Perennial plants are not only recurrent bloomers, but the plants return larger in size compared to the previous year with little maintenance from the gardener. Gardens beds fill in beautifully the very first season they reappear. This welcome habit makes them a staple in the landscape and indispensable in garden beds, and borders. Don’t overlook perennials’ usefulness as regular performers in containers for the porch or deck.
Different Types of Perennials
- Tender Perennial - These perennials can’t be overwintered outdoors except in subtropical areas such as Florida and Southern California.
- Hardy Perennial - These perennials tolerate a certain amount of frost depending on your region or zone.
- Herbaceous Perennial – This perennial dies back to the ground at the end of each growing season. Most perennials fall into this class.
- Semiwoody Perennial – This type of perennial has some woody stems but is not as substantial as a true shrub.
- Woody Perennial – This is a shrub or a tree that doesn’t die back to the ground every year.
How Long do Perennials Live?
A life-span of three to five years would be considered the shorter end of some perennial’s life-cycle. On the opposite end, there are peonies that are one hundred years old!
Best Place to Purchase Perennials
There are valid reasons for any way plants are purchased.
- Seeds. Some perennials start well from seed. The most obvious reason for this method is that it’s the most inexpensive way to go.
- Your local nursery. The advantage here is that you can see first hand what you are purchasing.
- Mail order nursery. Considering there is no way to actually see the individual plant you are purchasing, this may seem like the least desirable way to purchase perennials. But, mail order nurseries have some of the most unusual plants anywhere. You can get some very unique goodies your neighbors won’t be growing.
Perennials for Sun
Gerbera Daisy or Transvaal Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
Thrift or Sea Pink (Armeria maritima)
Coreopsis spp.
Pinks (Dianthus)
Yarrow (Achellia)
Lamb’s Ears (Stachys)
Blanket Flower (Gaillardia X grandiflora)
Artemesia spp.
Basket of Gold (Aurinia)
Angel’s Fishing Pole or Wand Flower (Dierama pulcherrimum)
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Salvia spp.
Stone Crop (Sedum)
Spurge (Euphorbia polychroma)
Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorum)
Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa)
Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris)
Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
*Loose Strife (Lysimachia)
*Speedwell (Veronica spicata)
*Primrose (Primula auricula)
(* will tolerate shade)
Perennials for Shade
Hosta spp.
Jacob’s Ladders (Polemonium)
Bug Banes (Cimicifuga)
Heuchura spp.
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica)
Jove Flower (Lychnis)
Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla)
Buttercup (Ranunculus aconitifolius)
Trillium grandiflorium
Gentian (Gentiana asclepiadea)
Spiderwort (Tradescantia)
Astible spp.
*Primrose (Primula auricula)
*Speedwell (Veronica spicata)
*Loose Strife (Lysimachia)
By no means is this an exhaustive list of easy to grow plants, but it should get anyone started on successful perennial gardening!
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