34 Low Maintenance Full Sun Perennials

Low-maintenance perennials that tolerate full sun are ideal for landscaping your front or backyard. Full-sun perennial bulbs and flowers are typically easy to care for, requiring minimal attention and pruning to grow and bloom. The beautiful, low-maintenance, full-sun perennials return year after year, filling gardens with color, texture, and beautiful flowers.

Planting low-maintenance perennials can eliminate much of the arduous work of caring for a garden. Easy-care bulbs and flowers that withstand harsh direct sunlight and require little attention make gardening easy. Numerous low-maintenance perennials offer a range of vibrant colors and textures to enhance your outdoor space.

This article explores 34 of the best low-maintenance full-sun perennials. These stunning flowering plants will help transform your garden into a stunning oasis without much work.

What are Perennial Plants?

Perennials are plants that live more than two years. They survive in the ground through winter and regrow each spring from the same roots. Unlike annuals—which die in winter—perennial plants persist through multiple growing seasons, showcasing a wide range of flowers, foliage, and forms. Perennials contribute to sustainable landscapes with their enduring nature.

What are Evergreen Perennials?

Evergreen perennials are long-lived plants that do not shed their leaves during the winter. They provide continuous foliage, offering visual interest in the garden throughout all seasons.

Evergreen Perennials Vs. Evergreen Shrubs

Evergreen perennials have a herbaceous (non-woody) structure, persisting throughout the year and do not shed their leaves in winter. They encompass smaller, herbaceous plants like groundcovers and flowers. In contrast, evergreen shrubs, characterized by woody stems, are larger and more permanent, ranging from small to tree-like in size. Both offer year-round greenery but differ in size and structural permanence, contributing distinct elements to garden landscapes.

What are the Advantages of Growing Low Maintenance Perennials?

The main advantage of growing low-demand perennials is they require less time and effort for upkeep. The resilient, hardy, enduring plants flower every year. They typically don’t require deadheading, dividing, or fertilizing to thrive in garden landscapes. Therefore, low-maintenance perennials are ideal for busy individuals who want consistent beauty and color in gardens.

How to Choose Perennials for the Best Blooming Period and Diversity

When selecting the best carefree perennials, choose plants with various blooming times and evergreen foliage. For example, mixing early, mid, and late bloomers ensures continuous color in your front or backyard. Also, choose plants with various heights, colors, and textures to create visual interest and enhance your open space.

To enjoy resilient perennials in your yard year after year, research their optimal growing conditions. For example, considering the USDA hardiness zone, mature size, and soil type is vital for choosing easygoing perennials that bloom throughout the seasons.

For example, bulbous perennials can fill yards with color in late winter and early spring. Perennial plants can add color, texture, and vertical appeal in summer and fall. And choosing evergreen perennials ensures your front or backyard looks lush and healthy throughout the year.

34 Low Maintenance Full Sun Perennials

Here are descriptions and pictures of 34 perennials for full sun that require minimal upkeep. These best plants thrive in at least six hours of direct sunlight and survive winter conditions.

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

Black-eyed Susan is an easy-care, resilient, full-sun perennial known for its bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with dark centers. These cheerful blooms can measure up to 3” (7.5 cm) across and grow at the top of tall, erect stems. The perennial plant has narrow, lanceolate leaves with toothed margins.

This low-maintenance, black-eyed Susans grow up to 3 ft. (0.9 m) tall. The perennial spreads through self-seeding and rhizomes, filling landscapes with bright colors year after year. They are also hardy and adapt to most soil conditions. Black-eyed Susan is perfect for perennial borders, cottage gardens, and wildflower meadows.

The easy-care perennial flowers attract butterflies and bees, making them a great addition to pollinator gardens.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Blooming time: Early summer to fall
• Flower Color: Yellow
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: A range of soil types, but best is well-draining, organically rich soil
• Mature Size: 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 – 0.9 m)

Coneflower (Echinacea)

Coneflowers are tough, easy-to-grow perennials with stunning daisy-like cone-shaped flowers for growing in direct sunlight. The tall flowers bloom in late spring through to late fall with pink, purple, white, yellow and orange flowers. The flower’s petals droop around a central spiky cone, giving it a unique and eye-catching appearance. Its leaves are long and slender.

Coneflowers can grow up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall. The resilient perennials rarely require fertilizing and deadheading encourages reblooming throughout summer. In addition to their beauty, coneflowers tolerate drought, heat, humidity, and poor soil. Coneflowers perform well to add height and color to borders, wildflower gardens, and pollinator gardens.

• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 9
• Blooming Time: Late spring until the first frost
• Flower Colors: Pink, purple, white, yellow, and orange
• Light: Full sun or light shade
• Soil: Well-draining, adaptable to various soil types
• Mature Size: 1 to 4 ft. (0.3 to 1.2 m) tall and up to 3 ft. (0.9 m) wide

Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)

Panicle hydrangea is a stunning flowering perennial sun-loving shrub with conical, showy flower clusters. This tough, easy-care shrub blooms in mid-summer. Its leaves are dark green with serrated edges, providing an attractive backdrop to the white or pink flowers. The hardy hydrangeas can withstand cold winters and hot summers.

Panicle hydrangeas grow up to 20 ft. (6 m) tall, making it a great choice for adding height and structure to low-maintenance gardens. Its showy flowers and dense deciduous foliage make it ideal as an accent plant, perennial border, screen, or container plant. Additionally, hydrangeas attract butterflies and bees, making them ideal for pollinator gardens.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 8
• Blooming Time: Mid-summer to late fall
• Flower Color: White, turning pink
• Light: Full sun or partial sun
• Soil: Well-draining, organically rich, moist soil and is drought-tolerant when established
• Mature Size: 8 to 20 ft. (2.4 – 6 m) tall and 6 to 8 ft. (1.8 – 2.4 m) wide

Peony (Paeonia spp.)

Peonies are no-fuss perennials with large, showy flowers and a delightful fragrance. Peony shrubs have lush, green foliage with deeply cut leaves. They produce stunning single and double blooms in shades of pink, red, white, and yellow. Once established, they require minimal care to bloom, with spectacular floral displays every spring and summer.

Peonies can grow up to 3 ft. (0.9 m) tall and wide, thriving in at least six hours of sunlight daily. The low-maintenance, long-lived shrubs require minimal pruning and fertilizing. Peony shrubs are perfect for planting an informal hedge, specimen plant, or perennial border.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 8
• Blooming Time: Late spring to early summer
• Flower Colors: Pink, red, white, yellow, orange, multicolored, and maroon
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Well-draining, fertile soil
• Mature Size: 2 to 3 ft. (0.6 – 0.9 m) tall and wide

Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Russian sage is an uncomplicated flowering, aromatic perennial plant. It features tubular lavender-blue flowers on long, slender spikes. The pretty flowers are densely packed on the stems, creating a stunning display contrasting with the finely dissected, aromatic, silver-gray leaves. Russian sage grows up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall.

Russian Sage is great for adding height and color to borders, cottage gardens, and xeriscapes. It tolerates freezing winters, heat, and drought. The purple-flowering plant naturalizes easily without becoming invasive.

• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 9
• Blooming Time: Mid-summer to fall
• Flower Color: Lavender-blue
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining soil
• Mature Size: 1 to 4 ft. (0.3 – 1.2 m) tall and wide

Stonecrop ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ (Sedum ‘Little Miss Sunshine’)

Stonecrop ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ is a compact and low-growing perennial that adds a pop of yellow color to sunny gardens. Blooming in summer, this clump-forming perennial produces clusters of star-shaped, yellow flowers. It has small, thick, rounded leaves that are bright green and glossy. This yellow-flowering perennial grows under 1 foot (0.3 m) tall.

Stonecrop flowers stand above the mounding foliage on sturdy stems. Its tolerance to drought and poor soil makes it a great addition to sun-filled yards. You can easily grow the perennial as ground cover or for adding color to perennial borders, rock gardens, or pathway edging.

