White Flowering Plants

Allium

Dramatic globe-shaped heads on tall stems. Architectural and deer-proof.

American Elderberry

Large flat clusters of creamy flowers in early summer give way to dark berries for jams and wildlife.

Anemone de Caen

Poppy-like flowers in jewel tones bloom in mid-spring over ferny foliage.

Angel's Trumpet

Huge pendant trumpets release intense evening fragrance over a long warm-season bloom.

Annabelle Hydrangea

Enormous snowball blooms on a native species. Blooms on new wood, so prune hard in spring.

Apple

Fragrant white to pink flowers in spring precede a fall crop of dessert apples.

Asiatic Lily

Upward-facing blooms in a wide range of vivid colors. Easy to grow and brilliant in the summer border.

Aster

The grand finale of the garden season. Essential for fall pollinators.

Astilbe

Feathery plumes that light up shady, moist spots like nothing else can.

Azalea

Explosive spring color in every warm hue. Acid-loving woodland classic.

Bleeding Heart

Arching sprays of heart-shaped flowers for shady woodland gardens.

Blue Angel Hosta

Massive blue-gray leaves up to 18 inches long. One of the largest and most slug-resistant hostas.

Bobo Hydrangea

Dwarf paniculata smothered in blooms. Perfect front-of-border plant that needs almost no care.

Bottlebrush Buckeye

Massive suckering shrub with foot-long white flower candles. Showpiece for large shade gardens.

Bougainvillea

Explosive cascades of papery bracts. Covers walls and fences in color.

Bowl of Beauty Peony

Hot pink outer petals cup a creamy center of narrow petaloids. Dramatic and unmistakable.

Bridal Veil Astilbe

Graceful cascading white plumes on dark stems. Luminous in a shady corner.

Butterfly Bush

Long, arching flower wands that butterflies absolutely lose their minds over.

Buttonbush

Weird and wonderful pincushion flowers like tiny white globes on a tough native that thrives in wet conditions.

Calibrachoa

Mini petunias that bloom nonstop in hanging baskets. Dozens of color options and no deadheading needed.

Callery Pear

Masses of white flowers in early spring on a tough, adaptable urban tree.

Camassia

Tall spikes of starry flowers rise above strappy foliage in late spring.

Camellia

Glossy evergreen with rose-like blooms in the depths of winter.

Campanula

Open, nodding bells in clear blue on tall graceful stems. Self-sows into refined cottage garden drifts.

Chamomile

Tiny daisy flowers with apple-scented foliage. Brew into tea or let it naturalize between pavers.

Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower

A rainbow mix of coneflower colors from a single seed strain. Every plant is a surprise.

Chrysanthemum

The fall icon. Mounds of color when everything else is fading.

Clematis

The queen of flowering vines. Over 300 species, something for every spot.

Cleome

Spider-flower with whisker-like stamens and airy blooms. Tall, dramatic annual that self-sows freely.

Cliffrose

Creamy white rose-like flowers with sweet fragrance and feathery seed plumes on a tough Rocky Mountain native.

Climbing Hydrangea

Slow to start but spectacular once established, covering shady walls with flat-topped white lacecap flowers and exfoliating bark.

Columbine

Delicate, spurred flowers that dance on wiry stems. Hummingbird favorite.

Coneflower

Tough prairie native with long bloom season and medicinal history.

Coral Bells

Grown mostly for dramatic foliage, but the tiny bell flowers are a bonus.

Cosmos

Airy, dancing flowers on thread-thin stems. Effortless cottage garden charm.

Crape Myrtle

The tree of the South. Months of crinkled blooms and gorgeous peeling bark.

Creeping Phlox

Cascading sheets of spring color over walls and slopes. Evergreen mat.

Creeping Thyme

Fragrant, walkable ground cover. Bees love it, foot traffic can't kill it.

Crocus

One of the first signs of spring, pushing through snow with jewel-toned cups.

Culver's Root

Tall tapering spires of tiny white flowers that bees mob. Vertical and elegant at the back of the border.

Daffodil

Cheerful trumpets that naturalize beautifully and return stronger each year.

Dahlia

Endless forms from dinner-plate to pompom. The obsession of flower farmers.

Delphinium

Towering spires of true blue. The tallest, most dramatic back-of-border plant.

Dianthus

Spicy-scented, fringed petals. One of the best edging plants there is.

Dogwood

Iconic spring bloomer with fall berries and winter bark. Four-season beauty.

Double Delight Rose

Creamy white petals blush to strawberry red at the edges. Knockout fragrance matches the looks.

Dutch Iris

Slender stems bear elegant iris blooms in late spring to early summer.

