10 Great Perennials for Your North Carolina Landscape

Want a garden that is both beautiful and low-maintenance? Try these 10 great perennials for your North Carolina landscape, which are both beautiful and hardy enough to thrive in our temperate climate and its four distinct seasons. 

In this article:

1. American Boneset
2. Black-Eyed Susan
3. Cardinal Flower
4. Foamflower
5. Garden Phlox
6. Indian Pink
7. New England Aster
8. Purple Coneflower
9. Swamp Milkweed
10. Virginia Bluebells

• FAQ

1. American Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Photo Credit: Kevin Kenny / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

American boneset distinguishes itself by the small white flowers it sprouts between late summer and early fall. These flowers provide pollen and nectar for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Once pollinated, they sprout seeds that attract songbirds.

Another cool fact: The American Boneset, which was awarded the 2003 NC Wildflower of the Year, was historically used as a medicine for the flu, fevers, and colds.

Sun: Full sun or partial shade

Soil: Clay, sand, high organic matter

Fragrance: Pleasant floral scent

Bloom time: Late summer to early fall

Water needs: Frequent standing water

Mature height: 4 to 6 feet.

Maintenance: Low

2. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Photo Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

The bright yellow black-eyed Susan is popular due to its long bloom time, giving a garden bed a long-lasting splash of color. Bees and butterflies use it as a source of both nectar and pollen, and songbirds eat their seeds when they’re ripe.

The black-eyed Susan reseeds readily, but other plants keep it in check. It adapts to numerous soils, making it easy to plant in North Carolina.

Sun: Full sun

Soil: Clay, sand, loam, acidic, moist, well-drained

Fragrance: Sweet

Bloom time: Spring, summer, early autumn

Water needs: Medium. It has moderate drought tolerance

Mature height: 1 to 3 feet.

Maintenance: Low. Can self-seed freely. Black-eyed Susan can become aggressive if given too perfect an environment and insufficient competition.

3. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Photo Credit: linnaeus / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0

Cardinal flower sets itself apart with its brilliant red flowers, a nod to the red robes worn by Roman Catholic cardinals. Cardinal flowers are generally low-maintenance. However, they  require frequent watering to maintain the moist soil they prefer. Some afternoon shade will shield them from the heat and prevent them from drying out.

While historically used for medicine, all parts of the plant are poisonous, so it’s not the best choice for parents or pet owners. The cardinal flower was selected as the 1982, 1983, and 2001 NC Wildflower of the Year.

Sun: Full sun, partial shade, full shade

Soil: Sand, loam, clay, limestone-based

Bloom time: July to October

Water needs: Medium to high

Mature height: 1-6 feet

Maintenance: Low.

4. Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

Photo Credit: Evan M. Raskin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0

Foamflower can get up to a foot tall, making it a good ground cover. In spring, spiked flowers bloom, attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. These flowers range from cream-colored to light pink.

In early summer, black fruits bloom, which can be dried. Foamflower was named the 1986 NC Wildflower of the Year. 

Sun: Part to full shade

Soil: Moist, hummus-rich, well-drained soil

Bloom time: Spring

Water needs: Medium

Mature height: 5 to 12 inches

Maintenance: Low

5. Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

Photo Credit: Keith Pomakis / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Garden phlox is a perennial growing in woodlands, thickets, gardens, prairies, and forests. In summer, dome-shaped pink, purple, or white flowers sprout, and the entire plant blooms in the fall. It attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.

However, garden phlox has disease and pest problems. It’s vulnerable to powdery mildew and root rot and attracts spider mites in hot and dry conditions. 

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Clay, loam, high organic matter, good drainage, moist

Bloom time: Mid-summer to mid-fall

Water needs: Water in dry summers. Avoid overhead watering.

Mature height: 2 to 4 feet.

Maintenance: Medium

6. Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica)

Photo Credit: Mark Levisay / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Classified as a NC threatened species, Indian Pink stands out with its red and yellow flowers that bloom in spring. These tubular flowers see hummingbirds as their main visitor. Its fruits develop after the flowers, which provide a food source for songbirds.

Indian Pink is poisonous to humans, deer, and rabbits. It usually grows in moist woods and along wooded stream banks.

Sun: Partial shade to full shade

Soil: Moist, well-drained

Bloom time: Late Spring to Summer

Water needs: Medium

Mature height: 1-2 feet

Maintenance: Low

7. New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

Photo Credit: The Cosmonaut / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5 CA

The fabulously showy New England aster grows in moist meadows, prairies, low valleys, and stream banks. It sprouts large, purple flowers with yellow centers in late summer and early fall. These flowers attract wildlife like bees and butterflies while also making great cut flowers for arrangements.

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Clay, high organic matter, good drainage, moist, occasionally dry

Bloom time: Late Summer and Fall

Water needs: Water weekly or when the topmost layer of soil dries out

Mature height: 3 to 7 feet

Maintenance: Medium

8. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Photo Credit: PumpkinSky / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Purple coneflowers are popular pollinator plants. They bloom pink-purple flowers with spiky cone-shaped centers. Bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies visit them in the growing season, and songbirds eat the seeds after they sprout in the fall and winter.

Purple coneflowers are favorites at the garden center. Native Americans use their roots to treat coughs and fevers, and its ingredients are still used in teas and medicines today.

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Sandy, clay, rocky

Bloom time: April to September

Water needs: Medium

Mature height: 2 to 5 feet

Maintenance: Low

9. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Photo Credit: Fritzflohrreynolds / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

As its name suggests, swamp milkweed likes wet, moist, and swampy areas. It grows clusters of pink or white flowers in mid to late summer. They attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators while being deer resistant.

In 2005, the swamp milkweed was named the North Carolina Wildflower of the Year. It’s a critical host for monarch butterflies, which have declined due to habitat loss.

Sun: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Clay, moist, wet

Bloom time: Mid to late summer

Water needs: High

Mature height: 3 to 5 feet

Maintenance: Low

10. Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

Photo Credit: Ryan Hodnett / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Virginia bluebells bloom in spring and go dormant by late summer. Due to the sap in their petals changing pH over time, their trumped-shaped flowers change from pink to blue. Long-tongued pollinators like mason bees, digger bees, and butterflies pollinate them. Deer and rabbits avoid Virginia bluebells.

Virginia bluebells work best surrounded by later-blooming flowers, which will take over after they die. They are self-seeders, meaning they drop seeds for other Virginia bluebells to grow.

Sun: Part shade to full shade

Soil: Chalk, clay, loam, sand. Acid, alkaline, neutral. Moist but well-drained

Fragrance: Light, sweet

Bloom time: Spring

Water needs: Average. It does its best when moisture is abundant and will decline when the soil is too dry.

Mature height: 1 to 2 feet

Maintenance: Medium. This plant self-seeds but is challenging to propagate. It should be cut back after flowering.

FAQ

What’s Next?

Need help with finding and planting the right perennials? Contact a Wikilawn lawn care professional, and we’ll get your plants growing beautifully in no time.

Main Photo Credit: brillianthues / Flickr / Public Domain Mark 1.0