PERENNIALS FOR DIFFICULT SITES Barbara J. Bromley, Mercer Co. Horticulturist 2015
Often we want to include perennial flowers on a site with difficult growing conditions. There is usually at least one plant that will tolerate even the most difficult conditions.
Many perennials prefer a sunny location and a deep, well drained but moisture retentive soil supplemented with organic matter, but this is not always available. The following is a list of some perennial flowering plants for less than ideal conditions. Cross-referencing will give plants that are tolerant of more than one difficult location, such as dry shade or hot and wet. Most plants have a special tolerance, such as drought tolerance, only after they have recovered from transplanting and are well established. Check reliable references (books, Master Gardener Helplines, internet) for the plant characteristics and site requirements of each of the individual perennials.
NOTE: The genus, (italicized name) but not species, is given for each of the listed plants. Because there are often many plants in a given genus, check references under both the common and botanical names.
DRY AREAS WET AREAS SHADE AREAS Achillea-yarrow Acorus calamus-sweet flag Alchemilla-lady's mantle Agastache sp – anise hyssop Angelica - angelica Anemone-anemone Amsonia-blue-star Arisaema-Jack-in-the-pulpit Aquilegia-columbine Anthemis-golden marguerite Aruncus-goatsbeard Aruncus-goatsbeard Armeria-sea pink Asclepias – swamp milkweed Asperula-sweet woodruff Artemesia-wormwood Asarum-wild ginger Astilbe-false spirea Asclepias-butterfly weed Aster-New England aster Bergenia-leatherleaf Bergenia Aubretia-purple rock cress Astilbe-false spirea Brunnera-Siberian bugloss Aurinia-basket of gold Astilboides - astilboides Caltha-marshmarigold Baptisia-blue false indigo Astrantia - masterwort Campanula-bellflower Belamcanda-blackberry lily Brunnera-Siberian bugloss Ceratostigma-blue plumbago Bergenia-leatherleaf bergenia Caltha-marshmarigold Chrysogonum-goldenstar Boltonia-boltonia Chelone-turtlehead Cimicifuga-bugbane Calamintha - calamint Cimicifuga-bugbane Convallaria-lily-of-the-valley Catananche-Cupid's dart Eupatorium-Joe Pye weed Dicentra-bleeding heart Centranthus-Jupiter's beard Filipendula-queen-of-prairie Dicentra-Dutchman's breeches Cerastium-snow-in-summer Galium-sweet woodruff Digitalis-foxglove Coreopsis-tickseed Helenium-sneezeweed Dictamnus-gasplant Dianthus-pinks Hibiscus-rose mallow Filipendula-queen-of-prairie Echinacea-purple coneflower Hosta-plantainlily, hosta Helleborus-Lenten rose Echinops-globethistle Iris-Japanese iris Heuchera-coral bells Eryngium-sea holly Iris-yellowflag iris Hosta-plantainlily, hosta Euphorbia-cushion spurge Iris – blue flag iris Iris-Siberian iris Gaillardia-blanketflower Ligularia – big-leaved ligularia Ligularia-ligularia Geranium-crane's bill Lobelia-cardinal flower Lirope-lilyturf Hemerocallis-daylily Lobelia – great blue lobelia Lobelia-cardinal flower Hosta-plantainlily, hosta Lysimachia-loosestrife Lysimachia-loosestrife Iris-German bearded iris, rooftop iris Mertensia-Virginia bluebells Mertensia-Virginia bluebells Kniphofia-red hot poker Monarda –beebalm Polygonatum-Solomon's seal Liatris-blazing star Petasites japonica - fuki Primula-primrose Limonium-sea lavender Physostegia-obedient plant Pulmonaria-lungwort Oenothera-sundrops Primula-primrose Trillium-wake robin Penstemon-beard tongue Tradescantia-spiderwort Trollius-globeflower Perovskia-Russian sage Trillium-wake robin Polygonum-Solomon's seal Trollius-globeflower Rudbeckia-black eyed Susan Sedum-stonecrop Solidago-goldenrod UNSTABLE SLOPES Stachys-lamb's ear Coronilla-crown vetch Veronica-spike speedwell Hemerocallis-daylily Yucca-Adam's needle Vinca-periwinkle, myrtle
