Perennials, like old friends, return year after year growing in stature and size until they reach their full maturity. They may die to the ground during the winter, but return each spring. Cold sensitive, or tender perennials are often used as flowering annuals where winter temperatures dip below freezing. It may take a perennial several years to become truly established and give its best show. Individual blooming seasons for each perennial are much shorter than annuals, although a few will bloom almost all summer. Perennials will require some care, including deadheading, cutting back and watering. However, compared to annuals, they are very low maintenance.
Basic Requirements
Water
- Irrigation is usually necessary to assist in the establishment of perennials. Also, one very deep watering per week is more desirable than numerous shallow waterings. Apply water early in the day using a soaking technique at ground level. Watering the foliage can cause diseases to be spread.
Soil
- Perennials planted in June or later in the summer do require initial care. The garden area should be prepared with humus or other organic matter, allowing for enhanced moisture retention. Newly established beds should receive four inches of organic matter per 12 inches of soil profile, to ensure good drainage and optimal root growth.
- Remember to mulch after planting, in order to promote moisture retention, retard weed growth and improve the overall appearance of the garden. (See Wagner’s Mulch Coverage Chart to calculate the proper amount of mulch for your garden.) Keep mulch away from the crown of the plant to avoid rot. Another way to prevent weeds is by using chemical weed preventers such as Preen before planting.
Care & Maintenance
- June is the month to shear the tops of spring bloomers. This ensures a uniform and ornamental foliage effect for the remainder of the season. Grass shears can be used for this task. At this time, one should also cut back the foliage of the spring flowering
daffodils and tulips that bloomed at least six weeks previously. - Early-to-mid-June is a good time to cut back late season bloomers by half. This controls height and eliminates the need for staking. Perennials treated in this manner will mature at a shorter height and may flower slightly later than unpruned perennials. Throughout the summer season, plan to deadhead, or remove, spent flowers as the need arises. This practice will improve the appearance of the plant, eliminate an abundance of unwanted seedlings and promote a continued bloom period or later re-bloom.
- Some perennials multiply and grow larger each year, calling for an occasional division to keep them healthy. Other plants stay very much the same height and spread, and require little attention after planting. Dividing should be done in the spring, just as new shoots appear for plants that flower later in the season or in the fall for plants that flower in early spring.
6-8 hours of full sun per day.
Perennials for Full Sun
Botanical Name | Common Name |
Achillea | Yarrow |
Acorus | Sweet Flag |
Adenophora | Ladybell |
Agastache | Hyssop |
Alcea | Hollyhock |
Amsonia | Blue Star |
Arabis | Rock Cress |
Arenaria | Sandwort |
Armeria | Sea Pink |
Artemisia | Wormwood |
Asclepias | Butterfly Weed |
Aster | Aster |
Aurinia | Basket of Gold |
Baptisia | False Indigo |
Buddleia | Butterfly Bush |
Campanula | Bellflower |
Centaurea | Bachelor Button |
Centranthus | Jupiter's Beard |
Cerastium | Snow in Summer |
Coreopsis | Tickseed |
Cortaderia | Pampas Grass |
Delphinium | Larkspur |
Dianthus | Cottage Pinks |
Dictamnus | Gas Plant |
Digitalis | Foxglove |
Echinacea | Coneflower |
Echinops | Globe Thistle |
