Plants for Sandy Soil

Trees for dry, sandy soil

UMN Extension’s dry-soil tree list. These trees can grow in dry or sandy conditions (Anoka Sand Plain) and need minimal water once established.^[1] The conifers on it are evergreen: the firs (Abies) and spruces (Picea) hold their needles year round, so they also screen and shelter in winter.

Perennials, grasses and shrubs for sandy soil

Across UMN’s other tough-site lists, these entries carry a soil note that names sand. The last column shows the UMN list each came from^[1]:

Can lavender grow in sandy soil?

Yes, and sand is close to ideal. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension calls sandy, sandy-loam or gravelly soils ideal for lavender, because it needs sharp drainage, above all through winter, which is where heavy, poorly drained ground fails it^[2].

Lavender also prefers a higher pH, so the lean, faster-draining sand that frustrates thirstier plants suits it well^[2]. If your own soil reads acidic, check what your address maps to on the soil pH map and, if needed, see how to raise soil pH.

Can rosemary grow in sandy soil?

Yes. The UC Statewide IPM Program notes rosemary does well on many soils, especially well-drained ones, which is exactly what sand gives you^[3]. Aim for a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5, a touch more acidic than lavender likes^[3].

Working in some organic matter makes both clay and sandy soils easier to garden^[3]. On sand that mostly means better moisture and nutrient holding while the plant roots in.

Plants for dry shade

Dry shade, under trees or on the north side of a building, is a different tough site from open sand, and it is one of the hardest to plant. The list below is UMN Extension’s own selection for dry soil in shade or under trees, so treat it as a dry-shade list, not one tested on sand^[1].

For spreading ground cover in that dry shade, UMN’s list names ajuga, wild ginger, lily-of-the-valley, sweet woodruff, dead nettle and periwinkle^[1]. The rest of the list runs to columbine, goatsbeard, bergenia, foxglove and spring bulbs such as daffodil, snowdrops and Siberian squill^[1].

This is a Minnesota selection, so check that each plant is hardy where you garden before you buy. For turf in sun, see the best grass for sandy soil.

Carrots and root crops in sandy soil

Sand is friendly to carrots and other root crops. Hard, heavy or rocky soil makes roots fork and twist, so the best soil for well-shaped carrots is a light sandy loam, cleared of stones^[4][5]. Carrots want a soil pH of 6 to 7^[5].

Heavier clay works too, but only where it is well drained and not compacted, and parsnips in particular dislike heavy clay or silt^[5]. On loose sand the real job is keeping water and nutrients up to the crop, which is where organic matter comes in.

Cover crops and organic matter for sand

Every 1% of organic matter you add stores more water, and the gain is greatest in sandy soils^[6]. The rates and products are in how to improve sandy soil.

An off-season cover crop is another way to build that organic matter, lifting structure and infiltration while legumes add nitrogen^[7]. For which species to sow and when, see how to improve garden soil.

Sandy loam vs sand

“Sandy soil” covers a wide span, and the difference matters for what you can grow. In USDA’s survey, pure sand holds a median of 0.84 inches of water per foot of depth, while sandy loam holds 1.6 inches, about double^[8]. That is why sandy loam is the easier garden soil and the target carrots like.

Drainage runs the other way. Sand moves water at a median of about 13 inches per hour (92 µm/s), roughly three times as fast as sandy loam’s 4.0 in/hr (28 µm/s)^[8]. Only about 11% of mapped sand is rated well drained, against 70% of sandy loam, so pure sand is the drier, more drought-prone end of the range^[8].

See the texture classes sand and sandy loam for the full profiles, or improve sandy soil to close the gap.

Lawn grass for sand

For turf rather than beds, the drought-tolerant lawn grasses for sand, by climate, are in the best grass for sandy soil.

Helping plants establish in sand

Sandy soil holds little water or nutrients, so even drought-tough plants settle in faster with some organic matter. For which compost and amendments to add, and how much, see how to improve sandy soil.

Where sandy soils are

Nationally, 31% of classified US topsoil acres are sandy, but the share is far higher in some states, the places where plant choice for sand matters most. The ten states with the largest sandy share (among states with at least 500 classified components):^[8]

Download the data: texture groups by state (CSV). Figures aggregated from USDA SSURGO^[8]; data generated 2026-10-07. See the methodology.

Frequently asked questions

What trees grow best in sandy soil?

University of Minnesota Extension’s dry-soil tree list (for dry or sandy sites) names bur oak, hackberry, honeylocust, red maple, river birch and white spruce, among others, all able to grow with minimal water once established^[1]. The full list of 14 trees is above.

What perennials grow in sandy soil?

Yarrow, blue flax, butterfly weed, purple coneflower and catmint are among the UMN entries whose own soil note names sand^[1].

What ornamental grasses grow in sand?

Prairie dropseed, sheep fescue and sand dropseed are the grasses on UMN’s sand-named lists, each noted for dry or sandy sites^[1].

What grows in sandy soil with high pH?

Four plants sit on both UMN’s dry and sandy lists and its alkaline-soil list (pH 7–8): hackberry, honeylocust, bur oak and purple coneflower^[1].

Can lavender grow in sandy soil?

Yes. University of Maine Extension calls sandy, sandy-loam or gravelly soils ideal for lavender, because it needs sharp drainage, especially over winter, and it prefers a higher pH^[2]. Heavy clay or poorly drained ground is where it fails^[2].

Can rosemary grow in sandy soil?

Yes. Rosemary does well on many soils, especially well-drained ones, at a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5^[3]. A little organic matter makes sandy soil easier to work while it establishes^[3].

What ground cover grows in dry shade?

UMN Extension’s list for dry soil in shade or under trees names ajuga, wild ginger, lily-of-the-valley, sweet woodruff, dead nettle and periwinkle as spreading ground covers^[1]. It is a dry-shade list, not tested on sand, and it is a Minnesota selection, so check hardiness.

Should you add sand to soil for carrots?

No need to add sand if your soil is already light. Carrots fork and twist in hard, heavy or rocky soil, so the goal is a loose, stone-free bed, and a light sandy loam at pH 6 to 7 is the best soil for straight roots^[4][5]. Heavy clay works only if it is well drained and uncompacted^[5].

Next steps

For how sandy soils behave, see the USDA texture classes sand, loamy sand and sandy loam. For clay instead, see plants for clay soil.

How we built these lists

• The lists are transcribed from University of Minnesota Extension’s The Best Plants for 30 Tough Sites (2007), a set of Minnesota Master Gardener selections^[1].
• We left out ash (Fraxinus), Japanese barberry and honeysuckle (Lonicera) from the 2007 lists.
• Botanical spellings are corrected where the source misprints them (Aquilegia, Crataegus crus-galli).
• These are Minnesota selections, so check hardiness for your area.