Dutchman's Breeches

Finely cut foliage and clusters of puffy white pantaloon-shaped flowers in early spring. A charming ephemeral that disappears by summer.

Dwarf Crested Iris

Tiny lavender-blue iris flowers with gold crests on a spreading native ground cover. A spring woodland treasure.

Epimedium

Delicate fairy-wing flowers above leathery foliage. One of the toughest dry shade groundcovers.

Fawn Lily

Mottled leaves and nodding white flowers with swept-back petals emerge in early spring from Pacific Northwest woodlands.

Festiva Maxima Peony

Pure white double blooms flecked with crimson at the center. Beloved since 1851 and still unmatched.

Feverfew

Clusters of small white daisies that bloom for weeks. Historic medicinal herb that self-sows readily.

Flowering Tobacco

Tubular flowers that release sweet fragrance at dusk. A cottage garden classic that attracts moths and hummingbirds.

Fothergilla

Fragrant white bottlebrush flowers in spring give way to some of the best orange-red fall color of any small native shrub.

Fountain Grass

Arching, bottlebrush plumes that catch the light. Movement in the garden.

Foxglove

Stately spires of spotted, bell-shaped flowers. Cottage garden royalty.

Fringe Tree

Clouds of white fringed petals dripping from branches in late spring. Fragrant and underused native.

Fritillaria

Checkered, nodding bells with an otherworldly pattern. A collector's favorite.

Fruiting Cherry

Showy white spring flowers mature into sweet cherries that attract people and wildlife.

Garden Phlox

Billowing clusters of fragrant summer color. A butterfly magnet.

Gardenia

Glossy evergreen foliage frames intensely fragrant white flowers from late spring into summer.

Glory-of-the-Snow

Star-shaped blooms that appear as snow melts. Naturalizes into drifts.

Goatsbeard

Giant creamy plumes like an astilbe on steroids. Native woodland giant that anchors a shade border.

Gooseneck Loosestrife

Gracefully arching white flower spikes that curve at the tips like a goose neck. Spreads vigorously in moist soil.

Grape Hyacinth

Tiny grape-like clusters that spread into rivers of blue over time.

Guacamole Hosta

Chartreuse-gold leaves with dark green margins and sweetly fragrant white flowers that perfume the shade garden.

Hardy Hibiscus

Dinner-plate blooms up to 12 inches across on a native perennial that dies to the ground and returns bigger each year.

Hawthorn

White spring flowers, glossy red fruit, and exfoliating bark. Thorny but beautiful native with winter interest.

Hellebore

The Lenten Rose. Elegant nodding blooms that thrive in deep shade.

Henryi Clematis

Large, pure white flowers with dark brown anthers rebloom in fall. Elegant, classic, and undeniably refined.

Highbush Blueberry

Bell-shaped spring flowers are followed by sweet blue berries and excellent fall color.

Honeysuckle

Tubular, nectar-rich flowers with a fragrance that defines summer evenings.

Hosta

The undisputed queen of shade gardening. Foliage in every green and blue.

Husker Red Penstemon

Dramatic burgundy-red foliage all season with white tubular flowers in late spring. The most striking native penstemon for gardens.

Hyacinth

Dense, intensely fragrant spikes. One bulb can perfume an entire room.

Hydrangea

Massive mophead blooms that shift color with soil pH. Showstoppers.

Ice Follies Daffodil

White petals frame a wide, ruffled cup that opens yellow and fades to cream. Multiplies fast.

Immortality Iris

Reliable rebloomer with pure white ruffled falls. Blooms spring, then again in fall.

Impatiens

The shade annual champion. Flowers prolifically where nothing else will.

Incrediball Hydrangea

Annabelle's bigger sibling with stronger stems that don't flop. Blooms the size of basketballs.

Iris

Elegant sword-leaved perennials with intricate, ruffled blooms.

Japanese Anemone

Graceful, swaying blooms on tall stems. Elegant in partial shade.

Japanese Iris

Huge, flat, ruffled blooms up to 10 inches across. Needs consistent moisture, especially during bloom.

Jasmine

Intensely sweet-scented white stars. The scent of warm southern evenings.

Lantana

Multi-colored flower clusters that bloom relentlessly in brutal heat.

Lenten Rose

Nodding flowers in late winter when nothing else is blooming. Evergreen foliage adds year-round structure to shade gardens.

Liatris

Blazing star. Spikes that bloom unusually from top to bottom.

Lilac

Intensely fragrant clusters that define spring in northern gardens.

Lily-of-the-Valley

Tiny bell-shaped flowers with one of the most intoxicating fragrances in the plant world. Spreads into lush carpets under trees.

Limelight Hydrangea

Cone-shaped blooms open chartreuse, mature to white, then blush pink in fall. Tough as nails.

