Gardening Guides
Native Plants
10 Top Flowering Native Plants for Beauty and Wildlife Benefit
Consider these easy-care varieties for good looks, seasonal interest and more
These 10 tried-and-true native flowering plants have it all: attractive flowers, foliage and forms; few care requirements; and the benefit of supporting birds, butterflies and other wildlife. Essentially, they’re just as well-suited to home gardens as many non-native ornamental plants (and look good planted alongside them), but they also offer so much more.
If you’re new to planting natives or are looking to add more to your landscape for wildlife and environmental benefits, use this list as a jumping-off point to learn about top-performing native perennials around the U.S. — particularly those adapted to your region. Could you see one or more of these plants in your garden?
Getting started: What to Know About Starting Your First Native Plant Garden
If you’re new to planting natives or are looking to add more to your landscape for wildlife and environmental benefits, use this list as a jumping-off point to learn about top-performing native perennials around the U.S. — particularly those adapted to your region. Could you see one or more of these plants in your garden?
Getting started: What to Know About Starting Your First Native Plant Garden
1. Milkweed
(Asclepias spp.)
Native to many regions of North America, depending on species
Milkweed is an easygoing garden plant that pairs well with ornamental grasses and other flowering perennials. It’s probably most well-known as being a host plant for monarch butterflies, as it’s the only plant that monarch caterpillars eat. Milkweed also offers a rich source of nectar to more species of butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects.
Choose a species native to your region for the most wildlife benefits. The star-like clusters of flowers bloom in summer, typically in white, pink or orange, depending on species, followed by decorative seedpods in fall.
Caution: Milkweed sap can be harmful to animals if consumed in large quantities but is generally only considered a potential issue for livestock.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 3 to 9; find your zone), depending on species
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun to part shade
Mature size: 2 feet wide and 3 to 4 feet tall
Learn more about growing milkweed
(Asclepias spp.)
Native to many regions of North America, depending on species
Milkweed is an easygoing garden plant that pairs well with ornamental grasses and other flowering perennials. It’s probably most well-known as being a host plant for monarch butterflies, as it’s the only plant that monarch caterpillars eat. Milkweed also offers a rich source of nectar to more species of butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects.
Choose a species native to your region for the most wildlife benefits. The star-like clusters of flowers bloom in summer, typically in white, pink or orange, depending on species, followed by decorative seedpods in fall.
Caution: Milkweed sap can be harmful to animals if consumed in large quantities but is generally only considered a potential issue for livestock.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 3 to 9; find your zone), depending on species
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun to part shade
Mature size: 2 feet wide and 3 to 4 feet tall
Learn more about growing milkweed
2. California Wild Lilac
(Ceanothus spp.)
Native to North America, from southern Canada to Guatemala
California wild lilac is a garden showstopper. Pale to deep blue, pink or white flowers cover the plant in late winter through spring, drawing bees and other pollinators. Plants thrive with limited summer water in quick-draining soils and on slopes. Plant one in the back of a perennial bed or against a wall as a colorful accent, or create a blue carpet with a low-growing cultivar of C. griseus var. horizontalis.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate to low once established
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 1 to 25 feet tall and wide, depending on species
Learn more about growing ceanothus
(Ceanothus spp.)
