Part II: Perennials

An advantage of perennials is that they do not have to be planted every year. Many perennials only flower for a few weeks each year, however, with careful planning you can have some perennials in bloom most of the season. Some consideration should be given to how a plant looks when it is not in bloom. Perennials with colorful or interesting foliage can provide interest even when they are not in bloom.

Symbols and What They Mean

Rabbit

Resistant

Deer

Resistant

Butterfly attractor

Pollinator friendly

Water frequently

Moderate watering

Drought tolerant

Humming bird

favorite

Part Shade

All ShadePart SunFull Sun

Heuchera Brazen Raisin

Heuchera ‘Inheubrara’

• Perennial ‘Coral Bells’

• 8-10” tall, 18-24” spread

• Average, fertile soil

• Acidic to neutral soil

• Salt tolerant

Elephant Ear –IllustrisColocasia antiquorum - Illustris

• ‘Imperial Taro’

• Leaves with black patterns between the veins.

• Tropical looking plant adds interest to any garden.

• Soil should be kept moist

• Perennial

Black Coral Elephant EarColocasia esculenta Royal Hawaiian® - Black

Coral - PPAF

• Black glossy foliage with blue veins

• Tropical looking plant adds interest to any garden

•

• Soil should be kept moist

• 36” tall; 36” wide perennial

Elephant EarColocasia

• Does best in partial shade, but tolerates full sun if it gets

plenty of water.

• Soil should be kept moist

• 36” tall; 36” wide perennial

• Feed regularly

Snapdragon Trailing Candy ShowersAntirrhinum majus nanum pendula

• 8” tall, 12” wide

• Light, sandy, rich, well-drained moist soil

• Best soil pH 5.5-5.8

• Cold hardy perennial

• Blooms spring, fall, and in winter in mild climates

Gray Santolina / Lavendar CottonSantolina chamaecyparissus

• Slow to 2’ tall

• Perennial evergreen woody

sub-shrub, mounding

• Yellow button flowers in spring

• Great for oasis and xeric

gardens with drip irrigation

Phlox Emerald BluePhlox subulata 'Emerald Blue’

• 6” tall, 3 ft. wide

• Water regularly (weekly), more often in extreme heat

• Dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil

• Tolerant of drought

• Prefers alkaline soils

• Perennial

BrugmansiaAngel’s Trumpet

• Small to mid-size tree with large, strong smelling, trumpet shaped flowers hanging downward

• Angel trumpets are tall, sun-loving perennials (small trees actually), sometimes 10' tall with a canopy early as wide

• Moist fertile well drained soil

• Evening fragrance

Datura ‘Black currant swirl’Angels Trumpet

• Tender perennial with large fragrant flowers

• 3’ tall, 2-3’ spread

• Purple stems, violet-silver

flowers

• Moist well drained fertile soil

• Focal point in landscape or in pots

• Tender perennial

• 18-24” tall

• Exotic-looking plant with its white, yellow or blue flowers that resemble an orchid and an iris

• Flowers last only one day

• The iris appears to “walk”throughout the garden as it fills the area with additional plantlets.

• Moist well drained soil

Walking Iris, Apostle PlantNeomarica gracilis

Mercury Rising CoreopsisCoreopsis Big Bang™ - Mercury Rising – PPAF

• Perennial excellent for cut flowers.

• Drought tolerant once established.

• Spreads, intertwining with its neighbors

• 15 to 18” tall in bloom; spreads 2 -3’wide

• 2-3’ tall; 3’wide

• Hardy spreading perennial evergreen fern w/ holly-like foliage. Erect, dark green shiny fronds.

• Soil: Moist, well-drained

• Container, houseplant, landscape.

• Cut to the ground in January or February to make way for the fresh foliage of spring.

Fern HollyCyrtomium falcatum “Rochfordianum”

Cardinal FlowerLobelia cardinalis

• Erect perennial that blooms early August to mid-September

• Height: 3-5 ft.

• Flower is cardinal red

• Simple, unbranched stem

• Prefers moist to wet soil but will grow in average soil; prefers partial shade but will grow in full sun; found in moist meadows, thickets, swamps, and along banks of streams

Purple Cardinal FlowerLobelia x gerardii ‘Vedrariensis’

• Up to 3‘ tall

• Needs consistently moist, deep, fertile soil

• Blooms late Summer to Fall

• Blooms 4 weeks or more

• Perennial

Digiplexis- FoxgloveDigiplexis - Illumination® Flame

• 1-3’ tall; 1-3’ wide

• Enrich soil with humus, preferably leaf compost

• Densely-packed rows of flame-colored blossoms on upright, strong stems beginning mid spring through until the end of the summer.

