17 Drought-Tolerant Roses That Thrive in Arid Climates

It’s true. Some roses just don’t do well with limited water. However, there are varieties that have flourished for decades in abandoned sites, even in the dry Texas sun, with no supplemental irrigation. A water-wise rose garden is possible and achievable! It’s all about knowing the right roses and the right cultivation practices.

This article will be all about roses that will thrive in some of the driest conditions. But planting the right rose isn’t enough. First, let’s start with a few tips.

1. All plants, even drought-tolerant natives, need supplemental water to get established in their first year (unless you live in a very rainy climate).
2. Avoid hybrid teas. These roses don’t have the drought tolerance needed for dry climates.
3. Water deeply and infrequently. This encourages deep root growth.
4. When you water, do it in the morning to reduce evaporation from the day’s heat.
5. Every year in spring, add a layer of compost (as a nitrogen emitter) and top it with a layer of woodchip mulch around your roses. This combination will stabilize soil temperatures, retain moisture, and build healthy soil.

Keep these tips in mind, and don’t waste your time with fragile, short-lived roses. The beauties in this list will grow for you, even in arid climates. Ready to hear about some drought-tolerant varieties for your garden? Let’s get started!

‘Arctic Blue’

	botanical name Rosa ‘WEKblufytirar’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 4’ – 5’
	hardiness zones 5-9

‘Arctic Blue’ stands up to heat and drought beautifully. It has much sought-after purple tones, with smoky lilac petals and a showy cream reverse.

This is a shrub rose with prolific clusters of double-petaled flowers throughout summer. The rose buds are pink, developing icy purple tones as the blooms open and mature.

In hot weather, ‘Arctic Blue’ has a light and pretty citrus scent. The frilly flowers are eye-catching in bouquets. Plant this with lavender for a fragrant and soothing water-wise garden!

‘Orange Freedom’

	botanical name Rosa ‘ZARorfre’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun-Part Shade
	height 4’ – 6’
	hardiness zones 4-10

Sometimes, you just want a rose you know is going to bloom and bloom without a lot of fuss. Or perhaps all of the time? If this is you, try ‘Orange Freedom.’

This apricot to tangerine rose has lovely double blooms on a shrub reaching 4 to 6 feet tall. Plant several for an easy, low-maintenance hedge that provides lots of cheerful color all summer long.

‘Orange Freedom’ has a mildly spiced lemon scent. It looks striking paired with deep purple salvias or sedums, both of which can thrive in a low-water garden.

‘Iceberg’

	botanical name Rosa ‘KORbin’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 4’ – 12’
	hardiness zones 4-10

Do you love the look of glowing white moon gardens? Do you want a sophisticated backdrop for colorful annuals? ‘Iceberg,’ one of the world’s most popular roses, has full, snowy-white blooms all season long.

A recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit, this rose has proven itself in a wide variety of climates and conditions. Especially cold-hardy, it’s an excellent choice for gardeners with harsh winters and hot summers.

‘Iceberg’ is a versatile floribunda and can be trained as a midsized shrub or a climber up to 12 feet tall. It has a light sweet scent. Plant this for a beautiful and healthy specimen that will persevere when other plants struggle in the heat. If you crave a bit more color, try ‘Brilliant Pink Iceberg’ or ‘Burgundy Iceberg,’ both of which boast the same free-flowering qualities and drought tolerance.

‘Hansa’

	botanical name Rosa rugosa ‘Hansa’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 5’ – 7’
	hardiness zones 3-11

Rugosa roses are a hardy, rugged, drought-tolerant class. ‘Hansa’ is a particularly spectacular example, with large, double, magenta blooms and bushy forest-green foliage.

My neighbor has a ‘Hansa’ shrub, and I have to stop every time I pass by to inhale its intoxicating clove fragrance. This rose beautifully withstands the harsh heat and sun in summer and winter’s freezing winds and snow in our high desert climate.

‘Hansa’ develops into a large bush up to 7 feet tall. It will sucker and grow into a thicket if allowed to over time. It doesn’t mind harsh pruning if you want to keep it compact. Plant this for all-season interest: the fat, coral-red hips look stunning all winter and double as decor when used in indoor arrangements!

‘Perle d’Or’

	botanical name Rosa ‘Perle d’Or’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun-Part Shade
	height 4’ – 5’
	hardiness zones 6-9

Polyanthas are another vigorous and tough class to explore for drought-tolerant gardens. ‘Perle d’Or’ is an Earth-KindⓇ rose that’s been trialed and tested in completely no-spray, limited irrigation gardens during intense heat.

This rose is an heirloom variety from the late 1800s. It has a rich, sweet fragrance and pompon-shaped fluffy blooms in pale buff to apricot. It will even bloom well in dappled shade.

I love this rose for its slightly pointed petals, lovely scent, and disease resistance. French for “golden pearl,” ‘Perle d’Or’ is a stunning bloom machine.

‘Lemon Fizz’

	botanical name Rosa ‘KORfizzlem’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 3’ – 4’
	hardiness zones 5-11

If you’re not shy about color, try sunny ‘Lemon Fizz,’ part of Kordes’ Kolorscape collection. This rose has canary yellow semi-double blooms that cover the shrub from spring through frost.

Trialed and found to be highly drought-tolerant at UC Davis, this rose is a performer. What it lacks in fragrance is made up for by its floriferousness and vivid impact on the landscape.

‘Lemon Fizz’ is pure summer, with bright blooms that don’t fade under the sun’s harshest rays. Try it with coreopsis for an irrepressibly joyful palette, or soften it with pale blue flax. Easy care and enjoyed by the bees!

‘Cramoisi Supérieur’

	botanical name Rosa Indica caryophyllea
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun-Part Shade
	height 4’ – 6’
	hardiness zones 7-10

China roses are known for their ability to thrive despite limited water. ‘Cramoisi Supérieur’ is a stunning found China rose with romantic chalice-shaped flowers.

‘Cramoisi’s’ crimson blooms smell like raspberry jam and appear continuously in warm climates. It’s popular in the American South, where it provides nearly year-round color.

The brilliant red blooms don’t fade or scorch in the hot sun, and the petals feature a light, silver-streaked reverse that elevates the look. ‘Cramoisi’ will grow about 5 feet tall and just as wide. Plant it with a low-growing ground cover, and you’ll have a simple yet striking easy-care garden bed.

‘Seafoam’

	botanical name Rosa ‘Seafoam’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun-Part Shade
	height 2’ – 3’
	hardiness zones 4-9

I need this rose! An unusual ground cover rose with a gently weeping form, ‘Seafoam’ looks beautiful when spilling over border edges or in elegant container displays. The flowers appear in trailing clusters from spring through fall.

‘Seafoam’ has arching canes covered in ivory roses with a hint of light green. It stays under 3 feet tall and will thrive in shade or sun. The individual blooms are gorgeous for such a useful landscape variety, fully double and almost camelia-like in form.

I’m tempted to try ‘Seafoam’ in a hanging basket to display its loaded flower trusses and pretty glossy leaves. You can’t go wrong with this drought-tolerant Earth-KindⓇ rose. It has some pretty hefty thorns but doesn’t mind heavy pruning- it won’t even flinch at a swipe from the hedge trimmer. A tough and showy winner!

‘Pink Pavement’

	botanical name Rosa ‘HANbau’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun-Part Shade
	height 3’ – 5’
	hardiness zones 3-10

If you want the ruggedness of a rugosa rose in a smaller package, ‘Pink Pavement’ is your girl. The leathery green foliage resists drought, while the profuse deep pink blooms wow all season.

The blooms are large (4 inches across) and semi-double and look lovely when contrasted with the red buds. ‘Pink Pavement’ gets about 4 feet tall and gently spreads to fill a border. This is a reliable choice for an everblooming low hedge.

‘Pink Pavement’ has a light spiced floral scent and will develop cute red hips for continued winter interest. It’s highly resistant to both black spot and powdery mildew, even in humidity.

‘Lamarque’

	botanical name Rosa ‘Lamarque’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun-Part Shade
	height 8’ – 15’
	hardiness zones 7-10

‘Lamarque’ is a gorgeous noisette climber with pale lemony centers and luminous white outer rose petals. Blooms appear in robust flushes all summer and will continue into winter in year-round warm regions.

Named for the French General immortalized in Les Misérables, ‘Lamarque’ is a sturdy climber reaching up to 15 feet tall. It has long, graceful canes smothered in ruffled blooms that steal the show when trained over an arbor or up a trellis.

This antique noisette rose needs infrequent water after its first year. The flowers have a delicious scent of lemons and whipped cream. Unfortunately for me, ‘Lamarque’ is not made for northern climates. Give it some winter protection if you experience freezing temperatures, and it will reward you with decades of blooms.  

‘American Pillar’

	botanical name Rosa ‘American Pillar’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 10’ – 24’
	hardiness zones 4-9

‘American Pillar’ produces almost hydrangea-like clusters of bright raspberry pink roses with a contrasting white eye. It produces one jaw-dropping display that lasts for nearly 4 weeks in midsummer.

This is an iconic rambler that grows up to 24 feet tall! Make sure you have plenty of space, and help it by attaching its canes via ties to a heavy-duty trellis or arbor (it will even grow up trees!).

‘American Pillar’ single blooms and pleasing golden stamens are a favorite of pollinators and gardeners. It produces lots of dark green foliage that is attractive even when not in bloom, and its nearly bullet-proof performance has made this a beloved rose since the 1910s.

‘Coral Drift’

	botanical name Rosa ‘MEIdrifora’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun-Part Shade
	height 1.5’ – 2.5’
	hardiness zones 4-11

This little rose’s fragile looks are deceiving. Though a mini shrub, it is drought-tolerant, winter-hardy, and all-around tough as nails.

