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Iris cristata dwarf crested iris.JPG

Native Gardening

Brand new to native gardening and unsure of what to plant?

Here are just a few ideas on perennials to help get you started!

These plants are easy to grow in NC and usually available from local sellers.

Tip: Planting one to three flowers that bloom in each of the seasons (spring, summer and fall),

will ensure you have beautiful blooms all season long.

Solidago nemoralis Grayleaf Goldenrod (8).JPG

Full Sun/Part Sun

Spring Blooming: Full/Part Sun

Sisyrinchium angustifolium Narrowleaf Blue-eyed Grass (2).JPG

Blue-eyed Grass 

Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Height: 1ft

- great border plant

Oenothera fruticosa Southern Sundrops (8).JPG

Southern Sundrops   Oenothera fruticosa

Height: 1-2ft

-

Coreopsis lanceolata (3)_edited.jpg

Lanceleaf Coreopsis  Coreopsis lanceolata

Height: 1-3ft

- reseeds easily

Penstemon digitalis White Beardtongue (8).JPG

White Beardtongue 

Penstemon digitalis

Height: 2-4ft

- great bumble bee flowers

Early Summer Blooming: Full/Part Sun

Asclepias tuberosa Butterflyweed (10).JPG

Butterfly Weed 

Asclepias tuberosa

Height: 1-2ft

- drought tolerant

Echinacea Purpurea Purple Coneflower (3).JPG

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

Height: 2-4ft

- not deer resistant

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Bee Balm

Monarda didyma

Height: 2-4ft

- grows on underground runners

Lonicera sempervirens Coral Honeysuckle (3).JPG

Coral Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens

Height: vine

- great vine for a trellis or arbor

Late Summer Blooming:  Full/Part Sun

Scutellaria incana (3)_edited.jpg

Downt Skullcap 

Scutellaria incana

Height: 1-3ft

- interesting seed pods

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Narrowleaf Mountain Mint.JPG

Narrow-leaf Mountain Mint

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Height: 2-4ft

- many native Mtn Mint species

- grows on underground runners

Rudbeckia fulgida (3).JPG

Orange Coneflower 

Rudbeckia fulgida

Height: 2-3ft

- drought tolerant

Eutrochium purpureum Sweet Joe Pye Weed (6).JPG

Joe Pye Weed

Eutrochium

Height: 5-7ft

Fall Blooming:  Full/Part Sun

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium Aromatic Aster (4).JPG

Aromatic Aster 

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium

Height: 2-3ft

- trim back in June for a 

  fuller plant in fall

Solidago nemoralis Grayleaf Goldenrod (6).JPG

Grayleaf Goldenrod

Solidago nemoralis

Height: 2-4ft

- cut back in June for a       

  fuller plant in fall

Muhlenbergia capillaris Pink Muhly Grass (2).JPG

Pink Muhly Grass

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Height: 2-4ft

​

Schizachyrium scoparium Little Bluestem (12).JPG

Native Bluestems

- variety of species of

  varying heights`

Geranium maculatum Wild Geranium (6).JPG

Shade/Part Shade

Spring Blooming: Shade/Part-Shade 

Chrysogonum virginianum Green and Gold (4).JPG

Green and Gold 

Chrysogonum virginianum

Height: groundcover

- groundcover

Tiarella cordifolia Foamflower (5).JPG

Foam Flower

Tiarella cordifolia

Height: 1ft

- moist soil

Geranium maculatum Wild Geranium (3).JPG

Wild Geranium 

Geranium maculatum

Height: 1-3ft

- moist soil

- full shade to part sun

Aquilegia canadensis Eastern Columbine (5).JPG

Eastern Columbine 

Aquilegiia canadensis

Height: 1-3ft

- part shade to part sun

Beautiful Summer Foliage: Shade/Part Shade

fern Christmas Fern.jpg

Christmas Fern 

Polystichum acrostichoides

- moist to average soil

- evergreen

Fern Southern Lady Fern.JPG

Southern Lady Fern

Athyruim asplenoides          

- moist to average soil

Carex cherokeensis (7).JPG

Cherokee Sedge

Carex cherokeensis

- moist to average soil

- part shade-part sun

Carex appalachia (5).jpg

Appalachian Sedge

Carex appalachia

- average to dry soils

-

Fall Blooming: Shade/Part Shade

Solidago caesia Woodland Goldenrod (2).JPG

Woodland Goldenrod 

Solidago caesia

Height: 1-3ft

- average to dry soil​

- also grows in full-part sun

Chelone Turtlehead (3).JPG

Turtlehead

Chelone glabra 

Height: 2-4ft

- moist soil

Lobelia siphilitica Great Blue Lobelia (13).JPG

Great Blue Lobelia 

Lobelia siphilicata

Height: 2-3ft

- part shade to part sun

Solid White Background

Big-headed Aster

Symphyotrichum grandifolium

Height: 1-3ft

- part shade to sun

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