• Digiplexis are bushy, fast-growing, and very floriferous.

• Perennial

Sombrero Hot Coral ConeflowerEchinacea Sombrero Hot Coral-Balscomcor

• Soil should be kept evenly moist

• Normal, sandy or clay

• Drought and heat tolerant, once established

• Produces well-branched, sturdy and compact plants with a high bud count, large, single flowers with hot, orange-red overlapping petals surrounding a large brown cone.

• Perennial blooms mid summer through early fall.

Red Hot PockerKniphofia “Papaya Popsicle”

• Perennial plant, can be spread by rhizomes

• Drought tolerant

• Prefers well drained soil amended by humus

• Plants form a mound of grassy, evergreen leaves with taller stems bearing flower spikes the color of ripe papayas, summer through fall.

AsterAster ageratoides 'Ezo Murasaki'

• Perennial plant

• 12-24” tall; 4’ wide

• Well drained limed soil

• Deep violet-purple flowers with chartreuse centers in

Fall

• Fast growing

Lantana-Luscious GrapeLantana camara

• Fragrant foliage

• Tender perennial-annual

• Long blooming, trailing habit

• Heat tolerant

• Deadheading not necessary

• Drought tolerant

• 10-14” tall; 24-36” wide

Walkers Low CatmintNepeta X faassemii – Walkers Low

• 2007 Perennial of the year.

• Attractive fragrant gray-green foliage

• Bluish-purple flowers from spring to fall.

• Drought resistant when established.

• 24-30” tall; 36” wide

Pincushion FlowerScabiosa caucasica

• Well drained normal, sandy or clay soil

• 18-24” tall; 12-18” wide

• Intolerant of high heat and humidity

• Clumping perennial

• Tolerates part shade in hot

south

CrocosmiaCrocosmia 'Lucifer'

• Plants grow 2 to 4’ tall.

• Tube shaped flower colors include red, yellow, orange-

yellow, and orange with

splotches.

• Flowers bloom from July-

October.

Ajuga, Bugle WeedAjuga reptans

• Excellent ground cover for

moist areas in cool, shady areas where grass will not

grow

• Soil: Well to moderately drained soil

• 6” tall perennial groundcover with flowers

Purple Wandering JewTradescantia pallida 'Purple Heart‘

• 1’ tall 2’ wide perennial

• Best purple leaf color occurs in sun

• Plants have good drought tolerance

• Groundcover or houseplant

Sage Heat Wave BlazeSalvia microphylla x greggii

• 30” tall; 36” wide

• Prefers moist to dry, well drained soil

• Drought and humidity tolerant

• Evergreen perennial blooming early summer through fall

Sage Swifty WhiteSalvia nemorosa Swifty White

• Drought Tolerant

• Height 12 – 16 inches

• Average soil

• Sun

Sage-Hot LipsSalvia microphylla – Hot Lips

• 2-3’ tall; 3’ wide

• Two toned flowers

• Prefers moist to dry, well drained soil

• Drought and humidity tolerant

• Perennial blooming summer through fall

• Evergreen

Sage MarcusSalvia nemorosa Marcus – Haeumanarc

• Flowers deep blue

• Blooms early summer

to mid summer

• Foliage is grey green

• Drought tolerant

• Soil normal, sandy,

clay

• Soil pH neutral

Mealycup Sage / Blue SageSalvia farinacea

• Bluish purple flowering perennial

• Very tough for our coastal conditions

• 2-3’ tall and wide

• Blooms spring to fall

• Drought tolerant

• Well drained soil --normal, sandy, clay

Phlox Cotton CandyPhlox paniculata 'Ditomfav' (PPAF)

• Flowers soft lavender and pink

• Blooms July-August

• 18-24” tall and wide

• Drought tolerant-mildew resistant

• Soil normal, sandy, clay

• Compact habit, attractive leaf and flower coloration, and good disease resistance perennial

• Light fragrance

Phlox Cotton CandyPhlox paniculata ‘Grape Lollipop’

