust to its environment!

Photo by Brennanarnold

10. Rubber Plant 

A Rubber plant is a tropical plant with a very high transpiration rate, making it ideal for homes in dry climates. This plant loves to stay nestled under partial shade and partial sun and is easy to maintain. Like the Lady Palm, it only requires watering once the soil feels dry on the surface, and can go for quite some time in between waterings. Rubber plants also adjust well to cooler weather changes, which is nice if your winters get cold.

11. Ox Tongue

Even though the name is rather strange, the plant itself is not. Ox Tongues are actually hardy, low-maintenance annuals or perennials that don’t require a lot of direct sunlight or water to survive and thrive. With pretty yellow blooms and bright green leaves, they are lovely to look at, too! 

12. Kalanchoes

Kalanchoes are beautiful flowering plants with small clusters of flowers that grow within lush green leaves. It can do extremely well in dry climates, with low humidity and water requirements. In fact, it’s a lot harder to underwater a Kalanchoes than it is to overwater! So be careful in your watering habits, or check Greg App to ensure you’re caring for this plant properly. 

13. Peace Lily 

Peace Lilies are tropical evergreens designed to live under the hot sun, and need a lot of said sunshine to thrive. Peace Lilies also require moist soil at all times. However, like the Kalanchoes, it’s much better to underwater than to overwater the soil of a Peace Lily. Also, be careful if you own a cat, as Peace Lilies can be toxic to our feline friends. 

14. String of Pearls 

As the name suggests, this beautiful plant has loads of small round-shaped objects on its vines and stems, giving it the appearance of a string of pearls. The dangling stems of the String of Pearls can grow quite long but are mostly wrapped around each other. This succulent is a hanging plant and flourishes in dry, warm climates. It’s also more vulnerable to overwatering, so when in doubt, don’t!

Photo by Itsfabiii

15. Boston Fern

Boston Ferns are beautiful, lush green plants that are ideal for bringing moisture into dry air. They even have some air-purifying properties as well. However, it does require more care than some of the other dry climate plants we’ve discussed. 

Boston Ferns need to be watered just enough so that the soil is always a little moist but not too wet. They also require quite a bit of indirect sunlight to flourish. If your Boston Fern is struggling with the climate, you can try misting the leaves with water to keep them hydrated. 

16. Silver Squill

The lovely Silver Squill plant comes with beautiful, thin-shaped leaves. This plant is designed to withstand dry climates easily, but must be grown in well-drained, rich soil. Indirect sunlight is also best for this little plant, and be sure not to place it near your AC. Otherwise, brrr! 

17. Spider Plant

Spider plants are one of the best dry climate plants and can help to increase humidity levels indoors. Spider plants are easy to grow and don’t require much care, making them great for newbies. 

Additionally, this plant is best suited for growing in bright, indirect sunlight and requires moist soil that is well-drained enough not to become soggy. Keep in mind that Spider plants can grow quite long, so it’s best to plant them in hanging containers.

Photo by Medhatter

18. Golden Pothos

Also called Devil’s Ivy or Vine, Golden Pothos is a beautiful––you guessed it––vine plant. It is ideal for survival in dry environments, and some might say virtually impossible to kill. That’s excellent news if you’re new to the plant world and are still learning how best to care for your greenery. 

While the Golden Pothos can go a long time without freshwater or light and still survive, it loves to grow under the hot sun best. Its water needs are minimal, however, and our app can help guide you in how best to care for it successfully/

There you have it! While this list is certainly not exhaustive, these are some of the best dry climate plants you can find, perfect for warm, arid locales and environments and inside your home. Even better, by using the Greg app, we make knowing exactly how to care for them a breeze! If you are curious about the best indoor plants for cold weather or best fertilizer for indoor plants, we can answer those questions, too. Who knew being a plant-parent could be so fun?