Native Flowering Plants

American Beautyberry

Inconspicuous flowers give way to stunning clusters of magenta-purple berries in fall. The berries are the show.

American Elderberry

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

Annabelle Hydrangea

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

Aster

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

Bee Balm

Shaggy, crown-shaped flowers that hummingbirds fight over.

Big Bluestem

The signature grass of the tallgrass prairie, turning copper-bronze in fall with distinctive turkey-foot seed heads.

Bigtooth Maple

Mountain West maple with brilliant orange-red fall color and rugged drought tolerance.

Black-Eyed Susan

Golden prairie workhorse that lights up late summer meadows.

Blanket Flower

Fiery bicolor pinwheels that bloom nonstop in the worst heat and soil.

Blue False Indigo

Lupine-like spikes on a native that lives forever. Gets better with age.

Blue Flax

Delicate sky-blue flowers open each morning on airy stems over fine foliage.

Blue Grama Grass

Short clumping grass with distinctive eyebrow-shaped seed heads thrives in dry soils.

Bottlebrush Buckeye

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

Butterfly Milkweed

Vivid orange-red flat-topped clusters that monarchs and swallowtails cannot resist. Drought-proof once established.

Buttonbush

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

California Fuchsia

Low mounds of gray foliage are covered in tubular red-orange flowers in late summer.

California Lilac

Electric blue flower clusters on an evergreen California native. Hummingbird and bee magnet.

California Poppy

Golden cups that carpet hillsides across the state. Closes at night and on cloudy days.

Cardinal Flower

Screaming scarlet spikes. The most vivid red in the native plant world.

Cliffrose

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

Columbine

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

Compass Plant

Tall stems with large yellow daisies tower over deeply cut basal leaves that align north-south.

Coneflower

Tough prairie native with long bloom season and medicinal history.

Coral Bean

Bold spikes of tubular red flowers in spring attract hummingbirds before bean pods form.

Coral Honeysuckle

Non-invasive native honeysuckle with brilliant coral-red tubular flowers that hummingbirds hover at for months.

Crossvine

Tubular orange-red trumpets line this vigorous semi-evergreen vine in spring, attracting every hummingbird in the neighborhood.

Culver's Root

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

Desert Marigold

Cheerful desert wildflower that blooms almost year-round in warm climates. Thrives on neglect.

Dogwood

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

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.

Eastern Redbud

Magenta flowers erupt directly from bare branches. Spring showstopper tree.

Elliott's Bluestar

Pale blue starry flowers in spring give way to feathery foliage that turns brilliant gold in fall. Two seasons of beauty for zero effort.

False Sunflower

Cheerful golden-yellow daisies that bloom for months on a tough native perennial. The sunniest, most reliable workhorse in the border.

Fawn Lily

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

Firecracker Penstemon

Spikes of scarlet tubular flowers that hummingbirds fight over. Southwestern native at its finest.

Flame Azalea

Outrageous blooms in hot orange, red, and yellow on a deciduous native azalea that stops people in their tracks.

Fothergilla

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

Fringe Tree

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

Garden Phlox

Billowing clusters of fragrant summer color. A butterfly magnet.

Giant Coneflower

Towering stems with dramatically elongated cones rise above huge blue-green paddle leaves. An architectural native that commands attention.

Goatsbeard

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

Goldenrod

Wrongly blamed for allergies. A vital late-season pollinator magnet.

Great Blue Lobelia

Intense blue flower spikes that hummingbirds and bumblebees fight over in late summer. The bolder, taller cousin of cardinal flower.

Green-and-Gold

Bright yellow star flowers appear for months above mat-forming foliage. The best spring ground cover for the Southeast.

Gulf Coast Penstemon

Nodding tubular flowers in soft lavender shades brighten moist woods of the Gulf Coast.

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.

Helenium

Warm-toned daisy-like flowers with raised centers bloom as summer turns to fall. Loves moist soil.

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.

Husker Red Penstemon

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

Incrediball Hydrangea

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

Indian Grass

Golden-orange fall color and shimmering flower spikes make this tall prairie native one of autumn's best performers.

Indian Paintbrush

Bright red to orange bracts surround small flowers and glow across spring prairies.

Indian Summer Rudbeckia

Massive 6-9 inch golden daisies on a short-lived plant. Bigger and bolder than perennial black-eyed susans.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Hooded green-and-brown striped spathe sheltering a hidden spadix. Woodland curiosity followed by red berries.

Joe-Pye Weed

Towering native with mauve domes that butterflies swarm in late summer.

Liatris

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

Little Bluestem

Upright clumps turn coppery orange in fall and stand well through winter.

Lupine

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

Magnus Coneflower

The gold standard coneflower. Flat, non-drooping petals around a bold copper cone. Perennial Plant of the Year.

Manzanita

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

Marsh Marigold

Glossy buttercup flowers in early spring along streams and wet areas. One of the first wetland bloomers.

Matilija Poppy

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

Mexican Hat

Distinctive sombrero-like flowers sway on wiry stems in summer prairies.

Mountain Bluebell

Sky-blue bell flowers on tall arching stems along mountain streams. The showy western cousin of Virginia Bluebell.

Mountain Laurel

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

Native Spiderwort

Three-petaled flowers in blue-purple open fresh each morning on a tough native that blooms for weeks and seeds freely.

Native Witch Hazel

Spidery yellow flowers and intoxicating clove fragrance on bare branches in late fall. The last native shrub to bloom each year.

Ninebark

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

Nootka Rose

Single, apple-pink blooms followed by large rose hips that persist through winter on a vigorous Pacific Northwest native.

