Flowers that Grow Well in Mississippi

The Following Information is from the Mississippi State University Extension Service:

Selected Annual Flowering Plants For Mississippi Gardens

Annuals	Scientific name	Light	Height	Spacing	Remarks
Ageratum	Ageratum houstonianum	Full sun	6-20”	9-12”	Edging; tall cultivars make good cut flowers
Alyssum	Lobularia maritima	Sun to part shade	3-4”	6-8”	Edging; nice ground cover; heat sensitive
Babies’ Breath	Gyposphila elegans	Full sun	1-2’	8-12”	Cut flowers; lime lover; excessive growth in rich soil
Bachelor Button (globe amaranth)	Gomphrena globosa	Full sun	1-3’	6-12”	Drought tolerant; popular dry flower; reseeds
Balsam (Touch-me-not)	Impatiens balsamnia	Sun to part shade	15-24”	8-12”	Reseeds prolifically
Basil	Ocimum basilicum	Full sun	15-24”	15-18”	Fragrant culinary herb; cut for regrowth
Begonia	Begonia semperflorens	Sun to part shade	8-10”	8-12”	Group for mass effect; green leaf cultivars are shade tolerant
Black-eyed Susan Vine	Thunbergia alata	Sun to part shade	Vine	6-18”	Window boxes and hanging baskets
Caladium	Caladium hortulanum	Sun to part shade	1-2’	12-14”	Tubers planted when day temperatures reach 70°F; dig in fall after foliage drops;
Calendula (pot marigold)	Calendula officinalis	Full sun	1-2’	12-15”	Cut flowers; bright flower bed plantings
Candlestick Plant	Senecio articulatus	Full sun	4-6’	3-5’	Accent or screen; unusual form
Castor Bean	Ricinus communus	Full sun	5-7’	2-4’	Coarse-textured bronze leaves; seeds poisonous; screen
Chrysanthemum	Chrysanthemum morifolium	Full sun	1-3’	12-14”	Many different colors; plants are perennial but often planted as annuals
Cleome	Cleome lutea	Full sun	4-5’	18-24”	Screen; cut flowers; reseeds prolifically
Cockscomb (celosia)	Celosia argentea or cristata	Full sun	1-2’	8-12”	Crested or plumed cut flowers; heat tolerant; some reseed
Coleus	Coleus blumei	Sun to part shade	2-3’	10-12”	Colorful foliage; mass in shade; nice container plant
Coreopsis	Coreopsis lanceolata	Full sun	1-2’	12-18”	Native wildflower; reseeds; use as filler or in container
Cornflower (bachelor’s button)	Centaurea cyanus	Full sun	2-3’	6-12”	Filler plant; cut flowers; sow in fall
Cosmos	Cosmos bipinnatus	Sun to part shade	2-4’	6-12”	Heat and drought tolerant; reseeds prolifically
Cypress Vine	Quamoclit pennata	Sun to part shade	Vine	6-18”	Attracts hummingbirds; reseeds
Dill	Anethum graveolens	Full sun	3-4’	12-18”	Culinary herb; fine-textured foliage
Dusty Miller	Senecio cineraria	Full sun	1-2’	8-12”	Silver-gray foliage; yellow flowers
Feverfew	chrysanthiemum parthenium	Full sun	2-3’	8-12”	Filler; cut flowers; reseeds
Flowering Cabbage	Brassica oleracea	Full sun	6-12”	12-18”	Winter annual but not hardy in north Mississippi; colorful foliage
Flowering Tobacco	Nicotiana alata grandiflora	Sun to part shade	1-2’	9-12”	Fragrant cut flowers; borders and beds
Four-o’clocks	Mirabilis jalapa	Full sun	1-3’	8-12”	Flowers open in late afternoon; require well-drained soil
Gaillardia (Indian blanket)	Gaillardia pulchella	Full sun	2-3’	12-18”	Cut flowers or dried; reseeding wildflowers
Geranium (zonal geranium)	Pelargonium x hortorum	Sun to part shade	12-15”	9-12”	Tolerates cool temperatures; good container plant
Gloriosa Daisy (Black-eyed Susan)	Rudbeckia hirta gloriosa	Sun to part shade	18-30”	12-18”	Bold texture; cut flowers; reseeds