Little Lime Hydrangea

Compact Limelight. Same color show in a smaller package perfect for borders and containers.

Lupine

Dramatic spikes in every color. Short-lived but self-seeds generously.

Magnolia

Goblet-shaped blooms on bare branches. One of spring's most dramatic moments.

Maiden Grass

Narrow arching foliage creates elegant vase shapes topped with coppery pink plumes in fall.

Manzanita

Smooth red bark with urn-shaped flowers that feed hummingbirds in late winter. Sculptural beauty.

Masterwort

Intricate pincushion flowers surrounded by papery bracts in soft pinks and whites. Beloved by florists and shade gardeners alike.

Matilija Poppy

Enormous fried-egg flowers on blue-gray stems. California's largest native wildflower. Spreads aggressively.

Meadow Rue

Fluffy puffs of bloom on tall, airy stems above columbine-like foliage. Light and ethereal.

Mexican Feather Grass

Gossamer fine blades ripple in the slightest breeze like living silk. Plant where you can watch it move.

Meyer Lemon

Sweetly scented white blossoms appear intermittently year-round and set thin-skinned lemons.

Miscanthus

Tall, graceful plumes that persist through winter. Living architecture.

Mock Orange

Arching stems carry orange-blossom-scented white flowers in late spring.

Morning Glory

Fast-climbing vine with trumpets that open fresh every morning.

Morning Light Miscanthus

Fine white-edged foliage shimmers in morning light, then silver plumes arch above in fall.

Mountain Laurel

Exquisite geometric buds open to cupped flowers. A native evergreen gem.

Ninebark

Peeling bark, burgundy foliage, and white puffs. A native multitasker.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Oak-shaped leaves turn burgundy in fall. White cone blooms age to pink. Four-season native shrub.

Obedient Plant

Spikes of snapdragon-like flowers that can be pushed and stay where moved, earning a very literal common name.

Oceanspray

Cascading creamy white plumes on arching branches. Western Washington's summer answer to a native bridal veil.

Oregon Iris

Small purple iris flowers with yellow signals on wiry stems. A tough, underappreciated Pacific Northwest native.

Oriental Lily

Huge, intensely fragrant blooms in deep pink and white that perfume the entire garden. The lily that defines summer.

Pelargonium

The classic window-box geranium. Ball-shaped flower clusters above scalloped leaves. Tough container staple.

Penstemon

Tubular flowers on upright stems. Native hummingbird magnet for dry gardens.

Peony

Lush, ruffled blooms with intoxicating fragrance. Lives for decades.

Persian Buttercup

Ruffled, rose-like blooms in vivid colors brighten cool spring beds and pots.

Petunia

Cascading color for containers and beds. Blooms nonstop until frost.

Piedmont Azalea

Fragrant pale pink to white flowers open before the leaves in early spring, filling lowland forests with sweetness.

Pieris

Chains of lily-of-the-valley flowers dangle over colorful new growth. Year-round structure for shady borders.

Pinky Winky Hydrangea

Two-tone blooms with white tips and pink bases. Strong stems hold heavy flower heads upright.

Plumeria

Intoxicatingly fragrant tropical blooms. The flower of Hawaiian leis.

Quick Fire Hydrangea

Blooms a full month before other paniculatas. White cones age to deep rosy pink by fall.

Red Twig Dogwood

Flat clusters of white flowers and berries give way to vivid red stems that shine in winter.

Rhododendron

Big, bold trusses of bloom over glossy evergreen foliage.

Rocky Mountain Columbine

Large blue-and-white spurred flowers bloom in late spring above lacy foliage.

Rodgersia

Huge textured leaves resembling horse chestnuts with fluffy plumes. Architectural shade statement.

Rose

The queen of the garden. Modern varieties are surprisingly low-maintenance.

Rose Mallow

Enormous pale pink blooms up to 12 inches across on a wetland-loving native. Grow near a pond and you'll never look back.

Rose of Sharon

Tropical-looking hibiscus flowers on a cold-hardy shrub. Blooms late.

Sacred Lotus

Massive blooms rise above umbrella leaves in shallow water. Seedpods are as ornamental as the flowers.

Sagae Hosta

Huge gray-blue leaves with creamy margins on a stately, vase-shaped plant that wins awards for good reason.

Salal

Leathery evergreen groundcover of Pacific Northwest forests. Urn-shaped flowers lead to edible berries.

Salvia

Vertical flower spikes that hummingbirds and bees cannot resist.

Saxifrage

Mossy cushions dotted with dainty flowers. Tucks into rock crevices where little else will grow.

Scilla

Carpets of brilliant blue that naturalize under trees with zero effort.