Northern Sea Oats

Flat seed heads dangle from arching stems and dance in the slightest wind. The best native grass for shade.

Northwind Switchgrass

Stiffly upright blue-green foliage that never flops. The most architectural switchgrass available.

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 Grape

Holly-like evergreen with yellow flower clusters followed by blue berries. Tough, shade-loving native.

Oregon Iris

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

Ostrich Fern

Tall vase-shaped fronds that unfurl from fiddleheads in spring. Spreads to form dramatic colonies.

Pacific Bleeding Heart

Western native that blooms much longer than its eastern cousin. Ferny foliage all season.

Penstemon

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

Pickerelweed

Spikes of violet-blue flowers above glossy arrow-shaped leaves. Native pond and stream bank staple.

Piedmont Azalea

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

Plumleaf Azalea

The only azalea that blooms in midsummer, with fiery orange-red flowers that light up the late-season shade garden.

Powwow Wild Berry Coneflower

Deep rose-purple petals and a bronzy cone on a compact reblooming plant that won't sprawl.

PowWow Wild Berry Coneflower

Compact, heavily branched, and smothered in deep rose-purple blooms. Reblooms without deadheading.

Prairie Dock

Huge basal leaves and tall stalks topped with yellow daisies give strong prairie structure.

Prairie Dropseed

Fine-textured mounds send up airy fragrant flower sprays that persist into winter.

Prairie Sky Switchgrass

The bluest foliage of any switchgrass, with airy pink seed clouds drifting above in late summer.

Prairie Smoke

Nodding wine-red flowers transform into feathery pink seed plumes that persist into summer. Native prairie gem.

Purple Prairie Clover

Brushy purple flower spikes rise over fine foliage and feed prairie pollinators.

Red Flowering Currant

Among the first shrubs to bloom in Pacific Northwest gardens, dripping with rosy-pink racemes that hummingbirds arrive for before anything else has opened.

Red Twig Dogwood

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

Rocky Mountain Columbine

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

Rocky Mountain Penstemon

Spikes of deep blue tubular flowers rise above glossy evergreen foliage in early summer.

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.

Salal

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

Scarlet Gilia

Tubular red trumpets on a wiry biennial that hummingbirds adore across the Mountain West. Blooms its second year, then self-sows.

Sea Thrift

Grassy tufts topped with round pink pom-poms. Loves lean soil and coastal conditions.

Serviceberry

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

Shenandoah Switchgrass

Compact selection that turns vivid burgundy-red in late summer earlier than any other switchgrass.

Shooting Star

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

Showy Goldenrod

Upright spikes of bright yellow flowers feed late-season pollinators on dry prairies.

Sideoats Grama

Seed heads hang like tiny flags along one side of the stem on this graceful, drought-tolerant prairie native.

Solomon's Seal

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

Spicebush

Clusters of tiny yellow flowers appear on bare branches in early spring on a fragrant native shrub with blazing yellow fall color.

Stokes Aster

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

Sulphur Flower

Sulfur-yellow flower clusters on a silvery-leaved cushion plant. One of the toughest and prettiest natives of the Mountain West.

Summersweet Clethra

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

Sundrop

Bright yellow cups that open in daylight on a cheerful, drought-tolerant native that spreads into informal drifts.

Sunflower

Pure joy on a stalk. Birds love the seeds, kids love the spectacle.

Swamp Milkweed

Soft mauve-pink clusters that monarch butterflies seek out for egg-laying. Thrives where it's consistently wet.

Swamp Rose

Clear pink single blooms on a native rose that thrives in wet spots, ditch edges, and rain gardens where other roses would drown.

Switchgrass

Upright native grass with airy seed heads. Gold and red fall color.

Texas Blue Star

Fine foliage and pale blue starry flowers are followed by golden fall color.

Thread-Leaf Coreopsis

Thread-fine foliage and masses of tiny yellow stars bloom for months with zero effort. A perennial you can actually neglect.

Tickseed

Cheerful native daisy that blooms for months with almost no care.

Tiger Lily

Spotted orange-yellow turk's cap blooms on tall stems. The fire-bright wildflower of Pacific Northwest meadows and open forests.

Trillium

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

Trumpet Vine

Aggressive native vine with fiery trumpets. Hummingbird highway.

Tufted Hair Grass

Airy gold-green flower clouds hover above dark evergreen tufts. One of the few grasses that thrives in moist shade.

Turk's Cap

Nodding red hibiscus flowers that never fully open are pure hummingbird candy across the Gulf South.

Turtlehead

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

Viburnum

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

Vintage Wine Coneflower

Wine-purple petals that age to rose on a robust, well-branched plant. One of the most floriferous echinacea you can grow.

Virginia Bluebell

Woodland ephemeral with sky-blue bells. Disappears by summer, returns faithfully.

Virginia Sweetspire

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

Western Red Columbine

Scarlet and yellow spurred flowers that hummingbirds follow through the Pacific Northwest's mountain meadows.

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 Bergamot

The wild cousin of bee balm. Lavender puffs alive with pollinators. Tougher and more mildew-resistant.

Wild Blue Phlox

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

Wild Columbine

Nodding red-and-yellow spurred flowers that hummingbirds love on a self-sowing native that naturalizes along woodland edges.

Wild Geranium

Soft pink blooms over deeply-cut foliage. A woodland edge staple.

Winterberry

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

Witch Hazel

Spidery, fragrant blooms on bare branches when nothing else dares.

Yarrow

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

Yucca

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