Hollyhock	Althaea rosea	Full sun	4-6’	12-18”	Annual cultivars are available; biennial cultivars, plant in fall; use as screen or background plant
Hyacinth Bean	Dolichos lablab	Full sun	Vine	6-12”	Fast screen; colorful flowers and pods
Impatiens	Imapatiens wallerana	Part shade	12-24”	8-12”	Best annual for shade; some cultivars may reseed
Johnny Jump-up	Viola tricolor	Sun to part shade	6-12” long flowering	6-8”	Winter annual, plant in fall;
Joseph’s Coat	Amaranthus tricolor	Full sun	6-12”	8-12”	Colorful foliage; heat and drought tolerant
Lantana	Lantana camara	Full sun	1-2’	18-24”	Fragrant attractive flowers; container plant; great for butterflies
Larkspur	Consolida ambigua	Part shade	2-3’	8-15”	Spiked flower form; accent or mass plantings; reseeds; sow in fall
Marigold	Tagetes erecta or patula	Full sun	6-30”	6-12”	Mass plantings; good container plants; spider mites a problem
Morningglory	Ipomoea purpurea	Full sun	Vine	6-12”	Colorful vine; cultivar selections rarely reseed
Moss Rose	Portulaca grandiflora	Full sun	6-9”	6-12”	Heat and drought tolerant; summer-long color; reseeds well
New Guinea Impatiens	Impatiens hawkeri, I. linearifolia or hybrids	Sun to part shade	8-12”	12-14”	Striking foliage; showy blooms; tolerates sun; hanging baskets
Pansy	Viola x wittrockiana	Sun to part shade	6-12”	6-10”	Winter annual for fall planting and early spring color; container plant
Pepper (ornamental)	Capsicum annuum	Full sun	9-30”	6-15”	Many cultivars; heat tolerant; may reseed
Periwinkle (vinca)	Catharanthus roseus	Full sun	1-2’	8-12”	Drought and heat tolerant; container plant; reseeds
Petunia	Petunia x hybrida	Sun to part shade	6-24”	12-15”	Many cultivars; mass color; heat tolerant; reseeds
Phlox (annual)	Phlox drummondii	Sun to part shade	8-15”	6-12”	Mass color; native wildflower; reseeds
Poppy	Papaver nudicaule or orientale	Full sun	1-2’	6-12”	Cut flowers; sow in fall; perennial, but mostly annual in Mississippi; easy to grow
Purslane (hybrid)	Portulaca x hybrida	Full sun	6-9”	6-12”	Heat and drought tolerant; summer-long color; hanging baskets; does not reseed
Queen Anne’s Lace	Daucus carota	Sun to part shade	3-4’	2-3’	Naturalized wildflower; mass color; winter foliage; reseeds
Scarlet Sage	Salvia	Shade	15-30”	8-12”	Attracts hummingbirds; spikes of color; splendens to part sun shade during summer
Snapdragon	Antirrhinum majus	Sun	12-36”	10-12”	Spikes of color; cut flowers; blooms best in cool weather.
Statice	Limonium sinuatim	Full sun	1-2’	9-12”	Cut flowers; salt tolerant for coastal plantings; readily dried
Strawflower	Helichrysum bracteatum	Full sun	12-36”	12-15”	Mass of color; cut flowers or dried
Sunflower	Helianthus annuus	Full sun	4-10’	20-24”	Thrives in poor soil; temporary screen; attracts goldfinches
Sweetpea	Lathyrus odoratus	Full sun	1-3’	6-8”	Sow in fall; soak seed in tepid water one hour before planting
Tithonia	Tithonia rotundifolia	Full sun	4-6’	3-4’	Tall, bright, full plants; drought tolerant
Verbena	Verbena hortensis	Full sun	6-12”	10-12”	Notably fragrant; planter boxes and baskets
Wishbone Flower	Torenia fournieri	Part shade	6-12”	6-8”	Garden borders; pots and hanging baskets
Zinnia	Zinnia sp.	Full sun	1-3’	8-15”	Mass color; many cultivars; variable colors; some reseed