‘Coral Drift’ will stop traffic planted en masse. The profuse double blooms have a gorgeous, vase-worthy form and are bright salmon pink. The shrub is bushy and vigorous.

Try it interplanted with nasturtiums and kniphofia for a water-wise border with lots of color, or stick ‘Coral Drift’ into any spot that needs livening up. If you like a softer color scheme, try ‘Apricot Drift’ for the same compact form and hardiness with light pink blooms.

‘Sombreuil’

	botanical name Rosa ‘Sombreuil’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 8’ – 12’
	hardiness zones 6-11

If you want a spectacular climbing rose that can handle drought and is easy to train, try the enchanting ‘Sombreuil.’ This climber grows up to 12 feet but doesn’t produce difficult-to-wrangle octopus canes like other varieties.

‘Sombreuil’ flowers densely, with small, frilly blooms in ivory tinted with blush. It has a romantic antique look and a luscious green apple perfume. I love it most in the moonlight, where the fluffy flowers look almost iridescent. Aside from its good looks, this rose resists black spot and powdery mildew and needs little water past the first year.

With a long list of awards to its name, ‘Sombreuil’ is a tried-and-true favorite. Grow it up a pillar near your front porch, where its wafting fragrance will welcome guests. If this lovely plant enchants your guests, tell them it’s named for French Revolutionary heroine Mlle. de Sombreuil, et voilà, ice broken! Be prepared for lots of compliments with this one. 

‘Harison’s Yellow’

	botanical name Rosa ‘CHEwpatout’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	height 3’ – 8’
	hardiness zones 3-9

‘Harison’s Yellow,’ a vibrant golden yellow, was mistakenly thought to be a native rose by Texans who spotted it growing abundantly on neglected sites.

The truth is that this rose was so treasured by pioneers traveling west from New York in the 1800s that they carried it with them in their wagons. Its history gave it the nicknames “Oregon Trail Rose” and the “Yellow Rose of Texas.”

You can still find ‘Harison’s Yellow’ shining in untended locations along the Oregon Trail. It withstands punishing heat, drought, and complete neglect. It’s a proven survivor that looks beautiful in water-wise gardens, especially when contrasted with violet-hued delphiniums and asters.

‘Harison’s Yellow’ has sunny, semi-double flowers and matching gold stamens that give the bees easy access. It grows up to 8 feet tall and will slowly spread just as wide if you allow it. If you love American history and bright colors, this is a must-have!

‘Nootka’

	botanical name Rosa ‘Nutkana’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun-Part Shade
	height 6’ – 10’
	hardiness zones 3-10

The evidence is clear: If you want a drought-resistant garden, native plants are the way to go. The good news is that most regions have a native rose that looks beautiful despite little water, needs no chemical sprays, and serves as a food source for wildlife.

From northern New Mexico to Alaska, gardeners should check out ‘Nootka Rose.’ It has delicate-looking shell pink blooms with deeper centers, accented by yellow stamens. Blooms appear in one breathtaking flush from May to July.

This informal, thicket-forming rose is great for a privacy barrier. Since it can spread aggressively, it’s best for large properties or those who don’t mind a yearly heavy pruning to keep it under control.

When managed, it is beautiful in the landscape even in winter, when its copious hips provide forage for birds. ‘Nootka’ has a nice wild rose scent and loads of woodland charm.

‘Spice’

	botanical name Rosa ‘Spice’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun-Part Shade
	height 3’ – 6’
	hardiness zones 7-9

‘Spice’ is named for its tantalizing peppery fragrance. It has an old-fashioned ruffled aesthetic, with pale blush double blooms. Believed to originate in China, it’s one of the  Bermuda “Mystery Roses” (a group discovered in Bermuda with unknown provenance) that does particularly well in hot climates.

‘Spice’ earned the Earth-KindⓇ designation for performance in drought conditions. It is an attractive shrub at 6 feet tall and flowers continuously, unbothered by pests and disease.

The flowers begin to blush pink and fade to white in the sun. ‘Spice’ plays well with others and looks lovely with pastel Dianthus. You’ll want to cut this one often to bring fragrant bouquets indoors.

‘Marie Daly’

	botanical name Rosa ‘Marie Daly’
	plant type Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun-Part Shade
	height 3’ – 4’
	hardiness zones 6-11

‘Marie Daly’ has a deceptively dainty appearance, with generous flushes of small double flowers in mauve pink. It’s actually a resilient and vigorous polyantha that flowers continuously throughout the summer.

Named in honor of the first African-American woman to earn her doctorate in chemistry in the US, ‘Marie Daly’ is a dignified and graceful performer in the garden. It needs no chemical sprays to resist aphids and spider mites and will even persevere in the shade.

This carefree rose has a delightful musky scent and nearly thornless canes! It’s excellent for small spaces, where its tidy, compact growth form never outcompetes other plants. ‘Marie’ is a charming and useful rose for landscaping. Try it mass-planted or make it pop alongside drought-friendly echinacea.