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| Common name | Scientific name | Life cycle | Flower color | Height | Exposure | Comments |
| Ajuga | Ajuga reptans | Perennial | Blue violet | 2 to 6" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers in spring; can be used as a ground cover |
| Aster | Aster spp. | Perennial | Blue, pink, violet, white | 12 to 48" | Sun | Flowers late summer, fall |
| Balsam | Ipomoea balsamina | Annual | Pink, purple, red, rose, white | 12 to 36" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers in summer; low drought tolerance |
| Beard tongue; Penstemon | Penstemon spp. | Perennial | Orange, pink, red, rose, violet, white | 18 to 36" | Sun | Well drained soil; flowers late spring to summer |
| Bee balm | Monarda didyma | Perennial | Pink, red, rose, violet, white | 24 to 48" | Sun to partial shade | Moist soil; flowers in summer |
| Begonia | Begonia semperflorens | Annual | Pink, red, white | 6 to 12" | Sun to heavy shade | Late spring to early fall; low drought tolerance |
| Bleeding heart | Dicentra spectabilis | Perennial | Rose pink, white | 14 to 24" | Partial shade | Rich, moist, well drained soil; flowers in spring |
| Blue lobelia | Lobelia siphilitica | Perennial | Blue | 2 to 4' | Partial shade | Bright blue flowers summer to fall; prefers moist soil |
| Bouncing bet | Saponaria officinalis | Perennial | Pink | 1 to 2' | Sun | Flowers in summer; moist but well drained soil |
| Buttercup | Ranunculus spp. | Annual or perennial | Yellow | 6 to 12" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers spring, summer |
| Butterfly weed | Asclepias tuberosa | Perennial | Orange, red, yellow | 24 to 36" | Sun | Well drained soil; flowers spring, summer |
| Canna | Canna generalis | Perennial | Red, pink, orange | 24 to 84" | Sun | Flowers summer to fall; needs good drainage; semihardy in zones 6, 7 |
| Cardinal flower | Lobelia cardinalis | Perennial | Red | 36 to 48" | Partial shade | Moist soil high in organic matter; flowers late summer |
| Clemone | Clemone hasslerana | Annual | Yellow, pink, white, crimson | 12 to 36" | Sun | Flowers summer to early fall |
| Columbine, Wild | Aquilegia canadensis | Perennial | Red and yellow | 1 to 3' | Partial shade | Flowers in spring; moist well drained soil |
| Coralbells | Heuchera sanguinea | Perennial | Deep pink, red | 12 to 18" | Partial shade | Well drained; high organic matter Late spring |
| Crocosmia | Crocosmia | Perennial | Red | 34 to 36" | Sun | Flowers in spring; semi-hardy mulch in zones 6, 7 |
| Dahlia | Dahlia spp. | Perennial | Pink, white, yellow, red, orange | 4 to 6' | Sun | Flowers summer to fall; semihardy in zones 6, 7 |
| Evening primrose | Oenothera spp. | Perennial | Pink, white | 12 to 24" | Sun | Well drained, infertile soil |
| Fire pink; Indian pink | Silene virginica | Perennial | Red | 12 to 18" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers spring, summer; well drained soil |
| Flowering tobacco | Nicotiana sanderae, N. alata | Annual | Lime green, red, white, yellow | 12 to 24" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers summer to fall; moderate drought tolerance |
| Forget-me-not | Myosotis sylvatica | Annual | Blue, pink, white | 6 to 18" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers in spring; low drought tolerance |
| Four O'Clocks | Mirabilis jalapa | Annual | Mahogany, red, pink, purple, yellow | 20 to 24" | Sun to partial shade | Summer to fall; moderate drought tolerance |
| Foxglove | Digitalis grandiflora | Perennial | Purple, white | 24 to 60" | Partial shade | |
| Gentain | Gentiana spp. | Perennial | Purple, blue, white | 1 to 2' | Sun to partial shade | Flowers in late summer; prefers moist soil |
| Geranium | Pelargonium x hortorum | Annual | Bicolors, pink, red, salmon, white | 12 to 24" | Sun | Flowers late spring to early fall |
