Perennials for Specific Situations

Tolerant of Poor Soil

Achillea (Yarrow) Hemerocallis (Daylily) Sedum (Stonecrop)

Cerastium Hibiscus Thyme
Ceratostigma (Plumbago) Iberis (Candytuft) Verbascum
Echinops (Globe Thistle) Mertensia (Virginia Bluebells) Eupatorium (Ageratum)
Geranium (Cranesbill)    Nepeta cataria (Catnip)   Oenothera (Evening Primrose)
Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath)  Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox) 

Tolerant of Wet Soil

Aruncus (Goatsbeard) Hibiscus Lythrum salicaria

Astilbe Iris kaempferi (Japanese) Primula (Primrose)
Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigold) Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag) Rodgersia
Chelone (Turtlehead) Ligularia Sanguisorba (Burnet)
Eupatorium fistulosum Lobelia cardinalis Tradescantia
Eupatorium purpureum Lysimachia clethroides Trollius
Filipendula Lysimachia punctata Zantedeschia (Calla)
Helenium autumnale

Tolerant of Dry Soil

Achillea (Yarrow) Euphorbia (Spurge) Liatris (Gayfeather)

Amsonia (Blue Star) Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) Limonium (Statice)
Anthemis (Golden Marguerite) Geranium (Cranesbill) Oriental Poppy
Armeria (Sea Pink) Grasses: Andropogon (Bluestem) Rudbeckia
Artemisia (Wormwood) Cortaderia (Pampas Grass) Salvia (Sage)
Asclepias (Butterfly Weed) Elymus (Blue Lyme Grass) Sedum (Stonecrop)
Aurinia (Basket of Gold) Festuca (Blue Fescue) Solidago (Goldenrod)
Baptisia (False Indigo) Miscanthus (Eulalia Grass) Stachys (Betony)
Belamcanda (Blackberry Lily) Helianthus Thermopsis
Chrys. parthenium (Feverfew) Heliopsis Tradescantia
Coreopsis Hemerocallis (Daylily) Yucca
Dianthus Iris, Pacific Coast Hybrids
Echinops (Globe Thistle) Kniphofia (Torch Lily/Red Hot Poker)

Shade Tolerant

Acanthus(Bear’s Breech)  Digitalis (Foxglove)   Lysimachia (Loosestrife)

Alchemilla (Lady’s Mantle)  Doronicum (Leopard’s Bane)  Mertensia (VA Bluebells)
Anemone    Epimedium (Bishop’s Hat)  Monarda (Bee Balm)
Aquilegia (Columbine)   Euphorbia (Spurge)   Polygonatum(Solomon’sSeal)
Aruncus (Goatsbeard) Filipendula (Queen of the Prairie) Primula (Primrose)

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Astilbe (False Spirea) Helleborus (Christmas Rose) Pulmonaria (Lungwort)
Bergenia Hemerocallis (Daylily) Thalictrum (Meadowrue)
Brunnera (Siberian Bugloss) Heuchera (Coral Bells) Tiarella cordifolia (Foamflower)
Campanula (some) Hosta (Plantain Lily) Trillium
Ceratostigma (Blue Plumbago) Iris sibirica (Siberian Iris) Trollius (Globe Flower)
Chrysogonum (Golden Star) Ligularia (Groundsel) Vancouveria
Dicentra (Bleeding Heart) Viola odorata (Sweet Violet)

Prefer a More Alkaline Soil

Bergenia    Dianthus    Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath)

Centaurea Dictamnus Iris - Bearded
Centranthus Echinops Paeonia
Clematis Eryngium (most) Primula
Delphinium (hybrids) Geranium Scabiosa

Long Lived

Acanthus mollis Echinops Liriope

Agapanthus Eryngium Lythrum salicaria
Alchemilla mollis Eupatorium Macleaya cordata
Alstroemeria Euphorbia (most) Mertensia
Amsonia tabernaemontana Gaura lindheimeri Paeonia
Anemone hybrida Gypsophila paniculata Papaver orientale
Aruncus dioicus Helleborus Perovskia
Asclepias tuberosa Hibiscus moscheutos Platycodon grandiflorus
Baptisia australis Hosta Polygonatum
Cimicifuga Kniphofia Romneya coulteri
Crambe cordifolia Ligularia Tricyrtis
Dictamnus albus Limonium latifolium Trillium

Attractive Foliage

Aegopodium (Goutweed) Cynara cardunculus (Cardoon) Ligularia (Groundsel)

Acanthus (Bear’s Breech)  Dianthus (Pink)    Paeonia (Peony)
Alchemilla (Lady’s Mantle)  Euphorbia (Spurge)   Polygonatum (S.Seal)
Amsonia (Blue Star) Geranium (some) Pulmonaria(Lungwort)
Aquilegia (Columbine) Grasses: All Ruta grav.cultivars
Armeria (Thrift) Helleborus (Christmas Rose) Salvia x superba
Artemisia (Wormwood) Hemerocallis (some) (Daylily) Saxifraga x umbrosa
Aruncus (Goatsbeard) Heuchera (Coral Bells) Sedum (Stonecrop)
Aurinia (Basket-of-Gold)  Hosta (Plantain Lily)   Stachys (Lamb’s Ear)
Astilbe Iris kaempferi (Japanese Iris) Thalictrum (Mdw. Rue)
Baptisia (False Indigo) Iris sibirica (Siberian Iris) Viola (Violet)
Bergenia Kniphofia (Torch Lily) Convallaria (Lily of the Valley)

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Flowers for Fragrance

Centaurea montana (Perennial Bachelor Button) Hosta plantaginea (Fragrant Plantain Lily)
Cimicifuga (Bugbane) Iris, bearded (most)
Dianthus (Pink) Monarda (foliage) (Bee Balm)
Dictamnus (Gas Plant) Paeonia (Peony)
Filipendula (Queen of the Prairie) Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox)
Hemerocallis (some) (Daylily) Primula (some varieties) (Primrose)
Viola odorata (Sweet Violet)

Plants that Attract Hummingbirds

Aquilegia (Columbine Mimulus (Monkey Flower)

Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’     Monarda (Bee Balm)
Delphinium (esp. cardinale) Penstemon (Beardtongue)
Digitalis (Foxglove) Physostegia (Obedient Plant)
Heuchera (Coral Bells) Pulmonaria (Lungwort)
Kniphofia (Torch Lily/Red Hot Poker) Salvia (Sage) ...especially splendens
Lobelia cardinalis Zauschneria (California Fuchsia)
Lupine

Plants that Attract Butterflies

Achillea (Yarrow) Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)

Alcea (Hollyhock) Helianthus (Sunflower)
Allium (Flowering Onion) Hemerocallis (Daylily)
Arabis (Rockcress) Iberis (Candytuft)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) Lavandula (Lavender)
Aster Liatris (Gayfeather)
Astilbe Lobelia
Aubrieta Phlox
Centranthus ruber (Red Valerian)   Polemonium (Jacob’s Ladder)
Aurinia saxatilis (Basket-of-Gold) Primula (Primrose)
Cheiranthus (Wallflower) Pulmonaria (Lungwort)
Chrysanthemum Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan)
Coreopsis (Tickseed) Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)
Dianthus (Pinks) Sedum spectabile (Showy Stonecrop)
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) Solidago (Goldenrod)
Echinops (Globe Thistle) Thalictrum (Meadow Rue)
Erigeron karvinskianus (Mexican) Verbena

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Recommended Reading
Perennials, How to Select, Grow & Enjoy by Harper & McGourty
Perennials by Sunset Magazine
All About Perennials by Ortho Books
Perennials for American Gardens by Clausen and Ekstrom
Sunset’s Western Garden Book
Perennials (2 Volumes) by Roger Phillips & Martyn Rix
Herbaceous Perennial Plants by Allan M. Armitage
Perennial Garden Plants by Graham Stuart Thomas
The American Horticultural Society: Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
Right Plant, Right Place by Nicola Ferguson
A Garden for All Seasons by Reader’s Digest
Color in Your Garden by Penelope Hobhouse
The Art of Planting by Rosemary Verey
The Green Tapestry by Beth Chatto
The Perennial Garden by Jeff & Marilyn Cox/Rodale
Designing With Perennials by Pamela Harper
The Complete Shade Gardener by George Schenk

Just for Pleasure

The Perennial Gardener by Frederick McGourty
The Year in Bloom and anything else by Ann Lovejoy
Color in My Garden by Louise Beebe Wilder
Home Ground and anything else by Allen Lacy
The Essential Earthman and anything else by Henry Mitchell

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