15 Top Native Plants for Southern Gardens
These tough plants withstand hot, humid conditions.
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Treat yourself to the big, bold flowers of hardy hibiscus. Dinner-plate-sized flowers adorn the plants through late summer and early fall and appear in shades of red, pink, and white.
Name: Hibiscus moscheutos
Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist soil
Size: To 8 feet tall
Zones: 5-10
A hummingbird favorite, Indian pink offers bright red flowers topped with yellow. Plant towards the front of the border and enjoy this native perennial's traffic-stopping show all season long.
Name: Spigelia marilandica
Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 2 feet tall
Zones: 6-9
This charming woodland iris bears delicate blue, white, or purple flowers in mid-spring. Even when not in bloom, the tiny clumps of foliage are a great textural contrast in the shady garden.
Name: Iris cristata
Growing Conditions: Part sun to shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 1 foot tall
Zones: 3-9
Native bee balm bears bright red blooms through the summer months. It's a butterfly and hummingbird magnet -- and thanks to its aromatic foliage, is usually ignored by hungry deer or bunnies.
Name: Monarda didyma
Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 4 feet tall
Zones: 4-8
One of this ornamental grass's best features is it tolerates light shade well. It's also beautiful: The delicate, oat-like heads provide great winter interest and add character to the garden when rustling in the breeze. Note: This can be a fast spreader, so give it lots of room or grow it where you can keep it contained.
Name: Chasmanthium latifolium
Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil
Size: To 4 feet tall
Zones: 3-8
This fall-blooming daisy comes in a multitude of autumnal colors, including warm golds, reds, and oranges. An easy-to-grow perennial, it's great for a shot of color at the end of the season. One top-notch selection we love is multicolored 'Mardi Gras'.
Name: Helenium autumnale
Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 4 feet tall
Zones: 3-8
Grow this tough perennial for its long season of bloom and easy-growing habit. The blue or lavender flowers appear continuously through summer and into fall. Top selections to watch for include 'Blue Danube', 'Peachie's Pick', and 'Mary Gregory'.
Name: Stokesia laevis
Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 3 feet tall
Zones: 5-10
Grow this tough little perennial to satisfy yourself and the hummingbirds. It produces bright, eye-popping red trumpet flowers in mid- and late summer.
Name: Silene regia
Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil
Size: To 3 feet tall
Zones: 5-8
Woodland phlox has it all; it's disease resistant, doesn't mind shade, and offers blue, purple, or white fragrant springtime flowers.
Name: Phlox divaricata
Growing Conditions: Full to part sun and moist, well drained soil
Size: To 16 inches tall
Zones: 3-8
A top marsh or water-garden plant, swamp lily bears beautiful clusters of pink or white flowers from spring to fall and long, blue-green, strap-like leaves.
Name: Crinum americanum
Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist to wet soil
Size: To 4 feet tall
Zones: 8-11
Though they're native to swampy areas, carnivorous pitcher plants will also grow in moist gardens. Enjoy their interesting funnel-shaped leaves and alien-like springtime flowers.
Name: Sarracenia purpurea
Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist or wet soil
Size: To 18 inches tall
Zones: 4-7
This crocus look-alike offers charming flowers in shades of red, pink, and white. They appear in autumn, giving the garden a punch of color after the long, hot season.
Name: Zephyranthes candida
Growing Conditions: Sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 18 inches tall
Zones: 7-10
A charming groundcover for shady spots, foamflower produces clusters of starry flowers in early spring. For more interest, look for newer selections that have purple-marked foliage or pink-tinged flowers.
Name: Tiarella cordifolia
Growing Conditions: Shade and moist, well-drained soil
Size: To 1 foot tall
Zones: 3-8
False indigo is a must-have perennial for your garden. Its blue or purple flowers make a statement in late spring, and its blue-green foliage and charcoal-gray seed pods are beautiful in late summer.
Name: Baptisia australis
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
Size: To 5 feet tall
Zones: 3-9
Tall spires of white flowers make bugbane an attractive accent in the shade garden. While bugbanes are pretty, we especially love 'Hillside Black Beauty', a selection that sports dark chocolate-purple foliage.
Name: Actaea racemosa (formerly known as Cimicifuga racemosa)
Growing Conditions: Shade and moist soil
Size: To 5 feet tall
Zones: 3-8