Its compact size makes it a great choice for drought-prone small gardens or spaces.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Blooming Time: Throughout summer
• Flower Color: Yellow
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining, adaptable to various soil types, and drought-tolerant when established
• Mature Size: 6” to 8” (15 – 20 cm) tall and up to 24” (60 cm) wide

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)

Creeping phlox is a low-growing, spreading perennial producing a carpet of colorful pink or purple flowers in full-sun conditions. The vibrant five-petalled blooms cover the spreading plant, filling gardens with color. The evergreen perennial has small, narrow leaves, and its robust root system is ideal for suppressing weeds or soil erosion control.

Creeping phlox grows up to 6” (15 cm) tall. Once established, the sun-loving perennial requires no maintenance. Blooming for four weeks in late spring, the plant is ideal as a drought-tolerant, minimal-care groundcover, garden edging, bedding, or hanging baskets.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Blooming Time: Spring
• Flower Colors: Pink, purple, blue, white, depending on the variety
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Most well-draining soil types
• Mature Size: 4” to 6” (10 – 15 cm) tall and 24” (60 cm) wide

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Lavender is a purple-blooming fragrant, versatile perennial herb with aromatic foliage. The bluish-purple or lavender flowers grow on upright stems and bloom for several weeks from mid-summer. Its fragrant gray-green leaves are narrow and clustered together on the flowering stems. Lavender plants can grow up to 3 ft. (0.9 m) tall.

The easy-to-grow, bushy, compact perennials thrive in hot, dry conditions and are highly drought-tolerant. Their ornamental value makes the purple shrubs ideal for borders, rock gardens, herb gardens, or container planting. In addition to its ornamental value, aromatic lavender is useful in cooking and baking.

• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
• Blooming Time: Early summer for up to four weeks and can rebloom in early fall
• Flower Color: Purple, blue-violet, or white-pink
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Most soil types that drain well
• Mature Size: 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 – 0.9 m) tall and wide

Daylily (Hemerocallis)

Daylilies are popular perennial flowers that require no care to bloom regularly. The plant has lily-like flowers in yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple shades. Each flower typically lasts one day, but profuse blooming creates a long-lasting display of color throughout summer. It has long, slender grass-like leaves.

Daylilies grow up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall, and the large, showy flowers bloom in arching stems.

Depending on the variety, daylilies can bloom early in the season, around March or April. Or late-blooming daylilies can bloom at the end of summer. The low-maintenance, drought-tolerant perennial flowers thrive in borders or containers or are ideal for colorful ground cover.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Blooming Time: Early spring to late summer, depending on the variety
• Flower Colors: Yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, creamy white, and multicolored
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Adaptable to various well-draining organically rich soil types, from sandy to clay
• Mature Size: 1 to 4 ft. (0.3 to 1.2 m) tall and up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) wide

Shasta Daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum)

Shasta daisies are classic, white and yellow perennial flowers that bloom every summer. The large, daisy-like blooms have white petals in a ray surrounding a yellow center. The flowers have dark green, lance-shaped leaves, forming a compact mound. The hardy, carefree perennials grow up to 3 ft. (0.9 m) tall.

Shasta daisies are great for planting in small groups in perennial borders, cottage gardens, and cutting gardens. Deadheading the spent flowers encourages continuous blooming throughout the summer. However, once established, they require little, if any, work to thrive.

• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
• Blooming Time: Late spring to early fall
• Flower Color: White with yellow centers
• Light: Full sun to light shade
• Soil: Well-draining soil but adaptable to various soil types, including drought and dry soils
• Mature Size: 2 to 3 ft. (0.6 – 0.9 m) tall and up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) wide

Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)

Rose mallow is a stunning full-sun perennial with large, showy white flowers resembling tropical hibiscus. The large, eye-catching trumpet-shaped flowers can measure up to 8” (20 cm) across. Rose mallow has large, heart-shaped leaves up to 10” (25 cm) long. The shrubby perennial can produce up to 20 blooms daily in mid to late summer.

Rose mallow grows up to 7 ft. (2.1 m) tall and has a bushy, upright habit. Its huge hollyhock-like flowers add a tropical twist to shrub borders and front yards or as a specimen plant. It tolerates heat and humidity and can grow in standing water—ideal for garden landscapes with poor drainage.

