Gardening Gardening By Region Gardening in the South 15 Top Native Plants for Southern Gardens By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on July 18, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos There's hope for Southern gardeners. These tough plants withstand hot, humid conditions. 01 of 15 Hardy Hibiscus Peter Krumhardt 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 02 of 15 Indian Pink Rob Cardillo A hummingbird favorite, Indian pink offers bright red flowers topped with yellow. Plant toward 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 03 of 15 Crested Iris Ginny Weiler 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 04 of 15 Bee Balm Lynn Karlin 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 05 of 15 Northern Sea Oats John Reed Forsman Photography One of this ornamental grass's best features is that 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 06 of 15 Helen's Flower Peter Krumhardt 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 07 of 15 Stokes' Aster Alice O'Brien 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 08 of 15 Royal Catchfly Clint Farlinger 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 09 of 15 Woodland Phlox Peter Krumhardt 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 10 of 15 Swamp Lily Bill Stites/EYESWEET INC 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 11 of 15 Pitcher Plant Rob Cardillo Photography 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 12 of 15 Rain Lily Denny Schrock 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 13 of 15 Foamflower W. Garrett Scholes 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 14 of 15 False Indigo Susan Gilmore 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 15 of 15 Bugbane Lynn Karlin Photography 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 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit