The Top 10 Sun Perennial Plants

Oct 10

Based on four factors, the top 10 sun perennials are selected. The plants deemed suitable were:

They yield nicely when grown in a sunny area.
Have nice color and are hardy to at least zone 5
Are in bloom from one blooming season to the next (collectively)

It's important to notice that none of the perennials on this list can tolerate dryness. Not all of the plants on the list below will flourish in dry conditions, but some will. A perennial's ability to operate well in the sun with enough water is a separate concern from that of its ability to withstand dry soil. The two qualities are commonly confused by beginners.

Perennial Salvia

There are several varieties of salvia. Others, like the common red salvia, are annuals while others are perennials. The perennial variety in the image is called "Caradonna." Similar to "May Night," it has black blossoms, but the spikes are narrower and seem more fragile. Both are distinct from "Blue Hill," which, as the name implies, has lighter flowers that are more blue in tone.

Montauk Daisy

Montauk daisies provide the color for late-season flowers. By cutting them back in the summer, you may keep the leaves compact and put off blossoming until the autumn. Black-eyed Susans are another perennial for the sun if you want daisy-style flowering but don't care for white blooms.

Delphinium

One of the plants on this list that stands out is delphinium. They are distinctive not just for their vivid colors, but also for their height. The cultivar in the image is called "Summer Skies," but you may also grow the darker variation "Black" Knight. Italian bugloss and hollyhocks are two other tall sun perennials that look great displayed along a fence line or in the back row of a tiered flower garden, despite the fact that they are only marginally long-lived perennials (another short-lived plant).

Bachelor Buttons

An annual growing variety of bachelor button is called Centaurea montana. The cultivar "Amethyst Dream" is one of them. These plants should not be confused with Centaurea cyanus, an annual bachelor button-like plant. One of Centaurea montana's distinctive qualities is the delicate structure of its blossoms (their color would be a close second; this perennial for the sun also comes in blue). A beautiful contrast results when you pair them with a bloom that has a coarser texture, like the Stella de Oro daylily.

Coneflower

Various colors are available, however the traditional purple coneflower is the most well-known. However, be careful since mosquitoes like eating the flower petals. However, because goldfinches like the seeds, many individuals see this trade-off as justified.

Daylily Stella

The Stella de Oro daylily requires very little upkeep and blooms for a very long period. Simply said, this perennial loves the sun and is a hard worker. Of course, if you dislike workhorses, you could find the popularity of this daylily to be a turnoff (some find it "overused"). However, if you don't mind sharing your plant with the neighbor down the street, give this workhorse complete freedom and it will continue to plow on its own with minimal guidance from you.

Red-Headed Poker

Red hot poker is one of the many names for knifephofia. It goes by a variety of names since not all varieties of this plant are red. A red cultivar from the Popsicle family is called "Redhot Popsicle." These South African natives, which are hardy to zone 5, provide the garden a distinctive element with their curiously formed flower spikes.

Iris

The bearded iris is commonly cited while discussing traditional favorites. They have long been a favorite because they have very fragrant blossoms (well, at least some kinds). It's hardly surprising that they've enjoyed veneration for so long given how beautiful they are on the eye. The cultivar "Batik," which has bicolored flowers, is among the most beautiful.

Chocolate Drop Sedum

However, only "Chocolate Drop" sedum can resist dryness among the sun perennials on this list. Given that this plant is a succulent, this is not at all surprising. This genus' many members favor dry, sunny environments. Other examples include the prickly pear cactus.

Phlox

Unlike succulents, this plant need moist soil to thrive. A area of creeping phlox tumbling down a slope and/or pouring over a stone wall is one of spring's most lovely sights (the season in which this ground cover blooms). Compared to other weeds, Joe-Pye weed blooms towards the end of the growing season. In the meanwhile, let the hummingbird magnet bee balm enhance a sunny area of your landscaping.