It ’s hot and humid out there , y’ all . But these native plants for southerly garden can take the elusive conditions .
Marty Baldwin
horticulture in the South has always intend battle oestrus and humidity . In an years of moreextreme weather , it ’s more important than ever to plunk plant life that can stand up to tough conditions . Thesenative flora are up to the challengeof rough weather condition because they ’ve thrived in it for centuries without any help from human race . These plants are low - maintenance and ego - sufficient once they ’re ground . They ’ll also improve the biodiversity of your curtilage by pull in birds and other wildlife .
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Jack LeCroyis the Regional Extension Agent for Auburn A&M and Auburn Universities Extension . Program Areas : Home grounds , garden , and home pests .
Hardy Hibiscus
address yourself to the big , bold flowers ofhardy hibiscus . dinner party - photographic plate - sized flush adorn the plants through later summer and other fall and appear in shadowiness of red , pink , and white .
Name : Hibiscus moscheutos
Growing Conditions : Full sun and moist land
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Size : To 8 feet magniloquent
Zones:5 - 10
Indian Pink
A hummingbird favorite , Amerind pinkoffers undimmed flushed peak topped with yellow . works toward the front of the border and delight this native perennial ’s traffic - stopping show all season long .
Name : Spigelia marilandica
Growing Conditions : Part shadiness and moist , well - enfeeble soil
Credit: Rob Cardillo
sizing : To 2 animal foot tall
Zones:6 - 9
Crested Iris
This wizardly woodland iris bear soft blue , blanched , or purple flowers in mid - spring . Even when not in bloom , the midget clod of leaf are a great textural contrast in the shady garden .
Name : Iris cristata
grow Conditions : Part sunshine to shade and moist , well - drain soil
Credit: Ginny Weiler
size of it : To 1 human foot tall
Zones:3 - 9
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Oakleaf hydrangeashave leave of absence shaped like the single on oak tree diagram , hence the name , and they produce white panicle - regulate heyday in summertime . “ When an oakleaf hydrangea is in flower it will stop anyone in their track , ” says Jack LeCroy , regional extension broker for Auburn A&M and Auburn Universities Extension in Mobile , Alabama . “ They look great institute in bulk , and they brighten up any shady position . ”
Name : Hydrangea quercifolia
Size:4 to 8 foot improbable
Credit: Ralph Anderson
Growing shape : Full Lord’s Day to fond wraith and average soil
Zones:5 - 9
Bee Balm
Nativebee balmbears lustrous blood-red bloom through the summertime month . It ’s abutterfly and hummingbird magnet — and thanks to its aromatic foliage , is usually ignored by thirsty cervid or bunny girl .
Name : Monarda didyma
Growing Conditions : Full sun and moist , well - drained land
Credit: Lynn Karlin
size of it : To 4 feet improbable
Zones:4 - 8
Mountain Mint
Mountain mintis a aboriginal wildflower and herbaceous plant that attracts bees and butterfly thanks to its minty aroma and nectar - laden flush . bird love to eat its seeds , too , so this pretty plant is a wildlife attractive feature . LeCroy recommend southerly mountain pile in particular , visit it “ a must - have for a pollinator garden . ”
Name : Pycnanthemumspp .
Size:3 to 6 pes tall
Credit: Carson Downing
Zones:4 - 9
Helen’s Flower
This fall - blooming daisy comes in a hoi polloi of autumnal colors , let in quick Au , bolshy , and oranges . Aneasy - to - acquire perennial , it ’s smashing for a stab of color at the remnant of the time of year . One top - nick selection we love is multicolored ' Mardi Gras ' .
Name : Helenium autumnale
Zones:3 - 8
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Swamp Sunflower
This tallperennial sunflowerproduces showy , yellow flowers from former summertime to early fall . “ This plant make every gardener ’s ticker happy as it ’s one of the last large showing of flowers that we get to see in the fall before all our plants go dormant , ” LeCroy sound out . Swamp helianthus like moist grunge and even clay loams .
Name : Helianthus angustifolius
Growing Conditions : Full sun and moist loamy soil
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
If you do n’t have room for a flush as marvellous as an NBA player , you could get shortsighted cultivars of swampland sunflower like ‘ First Light ’ which only grow to 4 feet tall , or ‘ depleted Down ’ that only get 2 feet tall .
Stokes' Aster
Grow this hard perennial for its long season of flower and easy - grow habit . The blue or lilac-colored blossom appear continuously through summer and into downfall . Top selection to watch for include ' Blue Danube ' , ' Peachie ’s Pick ' , and ' Mary Gregory ' .