Native to North America, from southern Canada to Guatemala
California wild lilac is a garden showstopper. Pale to deep blue, pink or white flowers cover the plant in late winter through spring, drawing bees and other pollinators. Plants thrive with limited summer water in quick-draining soils and on slopes. Plant one in the back of a perennial bed or against a wall as a colorful accent, or create a blue carpet with a low-growing cultivar of C. griseus var. horizontalis.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate to low once established
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 1 to 25 feet tall and wide, depending on species
Learn more about growing ceanothus
3. Blanketflower
(Gaillardia aristata)
Native on both sides of the Rocky Mountains, south to eastern Oregon, Utah, Colorado and Kansas; in Canada, native from British Columbia to Saskatchewan
The colorful, daisy-like blooms of prairie native blanketflower may look delicate, but these plants are tough — thriving in baking heat and poor soil. Their easygoing nature and compact size make them great garden plants, and summer-blooming flowers can be cut to add to bouquets. Plant them along garden borders or in hot-colored perennial beds. The flowers attract pollinators and, later, the seed heads provide food for native birds.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 42 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 7)
Water requirement: Moderate to low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: Up to 2½ feet tall and wide
Learn more about growing blanketflower
(Gaillardia aristata)
Native on both sides of the Rocky Mountains, south to eastern Oregon, Utah, Colorado and Kansas; in Canada, native from British Columbia to Saskatchewan
The colorful, daisy-like blooms of prairie native blanketflower may look delicate, but these plants are tough — thriving in baking heat and poor soil. Their easygoing nature and compact size make them great garden plants, and summer-blooming flowers can be cut to add to bouquets. Plant them along garden borders or in hot-colored perennial beds. The flowers attract pollinators and, later, the seed heads provide food for native birds.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 42 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 7)
Water requirement: Moderate to low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: Up to 2½ feet tall and wide
Learn more about growing blanketflower
4. Purple Coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea)
Native to the eastern and central United States
Purple coneflower is another native of North American prairies that has found a home in gardens. These plants bloom nonstop from midsummer into fall, producing a profusion of spiny-centered, purple-petaled flowers. Mix Purple coneflower with other sun-loving perennials and ornamental grasses, or tuck them around the edges of edible gardens. Bees and butterflies love the flowers, and birds benefit from the seeds that follow.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)
Water requirement: Regular; can handle some drought when established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 1½ to 3 feet tall, or taller, and 1 to 3 feet wide
Learn more about growing coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea)
Native to the eastern and central United States
Purple coneflower is another native of North American prairies that has found a home in gardens. These plants bloom nonstop from midsummer into fall, producing a profusion of spiny-centered, purple-petaled flowers. Mix Purple coneflower with other sun-loving perennials and ornamental grasses, or tuck them around the edges of edible gardens. Bees and butterflies love the flowers, and birds benefit from the seeds that follow.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)
Water requirement: Regular; can handle some drought when established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 1½ to 3 feet tall, or taller, and 1 to 3 feet wide
Learn more about growing coneflower
5. Small Camas
(Camassia quamash)
Native to western North America
Also called wild hyacinth, small camas is a flowering perennial that grows from a bulb along water-rich meadows in northern California and the Pacific Northwest. The plants make gorgeous, somewhat unexpected additions to Western gardens, less common that other spring-flowering bulbs. Plant bulbs in late fall, arranging in clumps or drifts for a brilliant show of blue-violet flowers next spring.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; thrives in slightly moist soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall
Learn more about growing small camas
(Camassia quamash)
Native to western North America
Also called wild hyacinth, small camas is a flowering perennial that grows from a bulb along water-rich meadows in northern California and the Pacific Northwest. The plants make gorgeous, somewhat unexpected additions to Western gardens, less common that other spring-flowering bulbs. Plant bulbs in late fall, arranging in clumps or drifts for a brilliant show of blue-violet flowers next spring.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; thrives in slightly moist soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall
Learn more about growing small camas
6. Bridge Penstemon
(Penstemon rostriflorus)
Native to southwestern Colorado, Utah and Arizona west to southeastern California
This hummingbird favorite is one of the longest-blooming and longest-lived Rocky Mountain native penstemon, producing a profusion of tubular red blooms from late spring through fall. Grow in full sun in native soil or on a rocky slope to mimic its native environment. Bridge penstemon’s seed heads provide a winter food source for birds, chipmunks and other native wildlife.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Low; requires supplemental water in areas with less than 15 inches of rainfall
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: Up to roughly 2½ feet tall and wide
Learn more about growing bridge penstemon
(Penstemon rostriflorus)
Native to southwestern Colorado, Utah and Arizona west to southeastern California
This hummingbird favorite is one of the longest-blooming and longest-lived Rocky Mountain native penstemon, producing a profusion of tubular red blooms from late spring through fall. Grow in full sun in native soil or on a rocky slope to mimic its native environment. Bridge penstemon’s seed heads provide a winter food source for birds, chipmunks and other native wildlife.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Low; requires supplemental water in areas with less than 15 inches of rainfall