| Ginger, Butterfly | Hedychium coronarium | Perennial | White | 3 to 5' | Sun to partial shade | Fragrant flowers in summer; prefers moist soil |
| Gladiolus | Gladiolus spp. | Perennial | White, red, pink, yellow, orange | 36 to 48" | Sun | Flowers in summer; semihardy - dig and store corms |
| Hibiscus | Hibiscus spp. | Perennial | Red, white, pink | 3 to 8' | Sun to partial shade | Flowers midsummer to fall |
| Hollyhock | Althea rosea | Perennial | Apricot,pink, purple, white yellow | 24 to 60" | Sun | Spring to fall; Well drained |
| Hosta | Hosta spp. | Perennial | Lilac, white | 18 to 24" | Partial shade | Flowers in summer; rich, well drained, soil high in organic matter |
| Impatiens | Impatiens | Annual | Orange, pink, purple, red, white | 8 to 24" | Partial shade to shade | Late spring to fall; low drought tolerance |
| Indian pink | Silene virginica | Perennial | Red with yellow | 24" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers late spring to early summer |
| Indian paintbrush | Castilleja coccinea | Annual or biennial | Red orange | 12 to 18" | Sun | Flowers in spring |
| Iris, Crested | Iris crista | Perennial | Lavender, blue, purple | 6" | Partial shade | Flowers in spring; moist, well drained soil |
| Iris, Copper | Iris fulva | Perennial | Coppery red to orange | 18 to 60" | Partial shade | Flowers early spring; prefers moist to damp soil |
| Iris, Louisiana | Iris laevigata | Perennial | Blue, white | 24 to 30" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers mid to late summer; requires moist soil |
| Jewelweed; Touch me-not | Impatiens spp. | Perennial | Orange, yellow | 3 to 5' | Shade | Flowers summer to fall; moist soil |
| Lantana | Lantana camara | Perennial | Orange, pink, yellow | 6 to 12" | Sun | Summer to fall; well drained soil; tolerates drought |
| Larkspur | Consolida spp.delphinium spp. | Annual | Blue, pink, purple, white | 18 to 36" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers in spring; moderate drought tolerance |
| Liastris | Liastris spp. | Perennial | Lavender, pink | 1 to 5' | Sun | Flowers summer, fall; well drained soil |
| Lily, Turk's cap | Lilium superbum | Perennial | Orange | 6 to 10' | Partial shade | Flowers in summer; best suited for western NC |
| Lily, Peruvian; Alstromeria | Alstromeria psittacina | Perennial | Pink, yellow, orange, red | 24 to 48" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers in spring; semihardy |
| Lily of the Nile; Agapanthus | Agapanthus spp. | Perennial | White, blue, lavender | 2 to 3' | Sun | Flowers in summer; semihardy |
| Loungwort | Pulmonaria spp. | Perennial | Pink turning blue, white | 9 to 18" | Partial shade to shade | Flowers in spring; cool; moist soil high in organic matter |
| Lousewort | Pedicularis canadensis | Perennial | Red, yellow | 6 to 12" | Partial shade to shade | Flowers in spring; best suited for western NC |
| Lupine | Lupinus spp. | Annual /perennial | Orange, blue, white, purple | 12 to 20" | Sun to partial shade | Prefer cool temperatures |
| Mallow | Malva spp. | Perennial | Red, white, pink | 2 to 3' | Sun | |
| Mallow, Seashore | Kosteletzkya virginica | Perennial | Pink | 2 to 4' | Sun to partial shade | Flowers summer to fall; prefers moist to damp soil |
| Maltese cross | Lychnis chalcedonia | Perennial | Scarlet | 18 to 24" | Sun to partial shade | Late spring to early summer; Moist; well drained; fertile |
| Marigold | Tagetes erecta, T. patula | Annual | Gold, orange to red-brown, yellow | 8 to 48" | Sun | Flowers late spring to fall; moderate drought tolerance |
| Mexican blue sage | Salvia guaranitica | Half hardy perennial | Violet blue | 4 to 8' | Sun to partial shade | |
| Monkey flower | Minulus spp | Annual | Yellow, pink, red | 18 to 24" | Partial shade | Trumpet shaped flowers summer to fall; prefers moist soil |
| Nasturtium | Tropaeolum majus | Annual | Orange, pink, red, speckled, yellow, white | 12" | Sun to partial shade | |