Rose mallow flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making them popular in pollinator gardens.

• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
• Blooming Time: Summer to early fall
• Flower Colors: Pink, red, and white with a contrasting deep red center
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Moist, organically rich soils
• Mature Size: 3 to 7 ft. (0.9 – 2.1 m) tall and 2 to 4 ft. (0.6 – 1.2 m) wide

Hardy Perennial Sage (Salvia)

Hardy perennial sage is a versatile, low-maintenance flowering perennial for sunny landscapes. The herbaceous plant has spikes of tubular flowers in purple, blue, pink, or white shades. Additionally, its aromatic blue-green foliage adds to the plant’s aesthetic appeal. The flowers on tall spikes attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to gardens.

Easy-care hardy sage grows up to 3 ft. (0.9 m) tall and wide. Its low-maintenance properties are due to its drought tolerance, adaptability, long-blooming period, and resilience to pests and diseases. Perennial sage is a long-lived plant, adding vibrant colors to borders, rock gardens, and cottage gardens.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Blooming Time: Early summer to fall
• Flower Colors: Purple, blue, pink, and white
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining, average to poor soil
• Mature Size: 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 – 0.9 m) tall and wide

Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)

Bugleweed is a self-reliant and undemanding perennial with whorls of tiny blue-violet, white, or pink flowers on erect spikes. The spring-blooming plant has oblong, evergreen leaves in dark green to bronze tones. This low-growing, hardy, spreading perennial creates attractive ground cover in direct sunlight. Bugleweed doesn’t grow taller than a foot (0.3 m).

Bugleweed is exceedingly hardy, versatile, and adaptable. It thrives in cold and heat and grows in most soil types, including poor soils. Growing in full sun, the plant’s foliage develops a rich, deep hue when watered regularly. Landscaping uses for bugleweed include suppressing weeds, controlling soil erosion, and underplanting shrubs.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 10
• Blooming Time: Spring
• Flower Colors: Purple, blue-violet, pink, and white
• Light: Full sun, partial shade, deep shade
• Soil: Well-draining, average to poor soil
• Mature Size: 4” to 8” (10 – 20 cm) and spreads indefinitely

Bee Balm (Monarda)

Bee balm is a vibrant summer-blooming perennial with showy pink, purple, or red flowers. The flowers consist of a cluster of brightly colored, two-lipped, tubular petals. Bee balm blooms in mid-summer for up to six weeks. Its foliage is deep green, aromatic, lanceolate leaves.

Bee balm grows up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall and easily spreads through rhizomes, forming dense clumps in garden beds.

Thriving in full sun, this low-maintenance perennial is ideal for planting in perennial borders, water gardens, and container gardens. Its showy flowers attract pollinators, and its foliage helps deter deer and rabbits.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Blooming Time: Mid-summer to fall
• Flower Colors: Red, pink, purple, white
• Light: Full sun to light shade
• Soil: Adaptable to various soil types but prefers moist, organically rich soils
• Mature Size: 1 to 4 ft. (0.3 – 1.2 m) tall and up to 3 ft. (0.9 m) wide

Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)

Pink muhly grass is a stunning ornamental grass with pinkish-red flowers on show during fall. This perennial grass, with its fluffy, pink plumes, has dark green grassy foliage. The clump-forming grass looks attractive as the airy flowers and leaves sway in fall breezes. Pink muhly grass grows up to 3 ft. (0.9 m) tall.

Pink muhly grass thrives in a minimum of six hours of daily sunlight. The heat-loving perennial makes a landscaping option for adding fall and winter colors to borders, mass plantings, or coastal gardens. Its tolerance to drought, salt, heat, humidity, and sandy or rocky soils makes it highly versatile in garden landscapes.

• USDA Growing Zone: 6 to 11
• Blooming Time: Late summer to late fall
• Flower Color: Pink
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining, adaptable to various soil types, including dry, sandy soils
• Mature Size: 2 to 3 ft. (0.9 m) tall and wide

Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)

Red hot poker is a striking perennial with tall, torch-like flower spikes in vibrant red, orange, and yellow shades. The long-lasting flowers grow above clumps of strap-like arching foliage. The bi-color effect creates vertical accents and splashes of color in perennial flower gardens. The bright flowers attract bees and hummingbirds.

