Perennials

Perennial plants provide season long interest in the landscape. Site selection and plant selection are the two most important decisions when selecting perennials. Determining whether you have full sun, partial shade or full shade can be difficult. Areas receiving any afternoon sun should be considered full sun. Soil moisture is another important consideration. Most plants tolerate moist locations better than dry and few plants do well in extremely dry locations. Different flowering times and contrasting foliage offer an interesting pallet to choose from. Throughout the Botanical Garden perennials are labeled for identification. In addition, new varieties are continually being added to the collection for evaluation. Visitors to the Botanical Garden have the opportunity to view and select perennials for their own landscape. View the Zoo's new perennial database to learn more!

 

Zoo's Best Picks Perennials

  • Sun Low Growing (under 15"

    Moonbeam Coreopsis - Coreopsis verticillata

    Bath's Pink Dianthus - Dianthus gratianopolitanus

    Biokovo Geranium - Geranium x cantabrigiense

    'Karmina' Geranium

    Big Ears Lambs Ears - Stachys 'Helen von Stein'

  • Sun Medium (1' - 3')

    Blue Star Amsonia - Amsonia tabernaemontana

    Arkansas Amsonia - Amsonia hubrichtii

    Raydon's Favorite Aster - Aster oblongifolius 'Raydon's Favorite'

    October Skies Aster - Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies'

    Wild Blue Indigo - Baptesia australis

    Stella D'oro Daylily - Hemerocallis 'Stella D'oro'

    Happy Returns Daylily - 'Happy Returns'

    Becky Shasta Daisy - Leucanthemum x superbum 'Becky'

    Russian Sage - Perovskia atroplicifolia

    David Garden Phlox - Phlox paniculata 'David'

    Goldstrum Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldstrum'

    Autumn Joy Sedum - Sedum ' Autumn Joy'

    Fireworks Goldenrod - ' Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks'

  • Part Shade/Shade

    Italian Arum - Arum italicum

    Siberian Bugloss - Brunnera macrophylla

    Yellow Barrenwort - Epimedium x versicolor ' Sulphureum'

    Red Barronwart - Epimedium x rubrum

    Lenten Rose - Helleborus orientalis

    Hosta

    Variegated Solomon's Seal - Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'

  • Shade

    Christmas Fern - Polystichum acrostichoides

    Japanese Painted Fern - Athyrium nipponicum 'Pictum'

 

Learn more about the full list of the Best Perennials (PDF) of the Zoo.