Sensation Lilac

Unique bicolor blooms with purple petals edged in white. A head-turner in any spring garden.

Serviceberry

White spring clouds, edible berries, and blazing fall color. Four-season native tree that deserves more attention.

Shasta Daisy

Classic white-and-gold daisies that look fresh from a meadow painting.

Shooting Star

Nodding flowers with swept-back petals resemble tiny shooting stars in spring meadows.

Snapdragon

Vertical flower spikes with squeeze-open blooms. Kids love them.

Snowdrop

Delicate nodding bells that bloom fearlessly in late winter cold.

Solomon's Seal

Arching stems hung with dangling white bells. Pairs of leaves create graceful, layered architecture.

Southern Magnolia

Huge glossy-leaved tree bearing enormous lemon-scented white flowers. The quintessential symbol of the Deep South's summer.

Speedwell

Tidy spikes of blue that add vertical punch to the front of the border.

Spirea

Flat-topped flower clusters on tidy mounds. The easiest flowering shrub.

Stewartia

Camellia-like white flowers, exfoliating bark, and crimson fall color. The four-season tree professionals love.

Stokes Aster

Fringed, shaggy-petaled flowers in shades of cornflower blue that bloom for weeks on a tough Southern native.

Summersweet Clethra

Spikes of intensely sweet-scented white flowers in midsummer, one of the best fragrant natives for shady spots.

Sweet Alyssum

Honey-scented carpet of tiny flowers. The best living edging plant.

Sweet Autumn Clematis

Explosive late-summer bloom of thousands of tiny fragrant white flowers. Vigorous to a fault.

Sweet Olive

Small clustered flowers perfume the garden with an apricot-like scent over a long season.

Sweet Pea

Ruffled, intensely fragrant climbing flowers in every pastel shade. Cool-season annual that hates heat.

Tall Phlox David

Pure white fragrant phlox with the best mildew resistance in the species. A reliable, clean performer for the late-summer garden.

Thalia Daffodil

Pure white, swept-back petals with two to three blooms per stem. Orchid-like elegance.

Toad Lily

Orchid-like spotted flowers when everything else is done. A late-season shade garden gem.

Trillium

Three leaves, three petals, pure elegance. The jewel of eastern woodlands.

Tuberose

Tall summer spikes of waxy white blooms release powerful evening fragrance.

Tulip

The classic spring icon in almost every color imaginable.

Turtlehead

Snapdragon-like flowers shaped exactly like a turtle's head. Loves wet feet.

Twinspike Coral Bells

Warm amber-caramel foliage that glows in the shade garden all season. The flowers are just a bonus.

Viburnum

Fragrant snowball clusters in spring, then berries for birds in fall.

Vinca

Evergreen mat with periwinkle-blue flowers. Tough shade ground cover.

Virginia Sweetspire

Fragrant white bottlebrush flowers followed by brilliant orange-red fall color on a shade-tolerant, deer-resistant native.

Water Lily

Floating jewels that transform any pond. Pads provide shade for fish while flowers dazzle above.

Wax Begonia

Glossy leaves and nonstop flowers in sun or shade. One of the most reliable bedding plants anywhere.

Weigela

Tubular blooms smother arching branches in late spring. Hummingbird haven.

White Plumeria

Highly fragrant white flowers with yellow centers appear in clusters on succulent branches.

White Prairie Clover

Cylindrical white flower spikes with orange anthers on a delicate, drought-proof prairie native that feeds bees all summer.

White Swan Coneflower

Pure white drooping petals around a bronze-orange cone. Elegant and underused.

White Wild Indigo

Luminous white lupin-like spikes on a structural native that's practically indestructible and improves with every year.

Wild Azalea

Sweetly fragrant pinwheel flowers on a deciduous native azalea that grows from New England to Georgia. Earlier and more cold-hardy than most.

Wild Blue Phlox

Loose clusters of sky-blue flowers float above woodland floors in spring on a fragrant, mat-forming native.

Winter Daphne

Clusters of pink buds open to white, intensely scented blooms in late winter.

Winterberry

Inconspicuous blooms, but covered in brilliant red berries all winter long.

Wisteria

Cascading, fragrant racemes that create a dreamy canopy. Needs structure.

Yarrow

Flat-topped clusters on ferny foliage. Thrives on neglect in poor soil.

Yoshino Cherry

Clouds of pale blossoms cover the tree in early spring, later followed by small bird-edible cherries.

Yucca

Sword-like evergreen foliage sends up dramatic stalks of white bells. Tough, architectural, underrated.

Zebra Grass

Horizontal yellow bands cross the blades in a pattern unique among ornamental grasses. Bold and architectural.

Zinnia

Easy-grow annual with electric colors. Cut-and-come-again champion.