Quick Reference List for Annuals

Easy-to-Grow
- Ageratum
- Begonia
- Chrysanthemum
- Cleome
- Cockscomb
- Coreopsis
- Cornflower
- Cosmos
- Dusty Miller
- Four-o’clocks
- Gomphrena
  - (bachelor button)
- Impatiens
- Joseph’s Coat
- Marigold
- Melampodium
- Moss Rose
- Pansy
- Periwinkle
- Pepper
- Petunia
- Poppy
- Portulaca
- Sunflower
- Zinnia
Shade or Semi-Shade
- Ageratum
- Alyssum
- Begonia
- Coleus
- Impatiens
- Nicotiana
  - (flowering tobacco)
- Pansy
- Salvia
- Snapdragon
- Wishbone Flower
  - (torenia)
Hot, Dry Locations
- Amaranth
  - (Joseph’s Coat)
- Copper Plant
- Cornflower
- Cosmos
- Four-o’clocks
- Gomphrena
  - (bachelor button)
- Melampodium
- Morninglory
- Moss Rose
- Periwinkle
- Portulaca
- Sunflower
- Tithonia
- Verbena
- Zinnia
Poor Soils
- Amaranth
  - (Joseph’s Coat)
- Cleome
- Cockscomb
- Coreopsis
- Four-o’clocks
- Gomphrena
  - (bachelor button)
- Moss Rose
- Periwinkle
- Portulaca
- Verbena
Annuals To Sow in
- Annuals To Sow in Fall
  - Alyssum
  - Babies’ Breath
  - Calendula
  - Cornflower
  - Cosmos
  - Dill
  - Johnny Jump-up
  - Larkspur
  - Pansy
  - Poppy
  - Queen Anne’s Lace
  - Snapdragon
  - Sweetpea
- May Reseed Year after Year
  - Cleome
  - Coreopsis
  - Cornflower
  - Cosmos
  - Gomphrena
    - (bachelor button)
  - Impatiens
  - Johnny Jump-up
  - Larkspur
  - Moss Rose
  - Periwinkle
  - Petunia
  - Zinnia
- For Cut Flowers
  - Babies’ Breath
  - Calendula
  - Cleome
  - Cockscomb
  - Cornflower
  - Cosmos
  - Gomphrena
    - (bachelor button)
  - Larkspur
  - Marigold
  - Poppy
  - Salvia
  - Snapdragon
  - Statice
  - Zinnia
For Colorful Foliage
- Amaranth
- Basil
  - (purple-leafed and ruffle-leafed)
- Caladium
- Castor Bean
- Coleus
- Copper Plant
- Dusty Miller
- Joseph’s Coat
- Ornamental Kale
  - (flowering cabbage)
- For Edging
  - Ageratum
  - Alyssum
  - Begonia
  - Dusty Miller
  - Portulaca
  - Marigold
    - (dwarf)
  - Pansy
  - Petunia
  - Verbena
  - Wishbone Flower
    - (torenia)
  - Zinnia
    - (dwarf, and Z. angustifolia)
- For Containers
  - Ageratum
  - Alyssum
  - Black-eyed Susan Vine
  - Begonia
  - Coleus
  - Geranium
  - Impatiens
  - Marigold
  - Pansy
  - Pepper
  - Periwinkle
  - Petunia
  - Portulaca
  - Verbena
  - Wishbone Flower
    - (torenia)
- For Backgrounds and Screens
  - Amaranth
  - Castor Bean
  - Cleome
  - Cockscomb
  - Copper Plant
  - Cosmos
  - Hollyhock
  - Marigold
    - (tall)
  - Sunflower
  - Tithonia
  - Zinnia
    - (tall)
- For Groundcovers
  - Alyssum
  - Begonia
  - Moss Rose
  - Periwinkle
  - Portulaca
  - Verbena
  - Attract Butterflies
  - Coreopsis
  - Cosmos
  - Gaillardia
  - Gomphrena
    - (bachelor button)
  - Marigold
    - (singles best)
  - Periwinkle
  - Queen Anne’s Lace
  - Verbena
  - Zinnia
    - (the best)