Also called torch lily, red hot poker grows up to 6 ft. (1.8 m) tall. It’s drought and heat-tolerant in sun landscapes. Uses in front and backyards include back-of-the-border planting, a focal point, or container planting for patios or decking areas.

Red hot poker is also deer and rabbit-resistant.

• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 9
• Blooming Time: Late spring to early fall
• Flower Colors: Red, orange, yellow, or creamy white
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining, sandy, loamy, or poor soils
• Mature Size: 1 to 6 ft. (0.3 to 1.8 m) tall and 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 – 0.9 m) wide

Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

Blanket flower is a sun-loving, easy-grow perennial for full sun that, once established, doesn’t take any work at all to bloom every summer and fall. Identifying features of the flowers are their daisy-like blooms with red and yellow petals. The colorful flowers are upward-facing and measure 3” (7.5 cm) across.

Blanket flowers grow up to 3 ft. (0.6 m) tall. The colorful blooms spread up to 1.5 ft. (0.5 m) wide. They are drought-tolerant and thrive in hot, sunny locations. You can plant the flowering perennials in seaside gardens, perennial borders, or large groups for a stunning floral display.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 10
• Blooming Time: Late spring to early fall
• Flower Colors: Red, orange, yellow, and bi-colored varieties
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining soil, tolerant of poor soil conditions
• Mature Size: 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 – 0.6 m) tall and up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) wide

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Butterfly weed is an orange-flowering, hassle-free, sun-hungry perennial that blooms from early summer to fall. The bushy milkweed plant has bright orange, five-petalled starry flowers growing in large clusters 5” (13 cm) across. These blooms contrast with the dark green lance-shaped leaves. The cheerful flowers are important for attracting monarch butterflies to gardens.

Butterfly weed is a perennial that doesn’t grow taller than 2 ft. (0.6 m). It’s tolerant to drought, salt spray, dry soil, and deer. It requires little maintenance to thrive. The ornamental shrub-like plant performs well in mixed borders, butterfly gardens, and perennial beds.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Blooming Time: Early summer to early fall
• Flower Color: Bright orange
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained, dry to medium moisture soils, including poor soil types
• Mature Size: 1 to 2 ft. (0.3 – 0.6 m) tall and wide

Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

Blazing star is a beautiful and unique perennial flower that adds a vertical element to any garden. It features tall, slender spikes covered in tiny purple or white flowers that bloom from top to bottom. The flowers attract butterflies and bees, making them a great addition to pollinator gardens.

Blazing star can reach heights of 2 to 5 ft. (0.6 to 1.5 m) tall and has grass-like leaves growing from the base of the plant. It thrives in full sun and well-draining soil but can tolerate some light shade. This hardy perennial is drought-tolerant and deer-resistant, making it a low-maintenance choice for gardens.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Blooming Time: Summer to early fall
• Flower Colors: Purple, white
• Light: Full sun to light shade
• Soil: Well-draining soil
• Mature Size: 2 to 5 ft. (0.6 to 1.5 m) tall and 1 to 2 ft. (0.3 to 0.6 m) wide

Cinquefoil (Potentilla)

Cinquefoil is an easy-care, clump-forming perennial with beautiful cup-shaped flowers for full-sun conditions. The five-petalled flowers bloom in red, yellow, white, and pink. Its oval, serrated leaves grow in whorls on the flowering stems up to 2 feet (0.6 m) tall. Many gardeners regard cinquefoil as one of the easiest perennials to care for.

Cinquefoil plants have a spreading habit and form attractive mounds of foliage and flowers. You can easily grow cinquefoil in rock gardens and border fronts as it tolerates dry and rocky soil conditions. The plant requires minimal attention and tolerates drought and full sun.

• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 8
• Blooming Time: Long blooming season from late spring to late summer
• Flower Colors: Yellow, white, pink, and red
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Well-drained soils with average moisture
• Mature Size: 1 to 2 ft. (0.3 to 0.6 m) tall and wide

Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)

Foxglove beardtongue is easy to grow as a beautiful perennial plant with tall spikes of white tubular flowers. The white to pale pink flowers create a striking floral display when blooming in spring and summer. It has lanceolate leaves growing sparsely on reddish stems up to 5 ft. (1.5 m) tall.