Name : Stokesia laevis
Size : To 3 foot tall
Credit: Alice O’Brien
Mock Orange
The nativemock orangeis an underused shrub that works well as a specimen plant , massed in a border , or as a free privacy hedging . “ Mock orange Tree are ones you do n’t see as often but they are a true joy in the garden , ” LeCroy say . “ At first glance , you might think it ’s a dogwood because of the flower . ” Mock orange produces fragrant white flower in the spring that smell out like orange blossoms , hence the name . They do not bring about citrus yield .
Name : Philadelphus lewisii
Size:6 to 14 foot marvellous
Credit: Bill Stites
Growing Conditions : Full Dominicus to part tad and average territory
Royal Catchfly
Grow this tough little perennial to meet yourself and the hummingbirds . It produces bright , eye - popping red trumpet flower in mid- and late summer .
Name : Silene regia
grow term : Full Dominicus to part shade and well - drain soil
Credit: Clint Farlinger
Zones:5 - 8
Northern Sea Oats
John Reed Forsman
One of this cosmetic grass ’s proficient features is that it tolerates light shade well . It ’s also beautiful : The delicate , oat - like headsprovide big wintertime interestand add character to the garden when rustling in the air .
Name : Chasmanthium latifolium
Credit:John Reed Forsman
Northern sea oat can be a fast spreader , so give it lots of way or grow it where you could keep it contained .
Native Azalea
Bob Stefko
Unlike the popular landscape painting azaleas that hail from Asia , native azalea originate in the southeastern United States . There are around 17 coinage that are autochthonal to the South . Native azalea are deciduous and have a more upright riding habit than the mounding - work evergreen plant azalea . They produce showy blooms in the spring in shades of gold , yellow , peach , orange , white , and flaming red . LeCroy ’s favorite is Alabama azalea ( Rhododendron alabamense ) because its blanched flowers have a lemon yellow odor . Other native azaleas to try : Floridaflame azalea(Rhododendron austrinum)and Piedmont azalea ( Rhododendron canescens ) .
Name : Rhododendronspp .
Credit:Bob Stefko
Size:2 to 15 metrical foot marvelous , depending on variety show
Growing condition : Filtered shade and moist , well - debilitate grease
Woodland Phlox
Woodlandphloxhas it all ; it ’s disease immune , does n’t mind spectre , and offer blue , purple , or whitefragrant springtime blossom .
Name : Phlox divaricata
Growing consideration : Full to part sunshine and moist , well - run out soil
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
sizing : To 16 inches magniloquent
Swamp Lily
Bill Stites
A top marsh or urine garden plant , swampland lily bears beautiful clusters of pink or bloodless flowers from leap to fall and long , down - green , shoulder strap - like leave .
Name : Crinum americanum
Credit:Bill Stites
Growing Conditions : Full sun and moist to wet soil
Zones:8 - 11
Bugbane
Lynn Karlin
Tall spire of white flowers in late summertime into fall makebugbanean attractive accent in the tone garden . Although this perennial does good with hatful of moisture , it is also somewhat drought - tolerant . await for selection with dark foliation that will add pursuit even when the plant is n’t flower .
Name : Actaea racemosa(formerly make love asCimicifuga racemosa )
Credit:Lynn Karlin
Growing shape : Shade and moist soil
sizing : To 5 foot tall
Rain Lily
This crocus look - alike tender charming prime in nicety of red , pink , and white . They appear in autumn , give the garden a punch of color after the retentive , spicy time of year .
Name : Zephyranthes candida
Growing Conditions : Sun to part shade and moist , well - drained grease
Credit: Denny Schrock
Size : To 18 inch marvellous
Zones:7 - 10
Sweetbay Magnolia
Sweetbaymagnoliais a small native tree that produces fewer bloom than largervarieties of magnolia , but it ’s a good option if you do n’t have elbow room for a monstrosity bigleaf magnolia tree that can get 40 feet magniloquent and just as broad . Sweetbay magnolia produces fragrant , creamy white-hot efflorescence that bend into scarlet seed read/write head that chick and squirrels love to eat . It uprise in most soils and can tolerate periodical implosion therapy .
Name : Magnolia virginiana
Size:10 to 20 foot marvelous
Credit: Denny Schrock
Pitcher Plant
Rob Cardillo
Though they ’re native to sloughy area , carnivorouspitcher plantsare a fun alternative for soggy sites . Enjoy their interesting funnel shape - mold leaves and alien - like spring blossom .
Name : Sarracenia purpurea
Credit:Rob Cardillo
develop Conditions : Full sun and moist or smashed soil
Zones:4 - 7
Foamflower
A charminggroundcover for shady spot , foamflowerproduces cluster of starry flowers in early spring . For more interest , look for Modern selections that have purple - mark foliage or pink - colour flower .
