Perennials

Perennials

Our enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable perennials team is here to answer your questions and help you choose the best perennials for your situation. There’s always something in bloom for sun, shade, butterflies, birds or deer resistance  as well as a variety of bulbs for your space.

Stroll through our time-tested favorites and introduce yourself to the newest varieties. We garden with perennials too; we love them and it shows!

Sedum reflexum 'Blue Spruce'

Height: 8 inches

Spacing: 10 inches

Sunlight: full sun, partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 2a

Other Names: Sedum reflexum

Ornamental Features:
Blue Spruce Stonecrop is smothered in stunning gold star-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from early to mid summer. Its attractive succulent needle-like leaves remain silvery blue in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes:
Blue Spruce Stonecrop is a dense herbaceous perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration:

- Spreading

Blue Spruce Stonecrop is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Mass Planting
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Planting & Growing

Blue Spruce Stonecrop will grow to be about 8 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Sedum SunSparkler? 'Dazzleberry'

Plant Height: 6 inches

Flower Height: 10 inches

Spacing: 15 inches

Sunlight: full sun, partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 4a

Other Names: Autumn Stonecrop, Showy Stonecrop

Group/Class: SunSparkler Series

Brand: Walters Gardens

Description:
A compact upright stonecrop with very large raspberry red flowers held atop of distinctly bluish-green succulent foliage; a drought-tolerant perennial that does best in poor soils, an excellent choice for late summer color in the garden border

Ornamental Features:
Dazzleberry Stonecrop is covered in stunning clusters of ruby-red flowers at the ends of the stems from late summer to mid fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive succulent round leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the season. The brick red stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes:
Dazzleberry Stonecrop is a dense herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Dazzleberry Stonecrop is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Mass Planting
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Container Planting

Planting & Growing:
Dazzleberry Stonecrop will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity extending to 10 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 15 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in poor soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Dazzleberry Stonecrop is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

Sedum SunSparkler? 'Dazzleberry'

Bright pink blooms. Smokey blue-Grey foliage. Groundcover. USDA 4-9

Panicum virgatum ?Prairie Sky?

Thin, blue-green foliage is accented with silvery-white plumes. Dense, clumping. USDA 4-9

Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue'

Height: 8 inches

Spread: 12 inches

Sunlight: full sun, partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 2b

Other Names: Festuca ovina var. glauca

Description:
A dwarf ornamental grass featuring bright silver-blue foliage; neat mounds of densely tufted leaves stay blue all season long; tall upright tan plumes sway in the breeze; drought tolerant once established, great for containers, beds and borders

Ornamental Features:
Elijah Blue Fescue is primarily valued in the garden for its interestingly mounded form. Its attractive grassy leaves remain blue in color throughout the year. The tan seed heads are carried on spikes from mid summer to late fall.

Landscape Attributes:
Elijah Blue Fescue is an herbaceous evergreen perennial grass with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Elijah Blue Fescue is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
- Container Planting

Planting & Growing:
Elijah Blue Fescue will grow to be about 8 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 8 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to dry locations, and dislikes excessive moisture. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Elijah Blue Fescue is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a canvas of foliage against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

Carex flacca 'Blue Zinger'

Height: 18 inches

Spread: 18 inches

Sunlight: partial shade, full shade

Hardiness Zone: 4a

Other Names: Carex glauca

Description:
A vigorous sedge that can grow in very diverse habitats; a tall, upright cultivar with attractive blue-green foliage; great in full sun or under the shade of large trees; suitable for rock gardens or as a groundcover but must have sufficient water

Ornamental Features:
Blue Zinger Blue Sedge is primarily valued in the garden for its interestingly mounded form. Its attractive grassy leaves remain bluish-green in color with showy silvery blue variegation throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes:
Blue Zinger Blue Sedge is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial grass with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Blue Zinger Blue Sedge is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Mass Planting
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover

Planting & Growing:
Blue Zinger Blue Sedge will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Panicum virgatum ?Cloud Nine?

Tall selection forms an upright mound of blue-green leaves. Tiny reddish-brown flower. Winter interest. USDA 4-9

Festuca x 'Cool As Ice' Blue Fescue

Blue foliage. Clumping. Heat tolerant. Semi-evergreen. USDA 4-8

Festuca glauca 'Beyond Blue' Fescue

Intense blue foliage. Non-fading. Semi-evergreen. USDA 4-9

Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal'

Blue-green foliage with feathery, pinkish-white plumes in summer. Strong, upright habit. USDA 5-9

Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal'

Blue-green foliage with feathery, pinkish-white plumes in summer. Strong, upright habit. USDA 5-9

Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue'

Powder blue foliage. Dense clumping. Semi-evergreen. USDA 4-8

Helictotrichon sempervirens

Blue-green foliage with long fronds. Compact, bushy habit. USDA 4-8

Hosta 'Komodo Dragon'

Large, wide-spreading variety. Huge, blue-green, heart-shaped foliage. Mounding. USDA 3-9