Foxglove beardtongue is ideal for adding vertical interest to perennial beds and borders. It’s a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant that attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies. At the same time, deer and rabbits tend to avoid it.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 8
• Blooming Time: Late spring and throughout summer
• Flower Colors: White or pale pink with purple markings
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained, loamy, clay, or sandy soils rich in organic matter
• Mature Size: 3 to 5 ft. (0.9 to 1.5 m) tall and 1 to 2 ft. (0.3 to 0.6 m) wide

Yarrow (Achillea spp.)

Yarrow is a group of versatile, easy-to-grow perennials known for clusters of small, flat-topped flowers in shades of white, yellow, pink, or red. The flowers are held above feathery, fern-like foliage. Yarrow is a fast-growing plant and can reach heights of 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 to 0.9 m) tall with a spread of up to 2 ft. (0.6 m).

As a hardy perennial, yarrow can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, including poor and dry soil. It is also drought-tolerant and can thrive in full sun or light shade. Yarrow is a great addition to borders, cottage gardens, and wildflower meadows. It attracts butterflies and bees, making it a valuable plant for pollinator gardens.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Blooming Time: Late spring to early fall
• Flower Colors: White, yellow, pink, red
• Light: Full sun to light shade
• Soil: Well-draining, adaptable to various soil types
• Mature Size: 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 to 0.9 m) tall and up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) wide

Pinks / Carnations (Dianthus)

Pinks—or carnations—are popular flowering perennials with sweetly scented showy blooms. These fragrant flowers are dense clusters of frilly or ruffled petals on top of erect stems. The attractive blooms include pink, red, white, and bi-color shades. Easy to grow, pinks fill garden landscapes with vibrant colors in summer and fall.

Pinks are compact plants, usually growing up to 12” (30 cm) tall. They are ideal for planting in garden edgings, borders, perennial beds, and containers. Pinks are often used in floral arrangements and are a popular choice for cut flowers due to their long-lasting blooms and sweet fragrance.

Deadheading spent flowers prolong the blooming season, extending it to late fall.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9, depending on the variety
• Blooming Time: Spring to fall
• Flower Colors: Pink, red, white, and multi-colors
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil types
• Mature Size: 6” to 12” (15 – 30 cm) tall and wide

Hyssop (Agastache)

Hyssop is a group of fragrant perennial plants with striking tubular flowers growing in dense spikes. Ideal for growing in direct sunlight, the purple, pink, yellow, and orange complement the delicate, lanceolate, serrated leaves. Typically, the long-blooming flowers create attractive floral displays from early summer through fall. The fragrant flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to gardens.

• USDA Growing Zone: 5 to 10
• Blooming Time: Summer to fall
• Flower Colors: Purple, pink, yellow, and orange
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining, sandy or loamy soil
• Mature Size: 1 to 6 ft. (0.3 to 1.8 m) tall and 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 to 0.9 m) wide

Bellflower (Campanula)

Bellflowers are charming perennials with bell or star-shaped pink, purple, or white flowers blooming from late spring through fall. The flowers on the clump-forming plant gracefully dangle at the ends of thin, reddish stems. The plant’s foliage is a rosette of green leaves with toothed margins. They thrive in direct sunlight or partial shade.

Bellflowers grow up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) tall and wide. The versatile, easy-grow perennials are ideal for underplanting shrubs, filling borders and beds with vibrant colors, or planting in containers. They are low-maintenance and resistant to rabbits and deer. Additionally, they make lovely cut flowers.

• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 9
• Blooming Time: Late spring to early fall
• Flower Colors: Blue, purple, lilac, pink, and white
• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Well-draining, adaptable to various soil types
• Mature Size: 6” to 24” (15 – 60 cm) tall and wide, depending on the variety

Canna Lilies (Canna indica)

Canna lilies are tropical, showy perennials known for their large, vibrant flowers and lush foliage. These plants bloom throughout summer until frost with orange, pink, red, or yellow flowers on tall stems. Canna lilies also have large, paddle-shaped leaves that can be green, bronze, and variegated or striped.