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HOT AREAS DEER PROBLEM AREAS (low to Achillea-yarrow medium herd pressure, but a Iris -iris (will eat buds) Amsonia-bluestar starving deer will eat nearly Kniphofia-red hot poker Artemisia-artemisia anything.) Lavandula-lavender Aruncus-goatsbeard Achillea -yarrow Liatris-blazing star Asclepias-butterfly weed Aconitum -monkshood Lilium-tiger lily Aubretia-purple rockcress Allium -onion, garlic, chives Limonium-statice Aurinia-basket of gold Alyssum-basket of gold Linum-blue flax Baptisia-false indigo Amsonia-amsonia Lupinus -lupines Brunnera-Siberian bugloss Anaphalis -pearly everlasting Lychnis-Maltese cross Catananche-Cupid's dart Anchusa -bugloss Melissa-lemon balm Centranthus-Jupiter's beard Anemone -Japanese anemone Mentha -mints Cerastium-snow-in-summer Angelica-angelica Mertensia-Virginia bluebells Chrysanthemum-mums Anthemis -marguerite Monarda-beebalm Cimicifuga-bugbane Aquilegia-columbine Myosotis -forget-me-nots Coreopsis-tickseed Armeria-sea thrift Myrrhis-sweet cicely Echinacea-purple coneflower Artemesia -wormwood Oenothera-sundrops, evening primrose Echinops-globe thistle Aruncus -goatsbeard Origanum -marjoram Eryngium-sea holly Asclepias-butterflyweed Paeonia -peonies (will eat buds) Euphorbia-spurge Astilbe-false spirea Papaver-oriental poppy Filipendula-queen-of-prairie Aubretia -rock cress Perovskia-Russian sage Gaillardia-blanket flower Baptisia -false indigo Phalaris-ribbon grass Gypsophila-baby's breath Bergenia -leatherleaf bergenia Phyllostachys-golden bamboo Hemerocallis-daylily Begonia -begonia Physostegia-obedient plant Hibiscus-rose mallow Boltonia-boltonia Polemonium-Jacob's ladder Hosta-plantainlily, hosta Cactaceae-cactus Potentilla -cinquefoil Liatris-gayfeather Calluna -heather Primula -primroses Lychnis-campion Campanula-tussock bellflower Pulmonaria-lungwort Monarda-beebalm Canna-canna Ranunculus -buttercup, exc. R. asiaticus Oenothera-sundrops Centaurea-mountain bluet Rosemarinus -rosemary Perovskia-Russian sage Chelone-turtlehead Rudbeckia -black-eyed Susan, Platycodon-balloon flower Cimicifuga -bugbane Salvia -sage, salvia Rudbeckia-black-eyed Susan Comptonia-sweet fern Saponaria -soapwort Salvia-sage Convallaria -lily-of-the-valley Santolina-lavender cotton Sedum-stonecrop Chrysanthemum-painted daisy, Shasta Senecio-dusty miller Solidago-goldenrod daisy, feverfew Stachys -lamb's ear Stachys-lamb's ear Coreopsis -tickseed Stokesia-Stoke's aster Stokesia-Stoke's aster Delphinium -larkspur Tanacetum -tansy Yucca-Adam's needle Dianthus -pinks, sweet William Thalictrum -meadow rue Dicentra-bleeding heart Thymus -thyme Dictamnus-gas plant Tradescantia-spiderwort Digitalis -foxglove Trillium -trillium Echinacea -purple coneflower Trollius -globeflower Echinops -globe thistle Valeriana -valerian Erica -heath Veronica-Hungarian speedwell Erigeron -fleabane Viola -violets Euphorbia -spurge Yucca-Spanish bayonet Geranium -crane's-bill Gypsophila -baby's breath Helleborus-Lenten rose Hypericum -St. John's wort Imperata-Japanese blood grass
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