Most gardeners are well acquainted with traditional perennials like irises, peonies, daylilies, and hostas. While these classics are beautiful, planting the exact same varieties as your neighbors can make your yard feel a bit predictable.
There is a whole host of lesser-known, underused perennials that can bring incredible, unique interest and vibrant color to your garden. They might be slightly tougher to find at the standard big-box garden center, but these resilient, eye-catching plants are absolutely worth the effort. Here are 11 of my favorite underused perennials that you need to try this season!
- 🐞 Pest Resistance: Many lesser-known native plants have naturally evolved to be highly resistant to common garden pests, deer, and rabbits.
- 🦋 Pollinator Friendly: Native, underused perennials (like Culver’s Root) are absolute magnets for local butterflies and bees.
- 💧 Drought Tolerance: Several plants on this list (like Baptisia and Sea Holly) thrive on neglect and require very little watering once established.
- 🎨 Unique Textures: From the metallic blue of Sea Holly to the fluffy pink tops of Queen of the Prairie, these plants add unexpected visual drama to your borders.
11 Best Underused Perennials for Your Garden
1. Baptisia (False Indigo)
Enjoy massive columns of beautiful blue, purple, yellow, or white blossoms each spring with Baptisia. This beauty is a tough, reliable native perennial that is both heat and drought-resistant. Even when it is not in bloom, the plant’s blue-green split leaves add massive interest to the garden.
- Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
- Size: Up to 4 feet tall
- Zones: 3-9
2. Gas Plant (Dictamnus)
A classic cottage garden favorite, the Gas Plant creates tall spikes of white or yellow blossoms in late spring. The mild green leaves give off a lemony fragrance when rubbed. Fun fact: On scorching summer nights, the mature flowers produce a flammable gas that can actually be lit by a matchstick!
- Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade; moist, well-drained soil
- Size: Up to 3 feet tall
- Zones: 3-8
3. Malva (Common Mallow)
You might mistake Malva for a hibiscus! This easy-care perennial develops masses of pinkish, open-faced flowers etched with deep purple stripes. It blooms non-stop from mid-summer to early fall and frequently self-sows.
- Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade
- Size: Up to 4 feet tall
- Zones: 4-8
4. Globe Thistle (Echinops)
Unlike invasive weeds, the Globe Thistle is an absolute pleasure to develop. This sun-loving perennial creates showy, bright metallic blue, spherical blooms. It is highly drought-resistant and looks spectacular in dried floral arrangements.
- Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
- Size: Up to 2 feet tall
- Zones: 3-8
5. Bergenia (Pig Squeak)
Bergenia gets its funny nickname because its thick leaves sound like a squeaking pig when you rub them together! Beyond the joke, it is a tremendously useful groundcover for shady areas. It produces spikes of brilliant red or pink spring flowers and is rabbit and deer-resistant.
- Growing Conditions: Part to full shade; moist soil
- Size: Up to 15 inches tall
- Zones: 3-8
6. Lily-of-the-Valley
This incredibly fragrant, sweet little perennial produces pendulous white, bell-shaped blossoms. Use Lily-of-the-Valley as a fast-spreading groundcover in shady woodland gardens. (Note: All parts of the plant, especially the berries, are highly toxic, so keep them away from pets!)
- Growing Conditions: Part to full shade
- Size: Up to 8 inches tall
- Zones: 3-8
7. Culver’s Root
A North American native, Culver’s Root makes a bold, towering declaration in the rear of mixed borders. It produces a nonstop display of cream, candelabra-like flower heads that are an absolute magnet for butterflies.
- Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist soil
- Size: Up to 7 feet tall
- Zones: 3-8
8. Sea Holly (Eryngium)
If you like creating fresh floral arrangements, you must plant Sea Holly. Prized for its stiff, metallic steel-blue flowers, this sun worshipper thrives on neglect in dry, sandy soils. If you overwater or fertilize it, you will likely kill it!
- Growing Conditions: Full sun and dry, sandy soil
- Size: Up to 3 feet tall
- Zones: 5-9
9. Solomon’s Seal
There are not many perennials that flourish in dense shade, but Solomon’s Seal is a colorful exception. This pretty plant produces arching green foliage with small, bell-shaped white blossoms dangling underneath. In the autumn, the foliage turns a vibrant golden yellow.
- Growing Conditions: Part to full shade
- Size: Up to 3 feet tall
- Zones: 3-8
10. Queen of the Prairie
Because of its massive size, this unusual native perennial is perfect for open hillsides or extensive gardens where it has enough elbow room to hold court. It produces massive, fluffy clouds of pale pink, fragrant flower heads throughout the summer.
- Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist soil
- Size: Up to 8 feet tall
- Zones: 3-8
11. Veronica & Catmint
Rounding out the list are two of the most reliable border plants you can buy. Catmint produces brilliant bluish-purple flowers that hummingbirds adore, while rabbits leave it entirely alone. Veronica (Speedwell) grows robust vertical spikes of pink, red, or purple blossoms all summer long if you keep them deadheaded.
- Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade
- Size: 2 to 3 feet tall
- Zones: 3-9
Final Thoughts
If you want a garden that stands out from the rest of the neighborhood, skip the standard nursery staples and try planting some of these underused perennials. Not only do they offer unique colors and architectural heights, but many are hardy native plants that attract beneficial wildlife and survive the toughest droughts. Grab a trowel and add some unique drama to your yard this season!
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