The flowering stalks of canna lilies can stretch up to 8 ft. (2.4 m) tall. They are relatively low-maintenance perennials that thrive in rich, moist soil. Landscape uses for the flowering perennials include back-of-border planting, focal points, or container gardens. In cooler climates, canna lilies grow best as tropical houseplants.

• USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11
• Blooming Time: Summer to fall
• Flower Colors: Red, orange, yellow, and pink
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Moist, well-draining soils rich in organic matter
• Mature Size: 2 to 8 ft. (0.6 – 2.4 m) tall

Tickseed (Coreopsis spp.)

Tickseed is an easy-to-grow yellow flowering perennial. The hardy, versatile flowers are bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with a darker center. The flowers bloom profusely from early summer through fall. Tickseed has fine, feathery foliage with a hint of silvery or grayish tones, creating an attractive backdrop for the vibrant blooms.

Tickseed flowers grow up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall in most growing zones in the United States. This easy-care perennial performs well in flower beds, naturalized areas, pollinator gardens, and perennial borders. The flowers and foliage are also resistant to deer and rabbits.

• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 10
• Blooming Time: Early summer to fall
• Flower Color: Golden yellow, with some varieties having red or orange blooms
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining soil, tolerant of various soil types
• Mature Size: Up to 3 ft. (0.9 m) tall and wide, depending on the variety

Bearded Iris (Iris germanica)

Bearded iris is a stunning perennial known for its large, showy flowers and sword-like foliage. The flowers come in various colors, including purple, blue, white, yellow, and pink, with intricate patterns and markings. The petals have a fuzzy, bearded appearance near the center of the flower, which gives this iris its name.

Bearded iris can grow up to 3 ft. (0.9 m) tall and spread up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) wide. They are low-maintenance plants that require full sun and well-draining soil. These perennials are drought-tolerant and can thrive in various soil types, from sandy to clay. Bearded iris is perfect for adding vertical interest and vibrant colors to garden borders, rock gardens, and cottage gardens.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 9
• Blooming Time: Late spring to early summer
• Flower Colors: Purple, blue, white, yellow, pink, and more
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining, adaptable to various soil types
• Mature Size: 5 to 4 ft. (0.15 – 1.2 m) tall and 2 ft. (0.6 m) wide

Longleaf Speedwell (Veronica longifolia)

Longleaf speedwell is a beautiful, no-fuss, robust sun-loving perennial with tall spikes of vibrant purple-blue flowers. Blooming throughout summer, the star-shaped flowers in narrow spikes 10” (25 cm) long add vibrancy to landscapes. The plant has narrow, lance-shaped leaves with slightly toothed edges. The perennial has a bushy growth habit.

This perennial grows up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall, creating attractive vertical lines in landscapes. This highly ornamental perennial looks attractive growing at the black of borders or informal cottage gardens. Its resistance to deer and rabbits and ability to attract pollinators make it a valuable addition to garden landscapes.

• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 8
• Blooming Time: Late spring to late summer
• Flower Color: Purple, blue and some cultivars can have white or pink flowers
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained soils, but it’s adaptable to various soil types
• Mature Size: 2 to 4 ft. (0.6 to 1.2 m) tall and 1 to 2 ft. (0.3 to 0.6 m) wide

Dahlia

Dahlias are beautiful, easy perennials with stunning flowers and a long blooming season from summer through fall. These showy flowers have layers of petals that can be single, semi-double, or fully double, creating a stunning display. Dahlia flowers range in size from 2” (5 cm) to 12” (30 cm) across. They can be single, daisy-like blooms or showier dinner-plate, pompom, or cactus-like flowers.

Dahlias grow up to 6 ft. (1.8 m) tall, depending on the variety. They have a bushy growth habit and come in a range of sizes and flower shapes. Growing as a specimen plant is the most common landscaping use for dahlias. But they are also ideal for containers, cutting gardens, and late-blooming borders.