Erigeron | Fleabane |
Eryngium | Sea Holly |
Eupatorium | Mist Flower |
Euphorbia | Spurge |
Festuca | Blue Fescue |
Fragaria | Orn. Strawberry |
Gaillardia | Blanket Flower |
Geranium | Hardy Geranium |
Geum | Geum |
Gypsophila | Baby's Breath |
Helenium | Sneezeweed |
Heliopsis | False Sunflower |
Hemercallis | Daylily |
Hibiscus | Rose Mallow |
Iberis | Candytuft |
Iris | Iris |
Lathyrus | Sweet Pea |
Lavandula | Lavender |
Leucanthemum | Shasta Daisy |
Liatris | Gay Feather |
Linum | Flax |
Lupinus | Lupine |
Lychnis | Maltese Cross |
Malcleaya | Plume Poppy |
Malva | Hollyhock Mallow |
Mazus | Mazus |
Miscanthus | Ornamental Grass |
Monarda | Bee Balm |
Nepeta | Catmint |
Oenothera | Primrose |
Panicum | Switch Grass |
Papaver | Poppy |
Pennisetum | Bunny Grass |
Penstemon | Bearded Tongue |
Perovskia | Russian Sage |
Phlox | Garden Phlox |
Platycodon | Balloon Flower |
Potentilla | Cinquefoil |
Prunella | Self Heal |
Pulsatilla | Pasque Flower |
Rudbeckia | Black Eyed Susan |
Salvia | Meadow Sage |
Saponaria | Soapwort |
Scabiosa | Pincushion Flower |
Sedum | Stonecrop |
Sempervivum | Hens & Chicks |
Sidalcea | Mini Hollyhock |
Stachys | Lamb's Ear |
Stokesia | Stoke's Aster |
Tanacetum | Painted Daisy |
Thymus | Thyme |
Veronica | Speedwell |
Viola | Viola |
4-6 hours of full sun per day or dappled sunlight all day
Perennials for Part Sun
Botanical Name | Common Name |
Aconitum | Monk's hood |
Aegopodium | Snow on the Mountain |
Agastache | Hyssop |
Ajuga | Bugleweed |
Anemone | Wind Flower |
Aquilegia | Columbine |
Artemesia | Wormwood |
Aruncus | Goat's Beard |
Astilbe | False Spiraea |
Bellis | English Daisy |
Bergenia | Bergenia |
Boltonia | False Chamomile |
Brunnera | Forget-me-not |
Campanula | Bellflower |
Cerastium | Snow in Summer |
Chelone | Turtle's Head |
Chenopodium | Turtle's Head |
Cimicifuga | Snakeroot |
Clematis | Clematis |
Convallaria | Lily of the Vally |
Corydallis | Corydalis |
Dendranthema | Chrysanthemum |
Dicentra | Bleeding Heart |
Digitalis | Foxglove |
Eupatorium | Mist Flower |
Euphorbia | Spurge |
Filipendula | Meadowsweet |
Galium | Sweet Woodruff |
Geranium | Hardy Geranium |
Helleborus | Lenten Rose |
Hemerocallis | Daylily |
Heuchera | Coral Bells |
Houttuynia | Chameleon Plant |
Iberis | Candytuft |
Iris | Iris |
Lamium | Dead Nettle |
Lavendula | Lavender |
Leontopodium | Edelweiss |
Lobelia | Cardinal Flower |
Lysimachia | Loosestrife |
Monarda | Bee Balm |
Phlox | Garden Phlox |
Physalis | Chinese Lantern |
Physostegia | Obedient Plant |
Platycodon | Balloon Flower |
Polemonium | Jacob's Ladder |
Primula | Primrose |
Pulmonaria | Lungwort |
Rodgersia | Rodger's Flower |
Sagina | Irish Moss |
Thalictrum | Meadow Rule |
Tradescantia | Spiderwort |
Trollius | Globeflower |
Veronica | Speedwell |
Check out our comprehensive list of Drought Tolerant Perennials.
Drought Tolerant Perennials
Botanical Name | Common Name |
Achillea | Yarrow |
Anemone | Windflower |
Armeria | Sea Pinks |
Artemisia | Dusty Miller |
Aster | Aster |
Asclepias | Butterfly Weed |
Baptisia | False Indigo |
Coreopsis | Tickseed |
Delphinium | Larkspur |
Echinacea | Coneflower |
Echinops | Globe Thistle |
Euphorbia | Spurge |
Festuca | Blue Fescue |
Gaillardia | Blanket Flower |
Heliopsis | False Sunflower |
Hemerocallis | Daylily |
Heuchera | Coral Bells |
Iris germanica | Bearded Iris |
Liatris | Gay Feather |
Monarda | Bee Balm |
Oenothera | Primrose |
Panicum | Switch Grass |
Papaver | Poppy |
Perovskia | Russian Sage |
Rudbeckia | Black Eyed Susan |
Salvia | Meadow Sage |
Sedum | Stonecrop |
Sempervivum | Hens & Chicks |
Thymus | Thyme |
Veronica | Speedwell |
Check out our comprehensive list of Moist Tolerant Perennials.
