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.