• USDA Growing Zone: 8 to 11
• Blooming Time: Mid-summer until the first frost
• Flower Colors: Wide range of colors, including red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, and white
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining, fertile soil
• Mature Size: 1 to 6 feet (0.3 to 1.8 meters) tall and up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) wide, depending on the variety

Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)

Columbine is a bushy, clumping, fuss-free perennial known for its nodding, bell-shaped flowers that thrive in direct sunlight. The flowers have tubular petals that flare out, forming a star shape. Columbine flowers rise on stems above fern-like foliage growing in clumps. The plants grow up to 1 to 3 ft. (0.9 m) tall.

Columbine blooms in late spring and early summer. The short-lived perennial spreads through self-seeding, making it ideal for naturalizing areas. It also performed well in cottage gardens and perennial borders. Although it’s an easy-care full-sun perennial, it also performs well in shade gardens.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 8
• Blooming Time: Late spring to early summer
• Flower Colors: Blue, violet, purple, pink, red, and white
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Well-draining, rich, moist soils
• Mature Size: 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 to 0.9 m) tall and 1 to 2 ft. (0.3 to 0.6 m) wide

Mums (Chrysanthemum)

Mums are a large group of fall-blooming perennials that add vibrant pink, red, white, and yellow colors to gardens. The versatile, hardy plants have large, long-lasting, vibrant, daisy-like ray flowers up to 6” (15 cm) across. These blooms can be single or double and complement the plant’s glossy green, fern-like foliage.

Depending on the variety, mums typically grow to be 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 to 0.9 m) tall. They are easy to care for and can thrive in a variety of soil conditions. Mums prefer full sun but can tolerate some light shade. They are also relatively drought-tolerant once established.

Mums are a favorite among gardeners for their long-lasting blooms and ability to add a burst of color to the garden in the fall.

• USDA Growing Zone: 2 to 10
• Blooming Time: Late summer and fall
• Flower Colors: Yellow, red, orange, pink, white, and multicolored varieties
• Light: Full sun to light shade
• Soil: Well-draining, adaptable to various soil types in sheltered areas
• Mature Size: 1 to 2 ft. (0.3 to 0.2 m) tall and wide

Hardy Geranium (Geranium)

Also called cranesbills, hardy geraniums are easy-to-grow, reliable perennials that add beauty to front and backyards. Geranium flowers have delicate, five-petaled flowers that bloom over a long season from late spring through fall. The plants have deeply lobed, finely cut leaves. Hardy geraniums bloom in pink, purple, blue, and white shades.

Hardy geraniums are low-maintenance, sun-loving perennials growing up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) tall. Drought-tolerant once established, they perform well in various garden settings, like borders, rock gardens, and container plantings. Deadheading encourages continuous blooming until the first frost.

• USDA Growing Zone: 4 to 9
• Blooming Time: Late spring to fall
• Flower Colors: Pink, purple, blue, and white
• Light: Full sun to partial shade
• Soil: Most well-draining soil types
• Mature Size: 5 to 2 ft. (0.15 to 0.6 m) tall and 1 to 3 ft. (0.3 – 0.9 m) wide

Oriental Poppies (Papaver orientale)

Oriental poppies are stunning, simple-to-maintain perennials known for their spectacular flowers and unique foliage. The clump-forming perennial blooms in late spring with large, cup-shaped flowers. The blooms have six petals surrounding a dark purple center. Oriental poppy foliage is deeply lobed, hairy, fern-like leaves, adding texture and interest to the plant.

Oriental poppies grow up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall in full sun and well-draining soil. The striking flowers add vibrancy to mixed borders, cutting gardens, and naturalized areas. Additionally, oriental poppies are rabbit and deer-resistant. However, at the same time, they attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. They also make excellent cut flowers.

• USDA Growing Zone: 3 to 8
• Blooming Time: Late spring to early summer
• Flower Colors: Bright red, orange, pink, white
• Light: Full sun
• Soil: Well-draining, fertile, loamy soils
• Mature Size: 2 to 4 ft. (0.6 – 1.2 m) tall and 1 to 2 ft. (0.3 – 0.6 m) wide

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