Selected Herbaceous Perennials for Mississippi Gardens

The following are some of the most popular and dependable perennials enjoyed by Mississippi gardeners. Try a few each year, and soon you will enjoy a nice collection of hardy plants.

Note: Names are those generally used in the nursery trade and garden books. Cultivated varieties are in single quotes.

Herbaceous Perennials	Scientific Names	Bloom Season	Plant Height	Remarks
Achillea (yarrow)	Achillea filipendulina or millefolium	Spring; summer	1-3’	Fernlike winter foliage, flat round heads of spring and summer flowers; excellent cut flowers; good companion to daylilies; pink or white cultivars popular, ‘Coronation Gold’ suffers on Gulf Coast from heat and humidity.
Amsonia (blue star)	Amsonia tabernaemontana	Spring; summer	2-3’	Native, spikes of blue in mid-spring, tolerates wet or dry soils, good cut flower; Clump-former to 3 feet tall
Artemisia	Artemisia ludoviciana	Foliage	2-3’	Silver-gray foliage plant; invasive, but good companion; ‘Silver King’ and ‘Powis Castle’
Asters	Aster sp.	Fall	2-5’	Wide range of plant heights depending on type
Banana	Musa acuminata	Foliage	10-15’	Foliage giant; trunk needs mulch protection in winter
Butterfly Lily (ginger lily)	Hedychium coronarium	Late summer and fall	4-6’	Bamboo-like summer foliage; pure white, fragrant flowers; rhizomes edible as a mild ginger; mulch in winter
Canna	Canna generalis	Summer	3-7’	Dependable summer flowers; coarse foliage; tolerates both very dry and very wet soils; dwarf forms popular for landscaping; insects are a problem on foliage, but easily controlled; pruning forces new growth
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)	Lobelia cardinalis	Late summer and fall	3-4’	Native to moist or lightly shaded areas; spikes of red flowers; cut flower; do not mulch in winter or rot may occur
Chives and Garlic Chives	Allium schoenoprasum	Spring	1-2’	Edible flowering members of onion family; winter foliage
Coreopsis (Mississippi State Wildflower)	Coreopsis lanceolata	Spring and summer	2-3’	Several forms include spring bloomers for cut flowers and invasive, low-growing summer bloomers (‘Moonbeam’, ‘Zargreb’ with ferny foliage)
Daisies (mums)	Chrysanthemum sp.	Spring to fall	1-3’	Many forms and colors
Ox-eye Daisy	C. leucanthemum	Spring	2-3’	Naturalized wildflower ‘May Queen’ best variety
Shasta Daisy	C. maximum	Spring	2-3’	Very popular white daisy
Garden Mum	C. x morifolium	Fall	1-2’	Often planted as an annual; needs dividing in spring to prevent rot
Clara Curtis Aster	C. rubellum (C. zawadskii latilobum)	Fall	2-3’	Old garden (favorite; large and pink; often called ‘Country Girls’)
Daylily	Hemerocallis	Summer	1-4’	Very popular clump-former with stems of large flowers; tolerates wide range of soils except wet; many improved varieties
Elephant Ear	Alocasia cucullata	Foliage	3-4’	Favorite large-leaf foliage plant; corms edible; may be invasive; many other species and hybrids available
Ferns	Adiantum capillus-veneria Asplenium sp. Athyrium sp. Cyrtomium falcatum Polystichum sp. Pteridium aquilinum Southern Maidenhair Spleenworts Lady Ferns Holly Ferns (evergreen) Leather Ferns Bracken Fern	Foliage	1-5’	Many kinds, mostly shade; divide and transplant in winter
Four-o’clocks	Mirabilis jalapa	Spring to fall	1-3’	Fragrant evening bloomer; easy and fast from seed; tolerant of every poor soils; good for hummingbirds
Hibiscus (rose mallow)	Hibiscus moscheutos	Summer and fall	3-5’	Several hardy varieties; do not confuse with Chinese hibiscus; tall plants, ‘Disco Belle’ series have dinner-plate-sized flowers; insects a problem on foliage
Hosta (plantain lily)	Hosta plantaginea	Summer	10-24”	Shade plant with coarse foliage; cut flower; not heat tolerant near Gulf Coast
