Oh gosh, there's lots!! Probably too many to list, especially in a mild climate like zone 7. I'd suggest doing a Google search and narrowing the scope to something regional - plants that do well in a hot and humid southern zone 7 won't necessarily perform as well in a cooler NW zone 7 and vice versa. Most of the bigger extension services will have published lists as well as places like High Country Gardens, BHG, various nursery websites and others.

One word of warning.....it's important to understand that drought tolerance is not immediate. Even the most xeric of plants will require regular deep waterings to get established, generally for the first couple of growing seasons. After full establishment is when the plants can be expected to survive without significant supplemental irrigation and even that may be necessary in periods of extended heat and drought.

Don't forget ornamental grasses - these are often not included in lists of perennials but many are very drought tolerant once established in the garden.

Here is a link that might be useful: here's one link to get you started....

1.) Thornless Prickly Pear Cactus
2.) Echinacea Tennesseensis
3.) Yucca flaccida 'Gold Garland'
4.) Echinacea Pallida
5.) Echinacea Paradoxa
6.) Red Yucca Hesperaloe parviflora
7.) Butterfly Weed (Asclepias Tuberosa)

At my old apartment I had a flower bed on the south side of the house right against a blacktop driveway. Needless to say it was very hot and dry. I had great luck with coreopsis (I don't know the variety; it was from starts given to me by my grandmother from plants she'd grown since the '40's, a lance-leaved type with single yellow-gold flowers). Rose campion also grew there like a champ, as did "May Night" Salvia.

Fairycat, that is probably Coreopsis verticillata - Threadleaf Coreopsis. Another drought-tolerant one is Sand Coreopsis, C. lanceolata.

The garden in the corner of the front yard is one of the sunniest, driest, sandiest parts of my yard. It is near the road so it gets reflected heat from the pavement. I wanted to plant the most drought-tolerant plants there, so once established they would rarely if ever need to be watered. Here's what I'm growing -

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Threadleaf Coreopsis
Mexican hat (Ratibida columnifera)
Gaillardia, several varieties
Baptisia
Iris
Daylilies
Missouri Evening Primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa)
Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolis heterolepis)
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

For annuals, I am growing Zinnia haageana 'Persian Carpet', Cosmos sulphureus 'Bright Lights', and Bunny Tails grass (Lagurus ovatus), which are also supposed to be super drought-tolerant.

I have penstemons, some salvias, helianthemum, sedums, thyme, daylilies and bearded iris in my dry, sandy bed.

Plants with gray leaves are a good bet: lambs ears, some salvias, lychnis (rose campion) to name a few. Roses are quite drought tolerant if you give them good soil to begin with. The secret, really, is good soil, and plenty of mulch. With these, you can grow a host of plants in your zone, though not the same ones as they grow up north.

I would recommend a book to you: Pamela Harper's Thirty Years in a Four Season Garden. She gardens in zone 7 in sand, and she lists multitudes of plants for your zone. She will not steer you wrong.

One more not mentioned above: yarrows. The variety 'Moonshine' is especially nice. Mine tends to flop but I think it's because my soil is too rich. It should actually stand up better in your hot lean sand. :)

In addition to those mentioned:

Nepetas, Pardancandas, Belamcanda, Callirhoes, Salvias, Ziziphora, Rattlesnake Master (can't remember the botanical name), Peonies, Echinops, and just about anything that is sold by High Country Gardens.

We had one of the worst droughts in history here in North Carolina, zone 7, most of last year. There are so many plants suitable for drought tolerance (once established).

I have the additional challenge of needing deer resistance, rabbit resistance and Japanese Beetle resistance. I blog about my garden and most entries will include some status on deer and drought tolerance.

Favorites (not all perennials)
Nepeta
Salvia
asclepias
spirea
ice plant
stachys
buddleia
snapdragons

Cameron

Here is a link that might be useful: gardening blog

persicaria lance corporal
perilla
cryptotaenia
epimedium
japnese painted fern
euonymus
leucothoe
shrub lonicera

My list for drought-bound zone 7:

- Achillea 'Coronation Gold'
- Agastache foeniculum 'Golden Jubillee'
- Ornamental grasses (calamagrostis, muhlenbergia, stipa, in particular)
- Callirhoe involucrata
- Caryopteris 'Summer Sorbet'
- Chrysanthemum 'Country Girl'
- Coreopsis 'Autumn Blush'
- Coreopsis 'Creme Brulee'
- Delosperma 'Kelaidis'
- Eryngium yuccafolium
- Euphorbia corollata
- Gaillardia aristata 'Fanfare'
- Oenothera 'Lemon Drop'
- Oreganum laevigatum 'Herrenhausen'
- Oreganum vulgare 'Aureum'
- Perovskia 'Little Spires'
- Perovskia 'Longin'
- Rosmarinus officinalis
- Salvia greggi 'Cherry Queen'
- Salvia leucantha
- Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips'
- Salvia microphylla 'Wild Watermelon'
- Salvia nemerosa 'Caradonna'
- Salvia nemerosa 'May Night'
- Salvia officinalis (culinary sage)
- Salvia x 'Maraschino'
- Saponaria ocymoides
- Sedum kamtschaticum
- Sedum spurium 'Red Carpet'
- Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
- Sedum 'Frosty Morn'
- Sedum 'Purple Emperor'
- Sempervivum 'Sunset'
- Setcresea purpurea 'Purple Heart'
- Stokesia laevis 'Peachey'
- Thymus serphyllum
- Tulbaghia violacea
- Verbena bonariensis

Thanks to all for the great info on drought resistant perenials in zone 7-- you guys really know what you are talking about. This is my first time on this site and I'm very apreciative.

It's definitely not threadleaf, as the leaves are broad and slightly "hairy." I'm pretty sure it's a variety of coreopsis lanceolata. My grandma called it the "Bill Avan flower" after the man who gave her the seeds :).