| Obedient plant | Physostegia virginiana | Perennial | Pink, rose-purple | 3' | Sun to partial shade | Late summer to early fall; moist, well drained; moderately fertile |
| Partridge pea; Senna | Cassia fasciculata | Annual | Yellow | 6 to 36" | Sun | Flowers summer to fall |
| Penta | Pentas lancelata | Annual | Lilac, red, pink, white | 12 to 36" | Sun | Flowers summer to fall; moderate to high drought tolerance |
| Periwinkle; Vinca | Vinca major, Vinca minor | Perennial | Blue, white, lavender | 3 to 6" | Partial shade | Can be used as a ground cover; flowers in early spring |
| Petunia | Petunia x hybrida | Annual | White, pink, red, purple, yellow | 6 to 18" | Sun to partial shade | Spring to summer; moderate drought tolerance |
| Phlox, Creeping | Phlox stolonifera | Perennial | Pink, violet-purple | 4 to 10" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers in spring |
| Phlox | Phlox spp. | Perennial | White, pink, red, blue, purple | 2 to 4' | Sun to partial shade | Flowers in summer |
| Poppy, California | Eschscholzia californica | Annual | Yellow, orange | 12 to 15" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers early summer to fall |
| Primrose | Primula spp. | Perennial | Yellow, pink | 6 to 12" | Partial shade | Flowers in spring; prefers moist, high organic soil |
| Red hot poker | Kniphofia uvaria | Perennial | Red, yellow | 36 to 60" | Sun | Flowers in summer; well drained soil |
| Sage, Mexican bush | Salvia leucantha | Perennial | Magenta and white | 36" | Sun | Flowers summer to fall |
| Sage, Texas | Salvia coccinea | Annual | Red | 2 to 3' | Sun | Flowers in summer |
| Sage, Autumn | Salvia greggii | Annual | Red, purple, pink, white | 24 to 30" | Sun | Flowers summer to fall |
| Sage, Lyre-leaved | Salvia lyrata | Perennial | Blue, violet | 1 to 2' | Sun to partial shade | Flowers spring to early summer |
| Scarlet sage | Salvia splendens | Annual | Blue, red, white | 12 to 36" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers late spring to fall; moderate to low drought tolerance |
| Snapdragon | Antirrhinus thurberi | Annual | Lavender, orange, pink, red, yellow, white | 6 to 36" | Sun to partial shade | Spring to early summer, fall; low drought tolerance |
| Solomon's seal | Polygonatum biflorum | Perennial | Yellowish green maturing to cream | 24 to 36" | Partial shade to shade | Flowers late spring; cool, moist, well drained soil |
| Spiderlily; Hymenocallis | Hymenocallis spp. | Perennial | White, yellow | 12 to 24" | Partial shade | Some species can be used in aquatic gardens; flowers in summer |
| Sundrops | Oenothera tetragona | Perennial | Yellow | 6 to 24" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers in summer |
| Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | Annual | Gold, red-brown, yellow | 12 to 108" | Sun | Moderate to high drought tolerance |
| Sweet Williams | Dianthus barbatus | Annual | Pink, red, scarlet | 18" | Sun | Flowers in spring |
| Tiger lily | Lilium lancifolium | Perennial | Orange | 3 to 5' | Sun to partial shade | Flowers in summer |
| Tithonia; Mexican sunflower | Tithonia rotundifolia | Annual | Orange, yellow | 36 to 60" | Sun | Flowers summer to fall; moderate drought tolerance |
| Verbena | Verbena x hybrida | Annual | Apricot, blue, pink, salmon, red, white | 6 to 12" | Sun to partial shade | Flowers late spring to early fall; moderate drought tolerance |
| Virginia bluebells | Mertensia virginica | Perennial | Pink to blue | 1 to 2' | Partial shade | Flowers in spring; prefers rich moist soil |
| Zinnia | Zinnia elegans | Annual | Orange, pink, red, white, yellow | 6 to 36" | Sun | Late spring to early fall; high drought tolerance |
| Zinnia, Creeping | Zinnia angustifolia | Annual | Orange, yellow, white | 6 to 12" | Sun to partial shade | Late spring to early fall; high drought tolerance |
Prepared by: Erv Evans,
Consumer Horticulturist
© 2002-2003 NC State University
Images © by Erv Evans
