Perennial Flowers

Perennial flowers are flowers that will continue to bloom and grow for several years. Usually they only develop soft green stems and don't become woody; roses, although they are perennials, are usually considered separately. Perennials typically die back in the fall and bloom again in the spring or summer.  Most can be started from seed  or purchased as young plants. Just make sure you have plenty of vases  around the house; many of these are both prolific producers and beautiful in flower arrangements, and some (like phlox and peonies) are quite fragrant as well!  

Aster  Aster spp. Asters  come in a wide variety of colors and petal shapes. Good for cutting. Can also grow in containers. Blooms in late summer and fall.	Astilbe  Astilbe spp. Astilbe  produces feathery sprays of tiny flowers in a variety of colors -- pink, coral, red, and white. Grow up to two feet tall. Attractive foliage. Prefer partial shade.	Balloon Flower  Platycodon gradiflorus Large flowers open from balloon -like buds. Blue is the most common, but pink and white forms exist as well. Can grow up to three feet tall.	Basket of Gold  Aurinia saxatillis Low-growing perennial ground cover with tiny, bright yellow flowers -- a veritable basket of gold.  Will form mats and grow over walls. Blooms in spring.

Bat-Faced Cuphea  Cuphea llavea Small, unusual flowers give this plant its name. Blooms in the spring. Treted as an annual in cooler climates. If you squint, it really does look like a bat face.	Beard Tongue  Penstemon spp. Beard tongue  is a brightly colored snapdragon-like flowers. Early spring to summer. Up to two feet tall.	Bee Balm  Monarda didyma Bee balm  attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Clusters of pink to red flowers. Also grown for its leaves, which have a bergamot-like flavor. Blooms all summer.	Bellflower  Campanula spp. Also known as the cup-and-saucer  flower. Blooms in summer. Good as a cut flower.

Black-Eyed Susan  Rudbeckia spp. AKA gloriosa daisy.  Mid- to late summer blooms. Three feet tall Likes full sun.	Blanketflower  Gaillardia grandiflora Give it full sun, and the cheery blanketflower  will bloom from spring to frost. Good for cutting. Can grow up to 30" tall.	Blazing Star  Liatris spicata Also known as gayfeather  or snakeroot.  Attractive spikes of lavender flowers look great in wildflower gardens and need little care once established. Great for arrangements.	Bleeding Heart  Dicentra spectablilis Unusually-shaped flower in a mixture of red and white or in pure white. This one is a shade lover -- don't put it in the sun! Bleeding heart  blooms in late spring to early summer.

Blue Plumbago  Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Groundcover with intensely blue flowers. Blooms summer to fall. Blue plumbago  leaves turn bronze-red in the fall, as in the picture above.	Bluebeard  Caryopteris spp. Tall, bright blue plant with clusters of small flowers. Bluebeard  prefers full sun. Attracts butterflies.	Butterfly Bush  Buddleia davidii A beautiful shrubby bush up to five feet tall with gray-green foliage. Flowers are fragrant, come in blue, purple, red, white, and yellow. Attracts butterflies,  of course!	Butterfly Weed  Asclepias tuberosa Orange or yellow flowers bloom all summer into fall. Popular with butterflies and hummingbirds, naturally. Butterfly weed  prefers full sun.

Candytuft  Iberis sempervirens Candytuft  covers the ground with woody stems. Clumbs of white flowers bloom from late spring to early summer.	Cardinal Flower  Lobelia cardinalis Some lobelias  are annuals, but this crimson one is a perennial. Up to four feet tall with red-bronze leaves. Prefers moist soils; try it near a pond or stream if you can.	Carnation  Dianthus spp. These popular cut flowers will add color to your garden from spring to summer. Carnations  also attract butterflies.	Catmint  Nepeta faassenii Also known as catnip  -- expect to make a few new feline friends. Deep lavender blooms on spikes. Will grow as a ground cover; like all mints,  should be carefully maintained to prevent it from taking over the garden. A great container plant.

Chinese Lantern  Physalis alkekengi-franchetti Planted mainly for its bright orange fruit, which strongly resemble paper lanterns.  Chinese lantern  also has orange flowers, which bloom in summer.	Clematis  Clematis spp. Fast-growing vine with spectacular, saucer-sized flowers in a variety of colors and patterns. The top likes sun, but the roots prefer cool shade. Clematis  will climb just about anything.	Columbine  Aquilegia spp. Colorful spurred flowers in a wide array of colors. Columbines  add interesteing texture with their multi-tiered, sometimes multi-colored flowers. Bloom spring and early summer. Attract hummingbirds. Prefer partial shade.	Coneflower  Echinacea purpurea Large flowers in purple, red, or white. Grow up to two feet tall. Bloom summer into fall. Sometimes have drooping petals. This is the same echinacea  you might find in herbal cold remedies, but consult with a professional herbalist.