Name : Tiarella cordifolia
grow Conditions : Shade and moist , well - run out soil
Credit: W. Garrett Scholes
Crossvine
Denny Schrock
Crossvineis a fast - growing evergreen vine that can scramble up fencing or across the ground . Leaves are dark green in the summertime and black purple in the winter , so crossvine provides year - round color . In the spring it bring out gaudy flowers in orange , yellow , or orange - red that last for up to four weeks . hummingbird be intimate those flowers . Crossvine is the non - invasive cousin of trumpet vine , so it ’s a good pick if you ’re look for a perennial anthesis vine . It ’s drought - large-minded and can even allow standing water for abbreviated periods .
Name : Bignonia capreolata
Credit:Denny Schrock
Size:30 to 50 feet tall
Growing Conditions : Full sun and average soil
False Indigo
False indigois a must - have perennial for your garden . Its gloomy or purple flower make a affirmation in belated springiness , and its blue - green foliage and charcoal grey - gray-haired seed pods are beautiful in later summer .
Name : Baptisia australis
Growing Conditions : Full sun and well - drained territory
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Louisiana Iris
CUTTER - SMITH
Louisiana irises are aboriginal to southerly wetlands so they ’re a great choice to produce in low - lying parts of your yard or along a pond , in a rainwater garden , or a peat bog garden . These sword lily produce flowers in shades of royal , depressed , pink , yellow , crimson , and clean in late spring to early summer .
Name : Irisspp .
Credit:CUTTER-SMITH
Growing Conditions : Full sun to part nuance and moist to wet soil
Red Buckeye
Also known as a firecracker plant , red buckeye produces 6 - in - long clusters of bass ruby-red flush in the outflow atop lustrous coloured green leaves . It can grow in clay or sandy dirt as well as loam and has some drought tolerance . “ This is a nice small Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree to tot to your landscape painting , ” LeCroy read . “ Hummingbirds screw the bloom , so it facilitate feed our feather friends . ”
Name : Aesculus pavia
Size:25 to 30 foot marvellous
Credit: Susan A. Roth
White Fringe Tree
whitened fringe treegrows as a small tree diagram or turgid shrub . It has glossy colored dark-green leaves , a domed material body , and in the spring produces gorgeous 8 - inch - farseeing bunch of white-hot interference fringe - like flowers . It ’s a beautiful accent for a landscape . “ If you are looking for a cornel choice , this is it , ” LeCroy says .
Name : Chionanthus virginicus
Size:12 to 30 metrical foot grandiloquent
Credit:Rob Cardillo
Pink Muhly Grass
Thisnative ornamental grassadds a little previous - season color when its pinkish plumage come out just as summer ’s flowers slice . Pink muhly thrives in a wide reach of growing stipulation , tolerating heat , humidness , drought , and poor soil and it ’s even salt - tolerant so it does well in coastal garden . Name : Muhlenbergia capillarisSize : To 4 foot marvellous
Growing Conditions : Full sun and any soilZones:5 - 9
White Oak
The white oak is a monumental , long - inhabit , noble Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree that , when mature , is the top jewel of a landscape . These giants are slow - growing , so the white oak you plant today will be enjoyed by future generations . A lily-white oak tree can provide cooling shade and provide a household for wildlife .
Name : Quercus alba
Size:50 to 80 feet magniloquent
Credit:Denny Schrock
Eastern Red Cedar
This aromatic evergreen plant has a striking cone shape and lovely red - gray bark . It ’s a adept woof for windbreaks and hedges . easterly ruby-red cedarwood is tolerant of heat , poor grease , and drought and it has a mystifying , wide root organization that can ground it in high-pitched winds .
Name : Juniperus virginiana
Size:40 to 50 foot tall
Credit: Denny Schrock
Zones:2 - 9
Spotted Beebalm
This recurrent thrives in the dry soils of prairies , forests , and coastal champaign . Spotted beebalm can take the less - than - idealistic soil in your garden as well as the drouth and warmth that make out with gardening in the South . cervid and coney do n’t exhaust it , either . It produces lavender blooms in the summer that pull in pollinators .
Name : Monarda punctata
Size:1 to 4 human foot tall
Credit: Aaron Carlson
Growing condition : Full to part sunlight and dry soil
Zones:4 to 9
Indian Blanket
Kritsada Panichgul
Indian blanket direct its name from its ability to cover a sunny spot with carmine - revolve about flowers fringed in chicken like a blanket . It makes a reasonably flowering ground cover and can develop almost anywhere from the desert to the beach because it permit pitiable soil , uttermost hotness , and drouth . Thisblanket floweris a suddenly - lived perennial in warm southerly climates .
Name : Gaillardia pulchella
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
Size:1 to 2 feet tall
grow condition : Full Dominicus to part shade in average territory
Zones:3 - 10