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: Up to roughly 2½ feet tall and wide
Learn more about growing bridge penstemon
7. New England Aster
(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Native to most of North America
Native to the prairies, meadows and low valleys of eastern North America, New England aster makes a beautiful addition to late-summer and fall borders. The butterfly-attracting lavender-colored bloom spikes can reach up to 6 feet tall — making for a great plant to grow against a fence or at the back of a garden bed. Plants readily self-seed in moist soil and can spread by underground runners. Cut back after flowering and regularly divide clumps to reduce this.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 42.8 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full to partial sun
Mature size: 2 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide
Learn more about growing New England aster
(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Native to most of North America
Native to the prairies, meadows and low valleys of eastern North America, New England aster makes a beautiful addition to late-summer and fall borders. The butterfly-attracting lavender-colored bloom spikes can reach up to 6 feet tall — making for a great plant to grow against a fence or at the back of a garden bed. Plants readily self-seed in moist soil and can spread by underground runners. Cut back after flowering and regularly divide clumps to reduce this.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 42.8 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full to partial sun
Mature size: 2 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide
Learn more about growing New England aster
8. Lemmon’s Marigold
(Tagetes lemmonii)
Native to Arizona and Mexico
With cheery golden daisy-like flowers and easy care requirements, Lemmon’s marigold is a great native choice for gardens in the Southwest. The shrubby plants can reach up to 6 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Like many plants adapted to desert regions, Lemmon’s marigold puts on both a spring and fall bloom but has fewer flowers through the heat of summer.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Water requirement: Low once established
Light requirement: Full sun; light shade in low-desert zones
Mature size: 4 to 6 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide
Learn more about growing Lemmon’s marigold
(Tagetes lemmonii)
Native to Arizona and Mexico
With cheery golden daisy-like flowers and easy care requirements, Lemmon’s marigold is a great native choice for gardens in the Southwest. The shrubby plants can reach up to 6 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Like many plants adapted to desert regions, Lemmon’s marigold puts on both a spring and fall bloom but has fewer flowers through the heat of summer.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Water requirement: Low once established
Light requirement: Full sun; light shade in low-desert zones
Mature size: 4 to 6 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide
Learn more about growing Lemmon’s marigold
9. Blood Sage
(Salvia coccinea)
Native to the southeastern U.S. from South Carolina to all of Florida and west to Texas
This Southeast native sage favors warm climates of the region and makes a showy landscape plant. Bright red, nectar-rich flowers cover the plants in spring and summer, attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Its compact size makes it particularly small-garden friendly. Try growing blood sage in containers, hanging baskets or in a garden border mixed with other flowering perennials or foliage plants like coleus or sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas, zones 9 to 11).
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate to low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 2 feet tall and wide
(Salvia coccinea)
Native to the southeastern U.S. from South Carolina to all of Florida and west to Texas
This Southeast native sage favors warm climates of the region and makes a showy landscape plant. Bright red, nectar-rich flowers cover the plants in spring and summer, attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Its compact size makes it particularly small-garden friendly. Try growing blood sage in containers, hanging baskets or in a garden border mixed with other flowering perennials or foliage plants like coleus or sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas, zones 9 to 11).
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate to low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 2 feet tall and wide
10. Wild Bergamot
(Monarda fistulosa)
Native to most of North America
The frothy lilac-colored flowers of wild bergamot make a showy display from July to September, attracting bees and butterflies to the garden. Plants look stunning mixed with meadow grasses, in herb gardens or alongside other pollinator-favorites like milkweed or coneflower. The leaves are fragrant when crushed and can be used in herbal teas.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 45.6 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 5 feet tall and 18 to 30 inches wide
Learn more about growing wild bergamot
More on Houzz
See which native plants grow where you live
Make Your Garden a Haven for Backyard Birds
Work with a landscape designer near you
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(Monarda fistulosa)
Native to most of North America
The frothy lilac-colored flowers of wild bergamot make a showy display from July to September, attracting bees and butterflies to the garden. Plants look stunning mixed with meadow grasses, in herb gardens or alongside other pollinator-favorites like milkweed or coneflower. The leaves are fragrant when crushed and can be used in herbal teas.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 45.6 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 2 to 5 feet tall and 18 to 30 inches wide
Learn more about growing wild bergamot
More on Houzz
See which native plants grow where you live
Make Your Garden a Haven for Backyard Birds
Work with a landscape designer near you
Shop for gardening tools
As always, how a plant looks and performs in a spot in your garden is all about choosing the right plant (native or non-native) for your region and getting the plant in the right place in your yard (considering sun exposure, soil type, moisture level and more). A native planted in the right place is perfectly adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the area and often naturally supports the native wildlife that have evolved alongside it.
Choose native plants with the help of a local landscape designer