Coreopsis  Coreopsis spp. Bright yellow blooms from summer to fall. Coreopsis  attracts butterflies. Prefers full sun.	Cupid's Dart  Catananche caerulea Summer brings lavender-blue blooms on 18" stems. Cupid's dart  likes full sun.	Crinum Lily  Crinum spp. Large, fragrant clusters of lily-shaped flowers in pink, white, or stripes. Crinum lily  can grow up to three feet tall.	Dahlia  Dahlia spp. Some dahlias  are annuals, but many are perennials. Wide variety of colors and textures. Bloom in spring and summer. Can grow quite tall -- up to four feet!

Dame's Rocket Hesperis matronalis This beautiful, fragrant flower is also a highly invasive, aggressive plant. It is banned in CO, CT and MA; it is not advisable to plant it in your yard. Read more about it at Wikipedia.org.	Daylily  Hemerocallis spp. This favorite will come up year after year with little effort. Vary in height, bloom shape, and color, but a wide variety are available. Daylily  blooms are edible, but be careful not to eat true lilies which are highly toxic.	Delphinium  Delphinium spp. Delphinium  blooms late spring to summer with tall spikes of blue, pink, purple or white flowers. Will bloom again if the first round is cut down as flowers fade. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.	Dianthus  Dianthus spp. Similar to carnations (they share a genus), these fragrant flowers bloom from spring to summer in many colors. Like carnations, dianthus  is great for arrangements. Don't like hot afternoon sun.

Fanflower  Scaevola spp. Blue, purple, or white fan-shaped flowers.  Works well as ground cover. Likes full sun and hot, dry climates best.	Firebush  Hamelia patens Bright red flowers and attractive foliage up to three feet make this a good choice to fill in larger beds. Firebush  blooms in summer; popular with hummingbirds. In cooler climates, foliage will turn orange in the fall.	Flax  Linum perenne Blooms from spring to fall. Light blue flowers with yellow centers. Flax  produces mounds of flowers and is good in containers.	Foamflower  Tiarella spp. Foamflower  is a low-growing shade lover with tall white clusters of flowers. Blooms late spring. Clumping habit keeps out weeds.

Forget-Me-Not  Myosotis spp. Low-growing with tiny blue flowers. Reseeds easily. Prefers partial shade. It may be small, but the bright blue flowers make forget-me-not  a garden favorite.	Foxglove  Digitalis spp. Foxglove  grows up to four feet tall, with large, colorful flowers. Blooms late spring to summer. Does well in any light condition, full sun to full shade. Popular with hummingbirds. Leaves and other parts of the plant are very poisonous!	Garden Mum  Chrysanthemum morifolium Available in many colors and sizes. Garden mums  are popular as a cut flower and as a container plant. Will bloom through the fall if pinched back.	Hibiscus   Hibiscus spp. Add some tropical color to your garden with a showy hibiscus! Grow three to four feet tall. Most plants available are cold-hardy relatives of the truly tropical hibiscus.

Jacob's Ladder  Polemonium caeruleum Up to three feet tall, with attractive, ladder -like foliage. Flowers grow along upright stems. Light blue or white blooms in late spring and early summer.	Hyssop  Hyssop spp. Hyssop  is a popular herb both for its attractive, spreading foliage and flower and for its medicinal properties. Blooms in late summer.	Kaffir Lily  Clivia spp. Add a touch of tropical color with this shade-loving flower. Kaffir lily  blooms in spring. Hummingbirds like it. Attractive foliage.	Lantana  Lantana spp. Large clusters in yellow, orange, pink and purple (sometimes multiple colors in the same cluster); attracts butterflies. Lantana  does well in hot, sunny areas. Good as a border or in hanging baskets.

Lavender  Lavendula angustifolia, L. stoechas The English  variety (L. angusifolia, pictured) is a light blue-purple. Spanish lavender  (L. stoechas) is a deeper shade of purple. Both varieties are fragrant and have attractive foliage. Bloom late spring through summer. Prefer full sun.	Lithodora  Lithodora spp. Low-growing ground cover with small, bright blue flowers. Lithodora  blooms in spring and summer.	Louisiana Phlox  Phlox divaricata Give this plant full shade -- that's what it wants. Louisiana phlox  has dark green leaves and fragrant blue flowers.	Lupine  Lupinus spp. There are both annual and perennial varieties of lupine  -- know what you are buying. Wide variety of colors. Tall spikes of flowers bloom in summer. Great for cutting.

Maltese Cross  Lychnis chalcedonica Named for its bright red, cross-shaped flowers. Blooms in summer. Grows up to four feet tall. Also known as "burning love"  -- the King  would be proud.	Money Plant  Lunaria spp. The money plant seed pods  are familiar to many people, since they are popular in dried flower arrangements. The plant itself grows about four feet tall and has small, purple flowers.	Obedient Plant  Physostegia virginiana Called "obedient"  because the stems will stay where you put them. Tall spikes of pink to purple flowers bloom in late summer and autumn.	Oriental Poppy  Papaver orientale Beautiful flowers with dark centers and brightly color, crepe-like petals. They won't put you to sleep,  don't worry. Poppies  prefer full sun. Best planted w/ other flowers; foliage goes dormant after blooming in early summer.