Wagners Moise Tolerant Perennials
Botanical Name | Common Name |
Aruncus | Goat's Beard |
Astilbe | False Spiraea |
Brunnera | Forget-me-not |
Ferns | |
Chelone | Turtlehead |
Cimicifuga | Snakeroot |
Eupatorium | Joe Pye Weed |
Filipendula | Meadowsweet |
Galium | Sweet Woodruff |
Hemerocallis | Daylily |
Hosta | Plantain Lily |
Houttuynia | Chameleon Plant |
Iris ensata | Japanese Iris |
Lamium | Dead Nettle |
Ligularia | Ligularia |
Lobelia | Cardinal Flower |
Lysimachia | Loosestrife |
Miscanthus | Ornamental Grass |
Myosotis | Forget-me-not |
Physostegia | Obedient Plant |
Polygonatum | Solomon's Seal |
Primula | Primrose |
Pulmonaria | Lungwort |
Rodgersia | Rodger's Flower |
Tiarella | Foam Flower |
Tradescantia | Spiderwort |
Trollius | Globe flower |
Viola | Viola |
Less than 4 hours of sun per day.
Wagners Perennials for Shade
Botanical Name | Common Name |
Aegopodium | Snow on the Mountain |
Ajuga | Bugleweed |
Alchemilla | Lady's Mantle |
Anemone | Windflower |
Anchusa | Alkanet |
Aquilegia | Columbine |
Arisaema | Jack in the Pulpit |
Aruncus | Goat's Beard |
Asarum | Wild Ginger |
Astilbe | False Spiraea |
Bergenia | Heartleaf |
Brunnera | Forget-me-not |
Cimicifuga | Bugbane |
Convallaria | Lily of the Valley |
Corydalis | Corydalis |
Dicentra | Bleeding Heart |
Dodecatheon | Shooting Star |
Epimedium | Barronwort |
Ferns | Fern |
Gallium | Sweet Woodruff |
Helleborus | Lenten Rose |
Heuchera | Coral Bells |
Heucherella | Foamy Bells |
Hosta | Plantain Lily |
Houttuynia | Chameleon Plant |
Iris ensata | Japanese Iris |
Lamium | Dead Nettle |
Ligularia | Ligularia |
Liriope | Lilyturf |
Lobelia | Cardinal Flower |
Lysimachia | Loosestrife |
Mertensia | Siberian Bl. Bells |
Myosotis | Forget-Me-Not |
Pachysandra | Japanese Spurge |
Phlox | Creeping Phlox |
Polemonium | Jacob's Ladder |
Polygonatum | Solomon's Seal |
Primula | Primrose |
Pulmonaria | Lungwort |
Rodgersia | Rodger's Flower |
Sagina | Irish Moss |
Saxifraga | Rockfoil |
Thalictrum | Meadow Rue |
Tiarella | Foamflower |
Tradescantia | Spiderwort |
Tricyrtis | Toad Lily |
Vinca | Periwinkle |
Viola | Viola |
Perennials for Northern Minnesota with the minimum annual temperature -40°F to -30°F.
Wagners Perennials for Zone 3
Botanical Name | Common Name |
Achillea | Yarrow |
Aconitum | Monk's Hood |
Aegopodium | Snow on the Mountain |
Alcea | Hollyhock |
Alchemilla | Lady's Mantle |
Aquilegia | Columbine |
Artemisia | Wormwood |
Aruncus | Goat's Beard |
Asclepias | Butterfly Weed |
Baptisia | False Indigo |
Bergenia | |
Campanula | Bellflower |
Centaurea | |
Convallaria | Lily of the Valley |
Dianthus | Pinks |
Dicentra | Bleeding Heart |
Echinacea | Coneflower |
Gaillardia | Blanket Flower |
Geranium | Crane's Bill |
Gypsophila | Baby's Breath |
Hemerocallis | Daylily |
Heuchera | Coral Bells |
Hosta | Plantain Lily |
Iris | |
Lamium | Dead Nettle |
Liatris | Gay Feather |
Lillium | Tiger Lily |
Monarda | Bee Balm |
Paeonia | Garden Peony |
Papaver | Poppy |
Perovskia | Russian Sage |
Phlox | |
Pulmonaria | Lungwort |
Sedum | Stonecrop |
Sempervivum | Hens & Chicks |
Tricyrtis | Toad Lily |