Iris	Iris sp.	Spring	2-5’	Louisiana iris thrives in wet soils; Bearded iris is popular, but often rots in heavy soils or if planted deep; Siberian iris more dependable in central and north Mississippi; Dwarf crested iris is a shade-loving groundcover.
Lamb’s Ears	Stachys byzantina	Foliage	1-2’	Silver-gray foliage, spikes of yellow flowers in spring; drought-tolerant groundcover; container plant
Lantana	Lantana camara	Spring to fall	2-4’	Long-blooming butterfly plant; drought tolerant; attractive berries poisonous; new cultivars may not be hardy in the north
Liatris (blazing star)	Liatris spicata	Summer	2-3’	Outstanding native with tall spikes of lavender flowers that bloom from top down; great cut flower
Liriope (monkey grass)	Liriope muscari	Summer	1-2’	Tough clump-former with evergreen foliage; variegated varieties available; often overlooked as flowering plant for dry or shady sites
Lythrum (loosestrife)	Lythrum salicaria	Summer and fall	3-5’	Tall spikes of pink flowers; butterflies; named cultivars (‘Morden’s Gleam’, etc.) not invasive; tolerates wet soils or water gardens
Mistflower (wild ageratum)	Eupatorium coelestinum	Fall	2-3’	Native; blooms in fall with masses of blue flowers
Monarda (bee balm)	Monarda didyma	Summer	2-3’	Native to lightly-shaded moist sites; flowers used for herbal tea; good butterfly plant
Mondograss	Ophiopogon japonicus	Summer	4-8”	Dwarf lily turf; good ground cover; full sun to part shade
Phlox	Phlox sp.	Spring	1-3’	Most kinds native; early spring ‘Thrift’; (P. subulata) good for rock gardens and (P. paniculata) taller cut flower (suffers from mildew) edging; “wild sweet Williams” (P. divaricata) good for ground cover; “summer phlox” (P. paniculata) taller cut flower (suffers from mildew)
Physostegia (obedience)	Physostegia virginiana	Summer and fall	2-4’	Invasive native with spikes of cut flowers; ‘vivid’ pink cultivar
Purple Coneflower	Echinacea purpurea	Summer	2-4’	Native summer cut flower; attractive seedheads
Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)	Kniphofia uvaria	Late spring to summer	2-3’	Striking stems of late spring flowers above clumps of thin foliage
Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)	Rudbeckia fulgida or hirta	Summer	2-4’	Traditional native wildflower; R. hirta is a short-lived spring perennial; reseeds readily; R. fulgida ‘Goldstrum’ is a more dependable, spreading groundcover with many mid-summer flowers on stiff stems. Winter foliage
Salvia	Salvia sp.	Summer	3-4’	Several hardy species and cultivars (S. greggii, S. farinaceae, S. guarantitica), mostly blue cut flowers on spikes
Saponaria (soapwort, bouncing bet)	Saponaria officinalis	Spring to fall	8-10”	Old-world plant used by pioneers to make soap lather; spreading groundcover with pink and white flowers in clusters; good winter foliage
Sedum	Sedum acre or spectabile	Spring or summer	10-18”	Several hardy species include cascading S. acre with yellow spring flowers, and S. spectabile (‘Autumn Joy’) or house leek; very hardy, easy to root or divide; excellent very hardy, easy to root or divide; excellent
Stoke’s Aster	Stokesia laevis	Spring	18-24”	Native, low-growing clump-former with large blue aster-like flowers; tolerates wet soils
Verbena	Verbena x hybrida	Spring to Summer	1-2’	Spreading ground covers for sunny, dry areas; garden verbenas are propagated from cuttings, not seed like the annual species; V. rigida and V. tenuisecta (moss verbena) are wild along roadsides and are too invasive for most gardens, but do best in very poor soils; prune in summer to control mites
Violets	Viola williamsii	Late winter and spring	6-10”	Woodland natives that also grow in full sun; may become weedy in lawns; winter flowers edible