Ozark Primrose  Oenothera missourensis Low-growing, spreading flower. Ozark primrose  blooms are reddish on the outside, opening to bright yellow flowers. Blooms in summer.	Pentas  Pentas lanceolata Pentas  is a perennial shrub in warm climates; grown as an annual in cooler ones. Likes full sun and heat. Pink, red, and white varieties.	Peony  Paeonia hybridus Peonies  are one of the most popular garden flowers. They grow up to four feet tall, with heavy, fragrant flowers in a variety of pinks, reds and white. Attractive foliage as well. Bloom in late spring.	Perennial Verbena  Verbena spp. Perennial hybrid verbena  varieties bloom in violet, pink, and red. Low-growing and prefers bright sun.

Red Hot Poker  Kniphofia uvaria Also known as the torch lily,  this striking plant will add a dramatic flair. Can grow up to four feet tall. Blooms start off red, and fade to yellow from the bottom of the cluster.	Rock Cress  Arabis alpina Low growing, spreading ground cover with fragrant lavender or white blossoms. Blooms in spring. Rock cress  foliage is an attractive grey-green.	Pincushion Flower  Scabiosa spp. The pincushion flower  is an unusual, old-fashioned flower -- that really does look like a pincushion  stuck full of pins.  Various shades of blue. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Up to two feet tall.	Rosemary  Rosmarinus officinalis This fragrant herb grows in tall spikes with tiny lavender flowers. Can grow to five feet tall and become shrubby. Rosemary  likes hot sun and dry soil (once established). Delicious on potatoes,  meats,  olives,  and even popcorn.

Russian Sage  Perovskia atriplicfolia Russian sage  is easy to grow and very popular. Fragrant leaves and flowers. Spikes of lavender flowers bloom in summer and fall. Likes full sun. Will grow up to 4' tall.	Salvia/Ornamental Sages  Salvia spp. Indigo Spires : deep blue-purple flowers. S. coccinea: scarlet sage  S. farinacea: blue sage  S. greggii: autumn sage  -- scarlet blooms throughout summer S. leucantha: Mexican bush sage ; lavender flowers. S. superba: blue queen	Saxifrage  Saxifraga spp. Saxifrage  is not suitable for tropical climates -- it prefers cooler, alpine climates. (In the wild, it grows as far north as Greenland!) White, pink, red or yellow flowers (sometimes bicolor) grow close to the ground. Prefers partial to full shade.	Sea Pink  Armeria maritima Stiff stems topped by pink pompoms. Sea pink  is good for borders or in pots. Attractive in cut flower arrangements. Prefers full sun.

Sedum  Sedum spp. Sedum  is easy to grow -- can be ground cover or low shrubs. Attract bees and butterflies. Many colors available.	Shasta Daisy  Chrysanthemum maximum Martha Stewart has a brief history of the shasta daisy  here. Different varieties in various sizes and textures; all are white or ivory with a yellow eye. Bloom summer to fall. Excellent in bouquets.	Skullcap  Scutellaria spp. Pink or white and pink flowers on square stems. Skullcap  is a native wildflower in the U.S. -- closely related to sages. Tubular flowers are popular with butterflies and hummingbirds.	Snow-in-Summer  Cerastium tomentosum A dazzlingly white ground cover with silvery foliage and white flowers. Snow-in-summer  is excellent as a border. Great for foliage-centered gardens.

Soapwort  Saponaria officinalis Summer-blooming ground cover. Dense growth with bright pink flowers.	Society Garlic  Tulvahia violacea Grows up to two feet tall and loves full sun. Pinkish-purple flowers nod on tall stems. Blooms from summer to fall. Attractive, sometimes striped foliage.	Speedwell  Veronica spp. Colorful spikes of flowes in purples and blue-purples. Excellent as ground cover. Likes hot sun.	Spider Lily  Lycoris radiata Unusual plant with red clusters of flowers. Flowers are bright red with very long stamens, giving them their spidery appearance. Fragrant. Blooms late summer and fall. Can grow up to two feet tall.

Spiderwort  Tradescanti virginiana Spiderwort  is native to North America. Blue, purple, pink or white flowers. Grows in any light condition, from full sun to full shade.	Stokes' Aster  Stokesia laevis Easily grow. Interesting flower. (Just look at it!) Blooms summer to fall. Stokes' aster  is quite striking in bouquets. Also available in pink and white.	Summer Phlox  Phlox paniculata Very large clusters of flowers in showy colors from white to scarlet. Summer phlox  is quite fragrant and good in bouquets. Grow two to four feet tall.	Sweet Violet  Viola odorata A fragrant and perennial member of the same genus as the pansies. Sweet violet  likes the shade and grows close to the ground. Most varieties are purple but pink, white, and bicolor forms exist.

Thrift (Moss Pink)  Phlox paniculata Thrift  is a popular spring-blooming perennial phlox. Contrary to the name, may be in a variety of color, including purple, white, and bicolor varieties.	Whirling Butterflies  Gaura spp. Pink or white butterfly-shaped flowers on tall spikes. Whirling butterfly  can grow up to four feet tall. Prefers full sun.	Yarrow  Achillea spp. Summer bloomer in many colors, from white and pale pink to crimson and tangerine. Yarrow  flowers grow in flat clusters at the top of a long stem. Good in bouquets.