• Flowers reddish purple with a flare of white

• Blooms July-September

• 18-24” tall and wide

• Drought tolerant-mildew resistant

• Soil normal, sandy, clay

• Compact habit, attractive leaf and flower coloration, and good disease resistance perennial

• Light fragrance

• Grass-like leaves 1’ tall

• Pale light purple/pink

flowers blooms all year

• Water frequently during growing season

• Drought tolerant

• Light, sandy soil

Society GarlicTulbaghia violacea

Autumn FernDryopteris erythrosora

• Dwarf growing fern

• Shade, part-shade

• Semi-evergreen1.5-2’ tall; 18” wide

• Wet of moist sand, loam, clay, or limestone. Poor drainage okay

• Copper red foliage color matures to deep green

Verbena Homestead PurpleVerbena canadensis – Homestead purple

• Showy, intense purple

flowers

• Grows in wet or dry

soils

• Heat and drought

tolerant

• Water frequently until

well established

• Trailing habit

Verbena CandycaneVerbena Lanai Candycane

• 4-10” tall

• Trailing, spread 12-24”

• tolerant of extreme

weather, drought and

powdery mildew

• Soil: widely adaptable,

well drained

Verbena Superbena Coral RedVerbena Superbena ® Coral Red

• 6-12” tall

• Trailing, spread 12-24”

• tolerant of extreme

weather, drought and

powdery mildew

• Soil: widely adaptable,

well drained

Royale Chambray VerbenaSuperbena® Royale Chambray PPAFa

• Blooms spring through summer

• Watering: moderate to moist

• Soil: widely adaptable,

well drained

• Deadheading not

necessary

• 6-10” tall; trails to 24”

Vines

There are several vines which should interest North Carolina gardeners and landscapers. Vines, when

used correctly, can be quite an aesthetic and

functional addition to the landscape. Many vines will become perennial landscape additions, especially

those planted and allowed to grow on a trellis or an arbor. The structure should get special attention

also. Be certain to construct the support structure with weatherproof materials. Use the naturally

decay resistant woods such as red cedar or use

treated materials. Brick, iron, or concrete are also acceptable as support structures for vines.

(NCSU.edu)

Clematis Nelly Moser

• Free flowering vine with lots of color. Huge 9" pale-

pink with lavender striped

flowers.

• Blooms heavily in May and sporadically until frost.

• No pruning required.

• Full sun with cool shaded

roots.

Black-Eyed Susan VineThunbergia alata

• Average water needs

• 1.5” flowers in shades of orange and yellow cover this fast-growing annual vine

• Moist well drained soil

• 6-8’ long vine in a season

• Excellent host for butterflys

•

Jasmine Combo PotGelsemium s. - Pride of Augusta – and rankinii

• Enjoy beautiful yellow flowers nearly half the year. Great combination of two yellow flowering vines, one with single flowers in fall and spring and the other with fragrant double flowers in spring. SunYellow

• Sites with well-drained and moderately fertile soil

Carolina JessamineGelsemium semperirens

• Tolerates short periods of drought.

• Prefers rich, fertile well-drained acidic soil grows rapidly once established.

• Moderate to rapid; twining; wiry stems; foliage bronzes in winter; foliage bronzes in winter.

• Height: 10-20 ft.

Confederate JasmineThrachelospermum jasminoides

• Evergreen vine or groundcover with lustrous

dark green leaves.

• Fragrant white flowers from

May to June and periodically thereafter.

• Grows to 20’

Honeysuckle TacomaTecoma capensis

• A rambling shrub that will grow to 20 feet with support or can be pruned into an upright shrub that is 8 feet tall.

• Orange-red long tubular flowers bloom in clusters during the fall and winter.

• Needs little water.

• Can tolerate seaside conditions

• Cold hardy to 23 °F although may lose leaves. Branches root where they touch the ground.

Lady Banks Rose

Rosa banksiae 'Lutea'

• A vigorous climber with rich-green foliage on thornless slender branches.

• Miniature, double yellow or white blooms have a slight fragrance.

• Heavy and prolific spring display. Evergreen in milder climates. A fine climber for arbors.

• Needs regular watering

• Fast-growing, vining habit to 15 to 20 ft. long.

• Seacoast exposure

• Blooms Spring or Early Summer