A great looking perennial garden doesn’t just happen here in Sacramento. Perennials need time and attention to thrive and even the hardiest of them all can wilt under our hot afternoon summer sun. But if you enjoy “deadheading” and seeing to your plants’ needs, nothing bursts with brighter color than a well-maintained perennial garden. Numerous perennials thrive in Sacramento, given adequate water and optimum light. Check these out.
Aster or Hardy Aster (Aster sp.)
Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia)
Baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata)
Banana (Musa, Ensete)
Basket-of-gold (Aurinia saxatilis)
Bear’s breeches (Acanthus sp.)
Bee balm, Oswego tea (Monarda sp.)
Begonia, hardy (Begonia grandis)
Blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora)
Bluestar, or amsonia (Amsonia tabernaemontana)
Bugleweed (Ajuga sp.)
Canna (Canna sp.)
Cardinal flower (Lobelia)
Cat’s whiskers (Orthosiphon aristatus)
Chrysanthemum, Mum (Chrysanthemum)
Colewort (Crambe cordifolia)
Coneflower (Echinacea sp.)
Coral bells, alumroot (Heuchera)
Coreopsis, common (Coreopsis grandiflora)
Coreopsis, threadleaf, tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata)
Crinum (Crinum sp.)
Daylily (Hemerocallis sp.)
Elephant’s ear (Colocasia)
Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis sp.)
Flax, New Zealand (Phormium)
Gayfeather (Liatris)
Ginger (Zingiber, Alpinia)
Goatsbeard (Aruncus sp.)
Hakone grass, variegated Japanese reed grass (Hakonechloa macra)
Hedgenettle, scarlet or Texas betony (Stachys coccinea)
Hibiscus, rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
Hibiscus, swamp (Hibiscus coccineus)
Hosta (Hosta sp.)
Indigo bush, Santa Catalina prairie clover (Dalea pulchra)
Iris, bearded (Iris hybrids)
Iris, Dutch (Iris xiphium)
Iris, Japanese (Iris ensata)
Iris, Louisiana
Iris, Siberian (Iris sibirica)
Lamb’s ears (Stachys)
Lantana (Lantana), used as an annual
Lavender, common or English (Lavandula angustifolia)
Lily, African (Agapanthus)
Lily (Lilium)
Lily, gold band (Lilium auratum)
Liriope, lilyturf (Liriope muscari)
Maiden grass, Eulalia (Miscanthus sp.)
Meadow rue (Thalictrum)
Meadowsweet (Filipendula)
Mexican heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)
Moses-in-the-cradle (Tradescantia spathacea, syn. Rhoeo spathacea)
Onion, flowering (Allium)
Paperflower, woolly (Psilostrophe tagetina)
Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis)
Pincushion flower (Scabiosa)
Plumbago, leadwort (Ceratostigma)
Poppy (Papaver)
Purple heart (Tradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’, syn. Setcreasea pallida)
Rain lily (Zephyranthes sp.)
Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria)
Salvia, Sage
Sage, bog (Salvia uliginosa)
Sage, Brazilian (Salvia guaranitica)
Sage, common (Salvia officinalis)
Sage, forsythia (Salvia madrensis)
Sage, Gregg, autumn sage (Salvia greggii)
Sage, mealy-cup (Salvia farinacea)
Salvia, perennial (Salvia x superba)
Sage, rosebud (Salvia involucrata)
Sage, Russian (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Sage, Texas (Salvia coccinea)
Sandwort (Arenaria)
Sea holly (Eryngium)
Sea lavender (Limonium)
Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum)
Sunflower (Helianthus)
Sunflower, false (Heliopsis helianthoides)
Sunflower, swamp or narrow-leaf sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius )
Thrift, moss pink (Phlox subulata)
Thyme (Thymus sp.)
Violet (Viola)
Wormwood (Artemisia)
HGTV Recommended Perennials for USDA Zone 9 – Sacramento
