Adaptive mechanisms that ornamental plants can implement to cope with the challenge of drought stress. Also thanks to wide number of ornamental species, plants tolerant to drought stress implement a series of adaptations to acclimate to water scarcity, including morphological, physiological and biochemical changes. These changes include increases in the root/shoot ratio, growth reduction, modification in the leaf anatomy, and unit leaf size and total leaf area to limit water loss and protect the photosynthesis process. Furthermore, the effect of drought stress on photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence were analyzed. Information on recent acquisitions on mechanism of signal transduction and development of drought tolerance in ornamental plants are given. Finally, the review provides an analysis on drought-induced oxidative stress. The review purpose is to extend the knowledge of how drought may affect the morphological and physiological characteristics of plants and modify the aesthetic value, that is the key parameter of assessment of ornamental plants.