Other Hardy Perennials Worth Growing in Mississippi Gardens

Note: These perennials are all easily grown. However, many of them are difficult to locate commercially except through mail order. All can be readily found in good perennial reference books if more information is needed. Latin names followed by sp. indicate many different species are available.

Asparagus
- Asparagus officinalis
Beard-tongue
- Penstemon sp.
Blue-eyed Grass
- Sisyrinchium angustifolium
Boltonia
- B. asteroides
Bugleweed
- Ajuga reptans
Butterfly Weed
- Asclepias tuberosa
Candytuft
- Iberis sempervirens
Cast-iron Plant
- Aspidistra elatior
Comfrey
- Symphytum officinale
Coralbells
- Heuchera sanguinea
Dianthus ‘Telstar’ and ‘Spring Beauty’
- Dianthus sp.
Dwarf Goldenrod
- Solidago x hybrida
Gerbera Daisy
- Gerbera jamesonii
Hardy Begonia
- Begonia grandis
Heliopsis (“cut-and-come-again”)
- Heliopsis scabra
Helleborus (Lenten rose)
- Helleborus orientalis
Hidden Ginger (hidden lily)
- Curcuma petiolata
Indian Pinks
- Spigelia marilandica
Ironweed
- Veronia altissima and V. angustifolia
Joe-Pye Weed
- Eupatorium purpureum
Lily (turk’s cap, Madonna, tiger, etc.)
- Lilium sp.
Mexican or Mint Marigold
- Tagetes lucida
Mints
- Mentha sp.
Pachysandra
- Pachysandra terminalis
Peony (‘Festiva Maxima’ and other early bloomers only)
- Paeonia lactiflora
Peruvian Lily (parrot lily)
- Alstroemeria pulchella
Purple Heart
- Setcreasea purpurpea
Spiderwort
- Tradescantia virginiana
Trillium
- Trillium cuneatum
Umbrella Sedge
- Cyperus alternifolius
Veronica ‘Sunny Border Blue’, ‘Blue Charm’, and ‘Goodness Grows’
- Veronica spicata

Selected Hardy Bulbs for Mississippi Gardens

Note: These bulbs are commonly grown, though they may not be readily available through local garden supply stores. They are available through mail-order companies. Many may be found in old gardens and, with permission from the owners, can be propagated. Divide bulbs when they are not actively growing. Latin names followed by sp. indicate many different species are available. Several distinct groups have different flower forms; recommended hardy cultivars include ‘Ice Follies’, ‘Carlton’, ‘Mt. Hood’, ‘Tete a Tete’, ‘Minnow’, ‘Cheerfulness’, ‘Paperwhite’, ‘Thalia’, ‘Fortune’, ‘Unsurpassable’, ‘Jonquilla’.

Hardy Bulbs	Scientific Names
Allium (chives, garlic chives)	Allium schoenoprasum
Amaryllis (hardy red)	Amaryllis belladonna
Calla Lily	Zantedeschia aethiopica
Crocosmia (‘Lucifer’, and the orange montbretia)	Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora
Dutch Iris	Iris xiphium
Hyacinth	Hyacinthus orientalis
Hymenocallis (native white spider lily)	Hymenocallis occidentalis
Jacob’s Ladder (hardy gladiolus)	Gladiolus byzantinus
Ipheion (starflower)	Ipheion uniflorum
Leucojum (summer snowflake)
Lilies (garden lily; tiger, Madonna, regal, Easter)	Lilium sp.
Lycoris Radiata (red spider lily)	Lycoris radiata
L. squamigera (naked ladies)	Lycoris squamigera
Milk and Wine Lily	Crinum latifolium
Muscari (grape hyacinth)
Narcissus (daffodil)	Narcissus sp.
Oxalis (pink woods sorrel)	Oxalis adenophylla
Painted Arum	Arum italicum
Spanish Squill (woods hyacinth)	Scilla hispanica
Star of Bethlehem	Ornithogalum nutans
Sternbergia (Autumn crocus)	Sternbertia lutea
Society Garlic	Tulbaghia violacea
Rain Lily, Atamasco Lily	Zephyranthes sp.

Hardy Ornamental Grasses

Broomsedge (native; very invasive)
Andropogon virginicus
Carex (short, grass-like plant)
Carex sp.
Fountain Grass
Small grass with foxtail flowers; the maroon one is an annual and not hardy.
Pennisetum alopecuriodes
Giant Reed (striped cane)
Arundo donax
Miscanthus (maiden grass)
All cultivars excellent: ‘Gracillimus’ has fine texture to four feet; ‘Zebrinus’ has yellow stripes across the leaf blades; ‘Variegata’ holds up well in gardens
Miscanthus sinensis
Pampas Grass (not reliable in North Miss.)
Cortaderia selloana
River Oats (shade, good cut flower)
Chasmanthium latifolium
Variegated Ribbon Grass
For the shade
Phalaris arundinacea

Quick-Reference List for Perennial Uses

Shade or Part-Shade
- Ajuga
- Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily)
- Aspidistra
- Canna (may not bloom, but foliage good for texture)
- Ferns
- Ginger Lily (Hedychium)
- Heuchera (Coral bells)
- Hosta
- Iris (Dwarf crested, and the old timey “sweet flags”)
- Liriope
- Lobelia (Cardinal flower)
- Ophiopogon (mondograss)
- Pachysandra (except on Gulf Coast)
- Phlox divaricata (wild blue phlox)
- Setcreasia (purple heart)
- Spigelia (Indian Pink)
- Viola (Violets)
Tolerant of Wet Soils
- Amsonia (blue star)
- Apsidistra
- Canna
- Cyperus (umbrella sedge)
- Ironweed
- Joe-Pye Weed
- Louisiana Iris
- Lobelia (cardinal flower)
- Lythrum
- Miscanthus (ornamental grass)
- Stokesia
Bloom in Late Summer or Fall
- Asters
- Boltonia
- Canna
- Daylily
- Dwarf Goldenrod
- Four-o’clocks
- Ironweed
- Lantana
- Physotegia (obedience)
- Purple Coneflower
- Mexican Mint Marigold
- Ornamental grasses
- Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’
- Salvias
- Saponaria
- Verbena
Attractive to Butterflies
- Canna
- Coreopsis
- Goldenrod
- Ironweed
- Joe-Pye weed
- Lantana (the best)
- Liatris
- Lythrum
- Monarda
- Phlox
- Purple Coneflower
- Rudbeckia
- Salvias
- Sedums
- Stokesia
- Verbena
- Yarrow

Planting a few perennials and annuals around a featured object, such as a bench, urn, or birdbath, gives an interesting all-season scene. Mixing groups of contrasting shapes or textures, and planning for a long season of color can create a dramatic effect.

Publication 1826 (POD-01-20)

Revised by Gary Bachman, PhD, Extension/Research Professor, Coastal Research and Extension Center; based on an earlier edition by Felder Rushing, former area Extension agent–horticulture, and Steven E. Newman, PhD, former associate professor of horticulture.

Copyright 2019 by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved. This publication may be copied and distributed without alteration for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Produced by Agricultural Communications.